A miracle in the flowerbed - gazania or African chamomile. How to grow gatsaniya in the garden

The bright sunny gatsaniya (gazania) is called “midday gold” in Germany, and in Russia it is affectionately called “African daisy”. Why do European gardeners love this typical inhabitant of the “dark continent” so much? For long and abundant flowering, variety of colors, unpretentiousness and modesty in maintenance. As a rule, gatsaniya is grown in summer flower beds, but also as a potted plant. indoor plant exotic chamomile is wonderful. Compact, plentiful flowering bushes look in home interior elegant and unusual. The color of the inflorescences of the South African guest is dominated by warm shades (bronze, yellow, fiery red). There are hybrids with reeds in mauve, blue and white.

It is not difficult to grow gatsaniya from seeds at home. Compliance with basic agrotechnical standards, a little effort - and voila! A real African summer will bloom in riotous colors on your windowsill!

Landing dates

If you plan to grow gatsaniya at home, you can sow seeds at any time of the year, but only if you are ready to provide it quality lighting on cloudy days and in the evening. Otherwise, work is carried out in late March - early April. By the way, spring sowing is very profitable: you will leave a few specimens for your home collection, and the rest can be planted in a flower bed.

Sowing seeds and caring for seedlings

To grow African chamomile from seeds, you will need a light, well-drained soil mixture and a voluminous, deep container, especially deep, because as it grows, gazania forms a long taproot. Sowing is carried out as follows:

The prepared mixture is poured into a container, compacted and leveled.
Quite large gazania seeds are laid out on the surface of the soil at intervals of 2.5–3 cm.
The seeds are pressed tightly to the soil or sprinkled with a thin layer of nutrient substrate.
Crops are sprayed warm water from a spray bottle and cover with glass or film.
The greenhouse is placed in a warm (+18...+20 °C), bright place and opened daily to ventilate and remove drops of condensation accumulated on the glass (film).

Under favorable conditions, fresh (no older than 2 years) gatsania seeds will germinate in 8–14 days. At the stage of the fourth true leaf, the seedlings are planted in separate flower pots. Be sure to provide good drainage at the bottom of the pots. If the seedling container is spacious enough, then transplanting can be postponed for a week or two. To avoid pulling the bushes, move them after picking to a cool room for 7–10 days. After time, the strengthened plants are returned to the house and placed on the southern windowsill. The beauty is not afraid of direct rays, so there is no need to shade her. Your chamomile will bloom 2-3 months after sowing the seeds.

Rules of care

Water exotic chamomile regularly and moderately, avoiding prolonged drying out of the earthen coma. After moistening, the soil under the plant must be carefully loosened to ensure oxygen access to the root system.
Note! There is no need to spray gatsaniya, like other plants with pubescent leaves!
Every 30–45 days, gatsaniya is fed with complex mineral fertilizers for flowering plants.
To make the plant look neat and gain new buds faster, wilted baskets should be cut off in a timely manner.

The abundant flowering of indoor gatsaniya begins in the second ten days of June and lasts until the beginning of winter, and each basket remains fresh and elegant for 2.5–3 weeks. The “highlight” of the sunny guest is the amazing ability to close flowers at night and in cloudy weather. If the long-awaited daisies are in no hurry to bloom or the flowering seems too sparse to you, pay attention to the conditions in which your pet is kept: perhaps the plant does not have enough light or you are watering it too diligently. Late sowing of seeds can also cause delayed flowering.

Wintering indoor gatsaniya

After the end of active flowering, solar chamomile needs to be provided with a long period of rest so that it regains its strength before the new season. For wintering, pots with gatsaniya are placed in a cool, very bright place: on a glazed balcony or loggia. Optimal temperature content – from +7 °C to +10 °C. Water the plants infrequently, only to ensure that the soil in the pot does not dry out completely. Resting bushes do not need feeding.

On the eve of spring, the awakened plants are returned to their “native” windowsill, having first shortened the shoots by half. As the weather warms up, you can take the beautiful chamomile out into the garden or decorate your outdoor terrace with it.

Pests and diseases

Gatsania's resistance to pests and diseases is admirable. Problems with her health are so rare that many gardeners are sure that she is not sick at all. Only sometimes bushes are attacked spider mite and aphids. To kill insects, use any potent insecticide. Such drugs as “Inta-Vir”, “Agravertin”, “Akarin” (against aphids), “Kleschevit”, “Fufanon”, “Aktellik” (against ticks) are suitable.

High room temperature and systematic flooding of gatsaniya can provoke the development of gray rot. It will be extremely difficult to save diseased plants. Dispose of severely affected specimens first. Isolate the remaining bushes, treat them with a fungicide (Fitosporin, Fundazol) and be sure to adjust the schedule for further care.

Popular types and varieties

Of the 40 species of gatsania known in nature, several are cultivated. They are all very attractive and look quite similar:

Gatsania long-arrowed is a compact plant 15–20 cm high with entire or slightly incised leaves and creeping shoots. The baskets are large (up to 7 cm in diameter), bright yellow.
Gatsaniya single-flowered is a miniature bush (up to 15 cm in height). The long leaves are pubescent on the underside. The flowers are pale yellow, up to 5 cm in diameter.
Gatsania harsh (shiny) is a very attractive species. The height of the bush is about 25–35 cm. The tongues are painted in bright, warm colors (yellow, orange, red), the center of tubular flowers is purple-black.
Gatsania peacock is a semi-shrub perennial with a short stem and long, narrow leaves. Orange flowers with a yellow core reach a diameter of 8 cm.
Gatsania snow-white owes its name to the soft, fleecy pubescence of the leaves. From a distance, a bush 15–20 cm high, covered with numerous light hairs, appears not green, but snow-white.
Gatsania pinnate is a low-growing species (up to 20 cm) with pinnately dissected or lobed leaves. The reed flowers are orange, with a black mark at the base.
Gatsania Potsi is very similar in appearance to stiff gatsania, but the inflorescence baskets are much larger: up to 12 cm in diameter.
Gatsania hybrid is the most popular species in floriculture, numerous varieties of which have been bred with the participation of long-shooting and harsh Gatsania. The variety groups “Daybreck”, “Ministar”, “New Day” are extremely popular among gardeners, including cultivars with flowers of bright orange, golden yellow and red-brown color. Hybrids with striped edge flowers look great. Mixed varieties “Muse”, “Sunny Blik”, “Chansonette” and “Talent” delight the eye with lush multi-colored inflorescences. By the way, the latter’s baskets are not closed at night.

The bright, sunny flowers of Gatsania are very good for cutting, and if you have several bushes growing, without any damage to them appearance you can put together a cute bouquet for the holiday.

Blooming gazania

Gatsaniya is just a godsend for flower growers. This flower is surprisingly unpretentious, easy to grow and at the same time so beautiful that it will not leave anyone indifferent. Perhaps this plant has only one small drawback. Growing gatsaniya from seeds requires some patience. It takes 3-4 months from germination to flowering. But then it will delight you with its continuous flowering until frost.

Growing gatsaniya seedlings

What kind of soil is needed for sowing seeds?.

Gatsania seedlings are not demanding on the composition of the soil. It grows poorly only on heavy, clay soils, preferring light, breathable soil. If you want to prepare your own soil mixture, then mix forest soil, sand and humus in equal parts. Be sure to sift the resulting mixture through at least a large sieve (you can use a mesh from an old iron bed). Unsifted soil will be very difficult to work with. Any store-bought soil designed for growing flowers will do.

When to sow gatsaniya.

Gatsania planted at the end of November

This question is asked more often than others. There are two sowing options:

Option 1. If you are growing gatsania seedlings for yourself, then it is better to sow at the end of February or at the beginning of March. At this time it is already becoming much warmer and the daylight hours are quite long. Your seedlings will develop quickly and will delight you with the first flowers in June.

Option 2. It is more suitable for those who grow flowers for sale. In this case, flowering should begin at the end of April. In order for gatsania to bloom at this time, it will have to be planted in the fall, preferably in early November. In winter, seedlings grow very slowly. The time from sowing seeds to flowering increases to 5 - 6 months. And it’s better to completely avoid planting any plants in December. For all plants this is a period of deep dormancy and seed germination is very poor.

Sowing gatsaniya for seedlings

Place the seeds in shallow grooves or simply scatter them evenly on the ground. Sprinkle lightly with soil and moisten well. Cover with glass or film and leave room temperature. How

These seedlings were planted at the end of October

Shoots usually appear within a week.

Picking seedlings

Picking of seedlings is carried out 1.5 months after germination. When picking, there is no need to bury the seedlings. Gatsania seedlings practically do not stretch. Even if it grows in insufficient light and in dense plantings. If you are growing only a few bushes, you can immediately put the seeds into cups and no picking will be required.

Under what conditions to grow gatsania seedlings

The optimal temperature for growing seedlings is 18 - 20 degrees. Watering is moderate. After picking, feed the plants with any complete flower fertilizer once every 10 days. It will be very good if, when growing gatsaniya in winter time, you will take care of the lighting. And although the condition is very

Gatsania bush overwintered on the windowsill

desirable, but still not mandatory. All the plants you see in the photographs were grown without lighting. All photos were taken in early March.

Planting gatsaniya

You can plant seedlings in the ground at the end of May. Leave a distance between bushes of 20 - 30 cm. Gatsania loves sunny places and is not afraid of drafts. Do not plant it in low, damp places.

Flower care

This flower is not demanding in care. But with monthly fertilizing it will bloom much better. Water not often, but generously. If the flowers are planted in flowerpots, then feed complex fertilizer need 3 times a month.

How to collect seeds

Not every novice gardener can name at least ten of the most striking representatives of the Asteraceae family. However, it has enough interesting plant, known as gazania or gatsaniya. In common parlance it is called African chamomile or midday sun. This is quite simple to explain, since it is at noon that this plant’s flowers begin to open. Gatsania is native to Mozambique, from where it spread to the European continent. Behind last years this flower has become widespread as an annual and perennial.

But in any case, every gardener needs to know the features of growing gatsaniya in open ground, as well as the rules for caring for it. This knowledge will be valuable for any novice gardener, because it will allow you to decorate your garden with this flower, which will be transformed in the summer thanks to colorful inclusions and spectacular touches.

Varieties and varieties of gatsaniya

The photo of the plant will not leave anyone indifferent, but for those who want to plant it on their site, it will not hurt to first become familiar with its features.

This plant can be classified as low-growing, because it can reach only 30 cm in height. Its stems are decorated with very dense leaves that are dark green or grayish in color. They are necessary not only to protect against the cold, but also to reduce the evaporation of moisture during the heat. It is quite easy to distinguish gatsaniya from other plants, because it stands out against the background of its relatives with its bright, sunny flowers. Its inflorescences usually have an orange, yellow, red tint, which effectively complements the darkened area near the base. During the season, up to 30 inflorescences can grow on one gatsaniya bush.

African daisy genus includes about 40 species. However, we are interested in the most popular of them.

Brilliant gatsaniya. It is decorated with tubular flowers that are red-black, orange or yellow in color. Near the base there are always spots of black or white.
Gatsania potsi. In many ways, this variety is very similar to the brilliant one, with the exception of the size of the flowers, which are larger. The diameter of the inflorescences of this gatsania variety is approximately 11 cm.
Long rifle gatsaniya. This flower is grown as an annual and is decorated with entire leaves. The variety can grow to a height of no more than 20 cm. The basket is formed by tubular and reed flowers of a yellow hue, which have brown bases.
Peacock gazania. The unusually narrow and long leaves give the plant its originality. They are decorated with tubular flowers of a yellow or orange hue with black bases.

There are also other varieties in the genus of this plant: single-flowered, pinnate and hybrid gazania. Photos of these species can easily be found on the Internet.

It also contains many hybrids, which are the result of crossing harsh (shiny) and long-shooting varieties. Unlike original varieties, hybrids are better able to withstand adverse weather conditions and diseases. Among the hybrids, the following varieties of gatsania have gained the greatest popularity:

"Ministar." As it grows, it develops baskets of white and orange shades;
"Daybreak Red Stripe" The stems of this gatsaniya are decorated with yellow flowers, complemented by bright red stripes. Already at sunrise, the flowers begin to open and remain in this state until sunset;
"Talent". Among the features, it is worth highlighting the decorative leaves and flowers that remain open during daylight hours. Therefore, you can contemplate the beauty of gazania for a very long time.

Planting and care in open ground

Whatever gatsaniya you choose, be it annual or perennial, it will not cause you any trouble in any case. After all, in the process of growing it you will not encounter any difficulties in caring for it and in the summer you will be able to enjoy amazing abundant flowering.

To prevent young bushes from being harmed by spring frosts, you need to know when is the best time to plant them in the ground. It is advisable to plan this event for late May-early June. But first you will have to prepare a suitable place for planting, where fertile and light-structured soil should prevail. Gatsania is a drought-resistant plant, so it will withstand direct sunlight without any consequences.

Transplanting gatsaniya from pots to permanent place should be carried out together with a clod of earth, which will help avoid injury to the root system. Plants should be placed no closer than 20 cm from each other. The first gatsania flowers appear at the beginning of summer and will delight the gardener until the first winter cold.

Well-developed gatsania bushes will be able to withstand the first autumn night frosts without problems, if it is still warm during the day, as in summer.

Care measures

Caring for gatsaniya involves regular loosening of the soil, weed control, as well as timely removal of wilted inflorescences. It is very useful to mulch the soil, as it reduces moisture evaporation and, in addition, prevents weeds from growing.

Some gardeners grow gatsaniya as an annual. In this case, after flowering, the remaining above-ground part will have to be destroyed. If you want gatsaniya to please you with abundant flowering in the next season, you will have to do the following: in the fall, the bushes are carefully dug out of the ground, transplanted into boxes and placed for storage in a room where a constant temperature is maintained within 10 degrees. During the winter, gatsaniya should not lack lighting and watering, which should be moderate at this time of year. Be sure to trim the shoots to half their length. In the spring, gatsania bushes that have successfully overwintered are returned to their place.

Reproduction and feeding of gatsaniya

You can get new gatsania bushes by sowing seeds or vegetatively.

You will have to wait quite a long time for the first flowers - about three to four months from the moment the first shoots appear. Seeds can only be used for sowing within the next two years, since after that they lose their viability. During sowing, the seeds are placed at a distance of 3 cm from each other. After this, the seeds need to be sprinkled with a small layer of soil, carefully poured with a thin stream of water, and then a transparent film should be pulled over the container with the plantings.

For germination, the boxes must be kept in a bright place, where the temperature at 20 degrees. Plantings should also be ventilated regularly. Seeds usually germinate within one to two weeks. To avoid injury to the root system, it is recommended to use it for growing seedlings. peat cups. You can plan to transplant to a permanent place only after the last frost has passed, and this usually happens in May-June.

Propagation by cuttings

July is the right time to obtain new gazania bushes from cuttings. To do this, the selected stems must be cut with a sharp knife, and there must be a heel on the cutting. Shoots harvested for propagation must have length no more than 10 cm. The leaves at the bottom must be torn off and the cut area treated with root. Next, containers with soil mixture are prepared for the cuttings, where they are transplanted, watered, and a film is pulled on top. By March, they have formed a fairly strong root system, which allows you to start thinking about replanting them in a permanent place or in a spacious flowerpot.

After transplanting gatsaniya to open ground she needs feeding. It is usually sufficient to apply it to fertile soil at least once a month. mineral fertilizers in the form of a solution. If gatsaniya is grown on rocky or heavy soil, then the number of feedings must be increased to two in one month.

Dangerous diseases and pests

Appearance dangerous pests and illness is most often a consequence of violations in care or its untimely implementation. One of the serious diseases is gray rot . The fight against it involves the complete removal of infected plants, after which it is necessary to treat healthy bushes with phytosporin.

The greatest damage to gazania flowers is caused by snails, aphids and spider mites. By effective means, used to kill aphids are:

Fitoverm;
Akarin.

To get rid of ticks, use Fufanon, Ditox.

No insecticides are used to control snails; they are simply collected by hand.

Application in landscape design

Appropriate use low-growing varieties gazania for registration alpine slides , where they literally transform this element with their unforgettable flowering landscape design. They are often used for landscaping borders and ridges. They acquire a spectacular appearance when used as part of complex flower arrangements, where they complement plants such as Ursinia, Lobelia, Dimorphotheca, Arctotis, Iberis, etc.

Conclusion

Gazania is a little-known plant for many beginning gardeners, but once they see it, they will not be able to forget its beauty. But those of them who have country cottage area, can receive aesthetic pleasure from gatsania flowers every season, for which you just need to plant them in suitable place and correctly determine the time when to plant seedlings in the garden. This is a plant is one of the unpretentious, so there should be no problems in the process of growing from seeds and caring for it at home.

Gazania grows best in a sunny area, and it is undemanding to fertilizers. Although if it is planted in an area where rocky soil predominates, it will have to be provided with nutrients at least twice a season. However, gazania will thank you for these efforts with abundant flowering, which will continue until the first cold weather.

Only in the 17th century was the flower brought to Europe, receiving its modern name in honor of an Italian priest. Theodor von Gas became famous for translating the works of ancient Greek scientists into Latin language. In the western part of Europe you can often hear this amazing flower called "midday gold". He owes this to his peculiarity of opening the flower at midday. will allow you to choose the right date for planting these flowers.

What does the plant look like?

Gatsania grown from seeds knows better when to plant them - professional gardeners know better. This plant can be either annual or perennial; it is low-growing, rarely reaching more than 30 centimeters in height. The dark green leaves at the roots are usually gathered together, and the stem may be completely absent or quite short. back side The leaf blades have an additional fleecy coating, which serves as a protective agent in the event of a sharp cold snap and helps gatsaniya retain moisture during particularly hot periods. Quite large inflorescences can reach up to 10 centimeters in diameter. Visually, they resemble baskets consisting of multi-colored inflorescences, mainly bright red and yellow. On one plant alone, the number of huge flowers can reach 35.

Often, people who have never been involved in floriculture before, but would like to have a gatsaniya, are interested in questions about caring for such a plant. Growing from seeds, when to plant - forums constantly discuss such topics. This is due to the variety of varieties and different approaches to each of them. For example, the timing of planting gatsaniya directly depends on the climate zone and the immediate location. It follows from this that cold and late spring is not suitable for sowing seeds. They will die because they will not be able to develop normally due to the lack of proper daylight. At the same time, if you are late with planting and perform this procedure in May, then you will have to wait much longer for flowering Optimal time For planting seeds, count the days starting from mid-March to mid-April.

Growing seedlings

In order to get an excellent gatsaniya grown from seeds (when to plant this plant in Siberia depends on many factors), it is necessary to prepare deep boxes, since the root of such flowers is quite long, resembling a rod. It is important that it grows without bending, being in a straight, vertical position. The soil in the boxes should be light enough, have drainage and a moderate pH value. Ph values in the range of 5.5-6.5 are considered favorable. In the process of arranging the seeds of the plant, it is best to choose a checkerboard order and maintain a demarcating space of about 3 cm. Meanwhile, the seeds do not have to be deepened into the soil; you can lightly sprinkle them with soil or press them tightly by sprinkling them with water from a spray bottle and covering them with film. The container should be placed in a warm place without any obstruction to access. sun rays. It is important to monitor daily the accumulating condensation on polyethylene or glass. Otherwise, the sprouts that appear after a couple of weeks will begin to rot. Gatsania (growing from seeds, when to plant, photos of varieties, care tips and much more can be easily found on the Internet) is going through the most difficult stage of its growth, so it requires special attention and caring attitude.

If you fail to find a deeper container, then as soon as the fourth leaf appears on the young seedlings, they will have to be planted in separate pots with soil enriched with peat humus (this will also allow you to get best result). For further growth, they should be moved to a cooler place. The most suitable temperature for gazania sprouts at this stage can be considered 12 - 16 degrees Celsius. An unheated loggia or veranda is perfect for this purpose. In addition, during this period of development, the plants must be accustomed to fresh air and outside temperature, sometimes opening the window slightly and at the same time making sure that the flowers are not exposed to drafts.

Tips for planting in open ground

Gatsania, grown from seeds, when to plant in open ground is known to professionals in their field. Gardeners and landscape designers are almost unanimously of the opinion that from mid-May to early summer it is best to carry out planting activities on open area. Fortunately for many flower plant lovers, further care it is much easier to grow gatsaniya, because the plant differs from its fellows in its unpretentiousness. The main thing is to find ideal conditions for the flower. It would be desirable for this to be open place with light garden soil, where the sun's rays can easily reach. At the same time, partial shade is unacceptable for gatsaniya. She needs it vitally sunlight, so direct sunlight will not harm it; the flower also easily tolerates summer drought.

Did you know that some types?

To transplant gatsaniya seedlings into the front garden or on flower bed under the window, you need to do this together with the pots in which the individual sprouts are located. If a deep container was nevertheless used for growing, resort to the help of a long scoop, which can help remove each plant painlessly for the root system and transfer it to the hole. It is very important to be careful and careful not to cause the slightest damage to the roots. The distance between planted bushes should be left at least 20 cm. About 3 months pass from the moment of sowing to the appearance of the first variegated flowers.

Having knowledge about gatsaniya (growing from seeds, when to plant), a video on this topic will help you visually familiarize yourself with this exciting process. After all, flowers bring joy and make the world around us brighter and more colorful.

Gazania, Gazania or African daisy is a member of the Asteraceae species. Named after the Greek humanist Theodore Gaza. In this article we will examine the following topic: gatsaniya growing from seeds, when to plant in the ground.

Gatsaniya flowers description, photo

African chamomile is very beautiful and relatively easy to care for. Loves sunny weather, is not afraid of even direct sunlight, and is resistant to soil drying out. It takes root well in northern latitudes and can tolerate light frosts. It is not large in size, the height of the stem does not exceed 30 centimeters.

The inflorescences have a diameter of 5-9 centimeters. Was brought to Europe from South Africa in the 17th century. It is distinguished by its bright color. Blooms from spring to late autumn. Grows in dry areas. But the taproot system allows it to extract moisture from the depths, and the dark green dense leaves retain it on the surface of the earth.

In its homeland - Mozambique and South Africa, it is a perennial plant, and in our country, due to intolerance to severe cold, it is an annual plant. In order to protect it from severe frosts, it is transplanted into pots, boxes, and flowerpots. Store in heated rooms. It is also called the “midday sun”. It got its name for its bright color. There are about forty varieties in the world, here are some of them:

single-flowered;
feathery;
peacock;
snow white;
long-armed;
shiny or harsh.

After crossing the harsh one and other species, botanist breeders bred hybrid species that reach a height of 15-25 centimeters and have a variety of basket colors: red, orange, white, pink, even two-colored.

Plant propagation methods

Propagated by seeds and cuttings. In the first case, the fruits are harvested independently or purchased from a trusted supplier. Reproduction using cuttings allows you to preserve the properties of the flower.

Important! Some types of gazania, for example, terry, reproduce only vegetatively.

Cuttings of Gatsania

Cuttings are harvested from mid-summer. To do this, take young, healthy shoots with a slight thickening at the base of the rosette, no more than ten centimeters in size.

The lowest leaf is removed and the cut is processed special means stimulating root growth. The cutting is placed in a pot with a diameter of no more than ten centimeters, watered and covered with a large bag, so as to create a greenhouse effect.

The cutting needs careful care, located in a bright place, a heated room, but away from direct sunlight.

The cutting takes more than a month to take root. It is planted in the flowerbed by mid-May. If the temperature is not high, then they are transplanted into humus-peat pots.

Growing gatsaniya from seeds

As a rule, the first buds, depending on the type, appear after 2.5-3.5 months. Accordingly, preparations for sowing should begin in mid-March. Neither early nor late boarding. Since carrying it out early will require additional lighting with phytolamps, and if done late, it may not bloom at all.

Necessary conditions for growing seeds

Before sowing seedlings, you need to take care of favorable conditions. Gazania is distinguished by its tap root system, and a deep box is chosen for planting so that the root grows straight.

The composition of the soil plays a big role. Therefore, before purchasing, it is worth studying the composition. It should be nutritious and loose, containing useful substances necessary for seedlings. You can make your own soil mixture. You will have to prepare humus, sand, peat and turf in advance.

Attention! Maintaining drainage is a mandatory requirement. He will help take away excess moisture and prevent oversaturation.

The temperature of the room in which the box with seedlings will be kept should not fall below 20 degrees Celsius.

What containers are needed for sowing?

For planting, you should choose deep boxes, pots, and flowerpots. This is necessary for the root to grow vertically without bending. An alternative is to use trays with individual cells. This is convenient because each plant grows in its own section. Picking from a box with sections is carried out after a month and a half.

When is gazania used as perennial, it is not necessary to transplant it into the garden. You can use flowerpots for this. They will create an imitation of a garden flower bed.

Soil for growing seeds

The prepared soil should be loose and nutritious with an acidity value of 6 Ph. Gazania does not tolerate clayey and dense soil, as it retains water. Therefore, the soil must be well permeable to moisture. To avoid large accumulations of it, drainage should be added.

Attention! If there are not enough nutrients in the soil, this will delay the development of the sprout and its germination may also suffer. Therefore, fertilizing is done 2 times every 30 days.

Preparing seeds for sowing

In most cases, no preparation is required. But some gardeners prefer to soak them first in ordinary water, then in growth stimulating agents. But it is enough to place it in moist soil or a peat tablet.

When to plant seeds for seedlings

The sprouts are photophilous, therefore best time planting – mid-March, April. A humus-peat mixture is specially prepared. It is best to use separate containers for each grain to avoid damaging the root in the future. When the manipulation was done earlier or the spring is not sunny enough, an ultraviolet lamp is used for good germination.

Sowing technology

Typically, deep trays are used during sowing. Pour the soil mixture into the prepared container, moisten it well, and make grooves. The distance between the grains should be 2-3 centimeters. Before spraying with water, the grains are sprinkled with a small amount of soil.

The box with future sprouts is covered with a transparent film to create a greenhouse. Until the shoots appear, the homemade greenhouse needs to be ventilated and the accumulated condensation on the film removed. After the sprouts appear, they must be planted in different pots.

Attention! The main thing is not to forget about breeding seedlings in peat tablets. This is very convenient and allows you to do without replanting. At the same time, there is no risk of damaging the root system.

Peat tablets are used as follows:

You need to prepare a deep container where the tablets will be placed.
To make the tablets swell, water at 40-45 degrees Celsius is poured into the container.
Within a few minutes, the tablets will increase in size by 5-6 times. After this, the grains are immersed in specially prepared recesses.
When the manipulations are completed, the container is covered with cling film and placed on a sunny windowsill.

Thanks to peat tablets, the sprouts do not need further digging, but are planted immediately on the prepared bed.

Seedling care

In order for gazania to bloom earlier, it is planted at the end of winter, but then the seedlings need additional lighting. Usually, at a temperature of about 20 degrees Celsius, the first shoots appear within about two weeks. It is recommended to grow seedlings in a house with a temperature of at least 15 degrees Celsius.

Seedling care

After picking, feed with fertilizer every 10 days. Do not over-moisten the soil, as this will lead to the death of the seedlings. The temperature of the room in which the young animals are kept should not fall below 20 degrees.

When to pick seedlings

Typically, seedlings are picked one and a half months after germination. But the sooner the picking into separate containers is carried out, the better. This will help to avoid injury to the root system in the future.

When humus-peat containers or peat tablets, the pick is made directly into an open area.

Hardening

An adult plant can tolerate light frosts, but young plants do not have such qualities. Consequently, they are hardened to get used to the temperature outside. First, open a window or window slightly, without creating a draft. Then they take it out onto a cool balcony or veranda. After hardening, they are planted in the garden.

When to plant seedlings in open ground

As a rule, flowering occurs from the beginning of summer until late autumn. Transplantation in open areas is carried out in mid-May, early June. The sunniest area is allocated for planting. It is pre-fertilized and irrigated with water. The bushes are planted at a distance of 20-25 centimeters from each other.

How to plant seedlings

When the site is selected, transplantation begins. But before that, it is recommended to add to the humus, creating favorable conditions for growth. If peat tablets were used during breeding, then it is planted in the flowerbed along with them. Sequence of actions when transplanting to an open area:

If the seedlings have not been planted, the soil in the pot is moistened.
Remove from the pot without disturbing the coma at the roots.
Prepare a place for planting in advance. Loosen, water, fertilize.
The roots of the seedling are immersed in a depression in the garden bed, filling the voids.
African chamomile is watered. When there is a possibility of frost, it is covered with a thick film.

Caring for gatsaniya after planting in open ground

She is not capricious, but certain rules must be followed. Does not like excessive watering, preferring dry conditions. The soil must be constantly cultivated so that excess moisture does not stagnate.

Timely removal of weeds allows the bush to get everything useful material. Also, for the rapid formation of young buds, you need to regularly remove wilted inflorescences. Feeding is carried out once every 2 months.

Important! Feeding is carried out 1-2 times every 30 days, if the South African chamomile was transplanted not into open ground, but into a deep flowerpot.

Have a positive impact on general condition flower garden, mulch treatment. This will help you forget about weeds and watering for a while. If the summer turns out to be hot and dry, then South African chamomile should be flavored with water from time to time. This procedure is carried out to maintain flowering.

When to plant in Siberia

In Siberia, they are planted in the front garden towards the end of spring. Usually in this area it is used as an annual, but to save the specimen, it is transplanted into a box during the cold winter. Should be kept in a cool place where the temperature does not drop below 10 degrees. Watering should be done rarely, but the soil should not be allowed to dry out.

Flower care during and after flowering

During active growth required proper care. This will extend the flowering period and protect against all kinds of diseases and pests. The gardener is required to perform the following manipulations:

Weed the bed from weeds in a timely manner;
cultivate the land;
provide moderate watering;
remove faded buds.

Before the onset of cold weather, African chamomile is transferred from an open area to a deep container without damaging the root system. It is located in a cool place (where the temperature does not fall below 10 degrees) with good lighting. In the winter season, provide rare watering. Occasionally you can fertilize with fertilizers.

Possible problems during cultivation

One of the problems regarding the growth of bushes is the lack of seedlings. Improperly created conditions can affect the late development of the sprout. Periodic drafts, cold rooms, lack of lighting are the main enemies of future flowers that can destroy them. Lack of color and buds is also a constant problem.

Gardeners also encounter plant diseases and pests that attack them. Incorrectly created requirements provoke their appearance.

Diseases and pests (treatment)

One of the qualities is resistance to pests and diseases. But unfavorable conditions will certainly provoke unpleasant consequences.

Overmoistening, bad light, insufficient ventilation will lead to the formation of gray rot. This disease affects those areas that have already begun to die. Afterwards, safely moving to healthy areas. To prevent gray rot, the following requirements are met:

promptly remove faded buds;
do not fill with water;
ventilate the room (while in the house);
plant in the sunniest place;
Regularly cultivate the soil in the flower garden.

Know! There are many substances sold on the market that protect garden flowers from diseases. They are brought into the place of the flower bed. When using them, the dosage is strictly observed.

When fighting the disease, damaged areas are removed. Afterwards, treat the remains of the plant with a special product - a systemic fungicide. After 7 days, the procedure must be repeated.

The most commonly attacked pests are spider mites, aphids and snails.

Spider mites feed on the cell sap of leaves. After its appearance, the leaves become covered with small holes, which over time begin to acquire yellow tint and destroy the bush.

To get rid of spider mites, you need to eliminate damaged leaves and treat the bush with a special chemical. After the procedure, cover it with a large bag so that there is no access to oxygen. The procedure is repeated a couple more times, every 7 days.

Snails are usually collected by hand, but infusions of hot pepper, coffee or tea are also used. Slugs and snails cannot tolerate spicy odors. Sage, parsley, basil, and rosemary will help you escape from them. As folk method use spruce needles. They are poured into the flower garden so that the slug does not get to the leaves.

Salt is excellent remedy extermination of snails and slugs. Touching the slug to the salt path will cause it to dissolve. Not good humane way, but effective. The main thing is not to sprinkle salt on the beds. She's being treated garden paths, thereby protecting the beds.

But if home methods do not help, then you will have to resort to chemicals. When using insecticides, dosages and safety precautions must be observed.

They fight aphids with the help of pungent odors by planting onions or garlic next to the flower garden. You can collect bugs by hand, but it will take a lot of time. Ladybug and its larvae cope well with aphid infestations. There are still plenty industrial products for insect control.

Why gatsaniya does not bloom, what to do

After planting, inflorescences appear almost immediately. Each flower basket lasts about three weeks. But improper maintenance can have a detrimental effect on the bush. Even a slight shadow will cause a lack of buds. Mandatory requirement- this is a restrained watering. Gazania may die from waterlogging or be affected by the disease gray rot.

Late transplantation causes a lack of flowers. Buds appear 80 days after planting. But it depends on the variety. Therefore, the plant is transferred to the ground in late spring.

How to collect gatsaniya seeds

For the fruits of gazania to ripen, you need a hot summer and a warm, long autumn. They ripen within two months. You can collect them using gauze at the moment when the plant begins to bloom. Several large baskets are wrapped in gauze and tied to prevent them from being blown away by the wind.

Know! Hybrid species of African chamomile are usually used for gardening. Their grains do not retain all qualities. In order not to lose the properties of the mother flower, it is better to resort to cuttings and replanting from the flowerbed to trays.

Gatsania in winter

If the bush is used as a perennial plant, then it is prohibited to leave it outside for the winter. He will die from severe frosts. It is transferred to a flowerpot or box. Keep on a cool balcony or veranda. But the temperature should not drop below zero.

To avoid replanting every year, they resort to using flowerpots. In the winter season, African chamomile, which has retained its color, will have to be illuminated.

That's all I wanted to say on the topic: growing gatsaniya from seeds, when to plant in open ground. After the transplant, she is not so demanding and does not cause any trouble, but at the same time she loves to be treated with kindness.

Despite its love for warmth, it has taken root well in the northern part of our country. The above recommendations will help with care and bright flowers will delight the eye for many years.