Planting and caring for gazania in a pot: watering, fertilizing, pruning
Planting and caring for potted gazania is a simple and easy procedure. To grow African chamomile at home, it is enough to follow certain rules. What gazania looks like and the methods of its reproduction can be seen in the article below.
Soil selection and planting site determination
This culture is very fond of a lot of light, so the best place would be a window overlooking the sunny side. The plant itself is not very large. Given its size, a pot with a volume of 50 ml is considered optimal. This type of pot is suitable for a plant with 2-3 flowers.
It is necessary to monitor the soil moisture in the pot of gazania. After all, a flower cannot fully live in a constantly wet earth. It can even lead to the death of the plant.
When planting a plant, special attention should be paid to the soil. It should be loose. It is better to give preference to a special soil from a gardening store. The soil should be mixed with sand in a ratio of 3: 1 and warm well before filling the pot.
Planting and caring for gazania in a pot
Sowing seeds for seedlings should be in February. To do this, you must use soaked peat tablets... The container with seeds must be placed in a special pallet, with the help of which you can then irrigate. Taking water from such a container, the plant will feed evenly and the risk of pest damage will be much reduced.
For quick and high-quality germination of grains, it is recommended to cover the soil with polyethylene and place on the sunny side. In this case, we can talk about the greenhouse effect. And after 4-5 days you will see the first seedlings.
After emergence, the mini-greenhouse must be removed, otherwise the soil in the seedlings will be too wet. A pick is recommended to be carried out one month after sowing. Each copy must be transplanted into a separate glass.
In order not to be afraid of waterlogging the sprouts, you should use a sprinkler.
As soon as 5 full-fledged leaves appear on the plant, the gazania flower can be planted in a permanent place in a pot.
We take care of the plant at home
Having decided to grow gatsaniya at home, from the moment the seeds are planted, it is worth plunging into the particular care of this plant. We are talking about feeding and watering, caring for the soil, pruning the plant. If you follow all the rules, then the culture will certainly delight with its abundant flowering.
Watering and feeding the plant
Gazania has rather long roots, due to which it can feed on moisture from the depths of the earth. The leaves perform a protective function, hiding the plant from drying out. In this regard, the crop does not require frequent watering, since by its nature gazania is drought tolerant. By observing these rules, you will soon admire the lush bloom.
The most important condition is to keep the soil in a semi-dry state. As a top dressing, only complex fertilizersthat should be added to the soil twice a month. If all these rules are followed, the plant will please with a large number of large inflorescences.
Systematic feeding guarantees the appearance of large inflorescences.
Plant pruning
Every spring gazania needs to be pruned, even if it grows in a pot on a windowsill. Otherwise, you can forget about the abundant flowering and the appearance of new shoots. The procedure is carried out in early spring. All shoots must be removed at a distance of 5 cm from the soil surface.
Plant diseases
The plant is resistant to various diseases, but risks are always present. Quite often, slugs and aphids can be seen on the flower. The easiest way to get rid of these pests is by checking each leaf and collecting the pests. The flower is quite fragile, so it will not work to wash them off with water. To prevent this danger, it is recommended to plant garlic next to the plant. Its strong smell will act on pests, scaring them away. Instead of garlic, sage, onions, or parsley.
Another danger to gazania is the spider mite. If a pest appears, the flower should be sprayed with a solution of insecticides, and then covered with a film for a couple of days. If the specimen is in a humid room or its soil is constantly wet, gray rot may develop, which is problematic to remove. It is best to take preventive measures: during feeding and watering, prevent fertilizer or water from getting on the leaves. If rot has already formed, you need to apply Bordeaux liquid.
By observing the cultivation of gatsania from seeds at home, you can get a healthy flower. The plant will inappropriately please with beautiful buds that will decorate the room for a long period.