Here is another of my favorite annual flowers for great all-summer color.
Gerbera daisies are a very easy plant to grow. I enjoy the “happy” look of their flowers which just keep coming all summer. The color range covers everything but blue.
In previous seasons the only plants available for bedding plant growers were the dwarf or compact varieties. The beautiful long-stemmed varieties were grown for greenhouse cut flower production.
Last year we were introduced to a new variety labeled patio gerberas. I bought one plant and I was hooked. Huge magenta flowers on long stems and that single plant was not without several open flowers at any time the entire summer. That particular one was named Bighorn and was one of 19 color and flower forms of the series. I’ll be looking for more colors this season.
Gerberas grow well in hot sun and will perform well if they receive a minimum of six hours of direct sun per day. They appreciate a growing mix that stays uniformly moist and will tolerate going a little on the dry side, but absolutely will not survive in soil that is too wet. I feed mine every other watering with a water-soluble plant food, and they reward me with nonstop color.
The patio series grows about 18 to 20 inches tall. They make a great specimen planter on their own and will work in combination pots if the pot size is large. The more commonly available smaller varieties work well in all sizes of containers because their growth habit is not nearly as aggressive.
Removing flower stems after the blossom is finished is necessary to keep these plants looking clean and to encourage the continual flower production that we expect.
I’ll remind you that the fact of success with any planter often is determined by the size of the container. Large pots hold a much larger quantity of growing mix, resulting in much more uniform moisture and more capacity for the plants to grow and thrive. I know that potting mixtures are expensive, but if you are trying to save a couple of bucks, this isn’t the place to do it.
I like recycling that potting mix. Clean it out of the pot into a wheelbarrow or even on the driveway … break it loose to eliminate clods, and reuse it, mixing it half and half with new grower mix. Fill the pot to within one inch of the rim: that will give you sufficient room to water without overflowing.