Growing Gerbera Daisies from Seeds

[Shari of SC]

Growing Gerbera Daisies from Seeds

Gerbera jamesonii

With September comes a wave of colorful Gerbera Daisies. After having bloomed spectacularly all spring, the plants rested during the hot summer only occasionally producing a few scattered flowers. September is like the grand finale of a fireworks show, saving the best for last.

I love growing Gerbera Daisies. They can be found in an endless array of vivid or pastel flower colors. Petals may be of a traditional daisy type or fancier shapes that look more like ‘mums. In my Coastal South Carolina garden these plants range in size from 12 to 24 inches tall, and are a perfect choice to tuck into those front border spaces adding both great color and interesting foliage. Even better, Gerberas are one of the very best plants to grow for cut flowers. The flowers will last a week or two in a vase or an arrangement. Fortunately, in this geographic area, Gerberas are hardy enough to survive most winters and grow as perennials.

I haven’t always lived in an area where they will over winter outdoors. Since one can never have too many Gerberas and it can be somewhat expensive to purchase them in quantity in the spring, I learned to grow them from seeds. This project is much more challenging than common annuals such as zinnias, marigolds, and vinca. However, with some patience, persistence and a knowledge of this plant’s peculiar requirements, it is possible to grow them quite successfully from seeds. The reward of those beautiful flowers is well worth the effort.

September’s bountiful display signals time for me to get busy preparing for seeds for the next generation of Gerbera flowers. The first step is to ensure a supply of viable seeds. Often there are not enough butterflies and bees working this late in the season, so I pollinate the flowers with a soft brush. (A large round artist brush or a cosmetic brush works wonderfully for pollinating daisy-type flowers.) I simply swirl the brush in the center of the dry bloom. Moving from flower to flower, the pollinating task is accomplished very quickly. I continue to pollinate them daily until each flower is mature and no longer shows visible pollen. Part of the fun is that you never know what interesting colors your seedlings will be.

Two to three weeks later the Gerbera flower will fluff up similar to a dandelion puff. It’s now time to harvest the seeds before they fly away. After removing the seed head, I either clip or use a flame to remove the excess fluff. If not removed the fluff will usually mold and spoil your seeds. Viable seeds will be plump and somewhat oval shaped. Pick out only the best, most viable looking seeds and discard all other material from the seed head.

After several failures using expensive commercially produced seeds, I learned that success for me depends upon the seed freshness. For that reason I use only seeds produced in my garden during the current season. Excess seeds not used on the day harvested are cleaned, dusted with fungicide, sealed and immediately refrigerated. They should not be allowed to dry out. Gerbera seed remains viable for only a very short time. Even when carefully refrigerated, the germination rate is much lower than if they were fresh, so I try to time this project to utilize the fresh seeds when they are ready.

Immediately before planting, I soak the seeds for 15 minutes in a cup of water with one teaspoonful of bleach added. This helps to kill any bacteria, fungus, or mold clinging to the seeds.

Since a controlled environment is needed, I grow these seedlings indoors. For good germination, a constant temperature of about 70 degrees and a daily minimum of 16 hours of intensely bright light is required. I use a large, old unoccupied aquarium with a grow light positioned above it about 18 inches from the seeds. (Sterilize the aquarium with bleach.) Strips of small square peat pots (each cell one inch wide by two inches deep) work very well for starting the seedlings and minimizing root damage later during transplanting. I fill the cells with sterile, moistened medium consisting of ½ peat and ½ perlite. The sterilized seeds are then planted two per cell and covered with ¼ inch of additional peat. Peat inhibits the growth of mold and other organisms that would kill the seedlings during their lengthy germination period.

The seeds will not usually begin to show sprouts until at least two or three weeks after being planted, so some patience is required. They need a humid but not soggy environment until germinated. Maintain 16-18 hours of bright light daily and temperature at about 70 degrees until the appearance of their second true leaf. With the appearance of the second true leaf, I move them out of the aquarium “incubator” and transplant them into 4” pots containing a Ph-balanced, soil-less potting mix. If two sprouts survived in the small peat cell, remove the least desirable one. (just pinch off the top of it leaving the roots in place to prevent injury to the remaining seedling.)

Since until this time, these baby plants have had little nutrition other that what the seed provided, I feed them with a diluted solution of water soluble fertilizer (¼ strength 10-5-10 with minerals). The leaves at this stage are very tender and will burn easily; so care must be taken not to allow the fertilizer solution to touch the young leaves.

They will now live in my garage under bright “grow lights” until warmer spring weather. In October and November, the garage temperature will cool and fluctuate normally. Even through the winter it will not freeze. As long as these little plants have bright light and adequate nourishment they will continue to grow slowly until spring. The only care they will need is occasional watering, and continued feeding every 2 weeks with ¼ strength diluted fertilizer. As spring approaches they will be gradually hardened off outdoors in a bright but protected area of the garden. After the last frost, as each one blooms and shows its colors it will have earned its permanent place in the garden.

Cultivation of Gerberas is not complicated. They need richly organic but well drained soil. Gerberas are heavy feeders. Bright morning sun, but protection from intense afternoon heat in summer prevents wilting and encourages blooming. They should be planted on a slight mound with their crowns positioned a bit above the normal soil line and then mulch built up around the roots. Keep the crown free from mulch . This will prevent crown rot that might otherwise occur from extremely wet weather or over watering. And most important of all, enjoy those lovely flowers. Cutting some to bring inside and deadheading faded flowers keeps them blooming as long as weather conditions permit.

Happy Gardening!

Shari

[Ann B.]

Shari,

Thanks ever so much. I have collected many seeds from these, but never got around to planting them. This year I will know better.

Thanks for all the tips!

Here is an article I found recently...

Greenhouse Production of Gerbera Daisies (http://www.aces.edu/department/extcomm/publications/anr/anr-1144/anr-1144.html)
by Alabama Cooperative Extension System

Sounds to me like you are right on track....

If I had planted all those seeds I collected, I would have a huge beds full of these beauties by now. It is always so much fun when I see them coming back up in the spring!

Thanks, Again!

[Gene]

I just wanted to say thanks for the great information here Shari and Ann I feel pretty confident I could grow some of these by such detail Shari puts forth here

[Ann B.]

This afternoon, I was digging up 5 oak tree seedings (trunks almost 2 inches in diameter, not as easy task) and a yellow buddliea that for some reason died two years ago (don't know why, it was HUGE).

It started to sprinkle. I grabbed the tools and my garden shovel and swung around to head back into the house. Then I saw it under the red camelia bush! My first Gerbera bloom of 2003!

Gene, I am good at growing these from seed. They come back every year and seem to grow better in the ground than in pots for me. I should have many more than I do...

Shari, thanks for reminding me that I do need to do this. They bloom from now until frost, and the blooms are excellent to use in cut flower arrangements. I have used many in flower bouquets for Hunter's teachers in previous years.

I ran back into the house, grabbed my camera then quickly went back outside to take this picture before the thunderstorms start ...

http://www.landspro.com/images/gerbera_1_2003.JPG

BTW, this particular Gerbera is underneath my camellia bush. You see when I planted it the camellia bush was still very small, and it wasn't underneath. It was beside it.

And, since they don't really like wet feet, I expect to see more and more of these in hanging baskets and potted arrangements.

I am so very many ideas of what plants would look good with them and require the same type of conditions.

Enjoying as much as I can of my Spring Break...

[Gene]

Ann
I was wondering are the gerber seeds pretty easy for you to germinate my wife bought a couple in full bloom I guess I need to hand pollinate these to get seeds. Any help would be appreciated

[Ann B.]

Gene,

They are very easy to germinate. The trick is to sow them right away AND to plant them with the fuzzy side up. I take a sharp pencil, punch a little hole in the seed starting medium, put the non-fuzzy side in the hole, then gently press the soil to close the hole around the seed.

I don't make the hole very big, just big enough to insert the tip of the seed. That way, it is easier to press the soil around the seed. When this task is completed, you will usually still be able to see the fuzzy side (little whiskers of sorts) sticking up out of the media.

They say that these plants don't like to be transplanted, but I have never had a problem with that. Just don't let the seedling become root bound before you transplant them and keep that soiless media moist so it does not fall apart when you start transplanting them.

As with MOST of my seeds, I use plug trays of moist seed mix which has been moistened BEFORE sowing the seed. I enclose the plug tray in a clear plastic pillow case supported by wire (whatever I have available to use) to keep the plastic from touching the tops of the seedlings and place the enclosed plug tray under fluorescent lights.

When the seedlings have at least one true set of leaves, I use a butter knife to make a hole the size of the plugs in tray cells (six packs) filled with moist soiless mix. Then with the same butter knife, I carefully lift the seeding, seed mix and all from othe plug tray and place in the newly formed tray cell hole.

The whole process may sound complicated, but it really isn't. I use plug cells because they take less room under the lights, and I can get raise more seedlings in less space using less electrical energy.

Depending on how warm it is, I may put them back under the lights for a week or so, then move them to the patio for a week or perhaps more, and then out to the greenhouse until it is time to either harden them off, plant them in the ground or pot them up in 4" square pots.

Note that I don't necessarily sow these in the winter since winter may not be when I have fresh seeds available.

Have FUN, and please do let us know how you do...

[Gene]

Thanks Ann I'll have to give it a try when the flowers go to seed

[Ann B.]

I was strolling around the gardens today and peaked under the what is now HUGE camellia shrub, and sure enough, there is the same Gerbera that I photographed years ago with the video camera. It went dormant, I think, but to my amazement, the new leaves are still quite green and huge, despite the recent below 30 degree temps.

This particular Gerbera is not blooming as much as it once did. I suspect that it has to do with too much shade because the camellia bush has grown so large.

Still, it amazes me that it is so green and not dormant. When it blooms again, I'll be sure to get a better pic, along with other gerberas in my gardens. They are so pretty, but they don't like the long droughts that we have had in the spring of the last few years. They tend to dry and wilt, but bounce back as soon as there is rain.

[lbfoss]

Okay, last fall I purchased some sad-looking Gerberas and nursed them at home. they pretty much died with probably powdery mildew last fall, but new sprouts are coming up in each of the pots now. There is hope!
But i did gather up the seeds, read all the posts, and didn't get around to trying out germinating them until last week. After rereading the posts yet again, I have figured out how i should have planted the seeds (fuzzy end up) but i must admit that most of the seeds don't look too plump. I have had them sealed in a zip lock baggie in a drawer, but I guess i should have started them right away. I will be trying out germinating but i don't hold much hope here. May have to just buy some from the markets, and then try to cultivate them as recommended from here.
Here is hoping I might get a few!!

[Ann B.]

Linda,

You should see the display of Gerbera's at Lowes. I don't ever recall seeing that many. It was hard not to buy any because they are less than $2/pot.

My Gerbera's do get powdery mildew if I put them in the greenhouse and the greenhouse is closed up. It doesn't seem to be so much of a problem if the fan is running and the back window and front door or open. Still, they do much better if there is sufficient air circulation.

They do well here in full sun as long as the roots are shaded. When I planted mine, it was at the edge of the camellia bush. Now it is well under the canopy and doing quite well with foliage, but I noted that it did not bloom as well last year.

It is possible that one reason that there aren't very many 'plump' seeds formed is the very fact that Gerbera's do not seem to produce much pollen. I keep telling myself that I am going to hand pollinate, but time always gets away from me. Hopefully, I will remember this year.

I also haven't tried to grow many from seeds. Part of the reason for that is because the price of a blooming sized plant is now inexpensive and they can be overwintered in the gardens here. Shame on me for not having more of them in my garden. That, for sure, I will do this year.

I do have numerous plants that I started from a package of 'California Mix' seeds that I sowed several years ago. I had to dig them up last fall because they were in the way of the heavy equipment that was used to clear the neighbor's pecan tree stump. They have gotten dry a couple of time, but are doing fine. Because they are enclosed, I am careful not to let them stay overly wet.

There is no doubt that they need warmth to germinate, and I do specifally remember that the purchased seeds were inside one of those tiny, foil lined packages and well sealed. Yep! I would have hope, so give it a try.

What FUN! Let us know!

[lbfoss]

am keeping my eyes open, the flowering flats are not out yet, as our last frost date is usually about 1 MAY and not too many want plants to remain indoors for long after purchase. The bulbs are here, and the seeds are here.....
I started things way too early this year, my tomatos are a month old, and I have repotted some of the bigger ones. I only have one set of grow lights and no room for more, this makes it hard to get everyone enough light now that they are bigger. Silly me.

Thanks for the advice. I will try to buy some gerberas this spring and figure out where I can keep them in some shade, and try my hand at hand pollenation (if only I won't pick every darn flower to take indoors!!)
Linda

[Ann B.]

The florist types usually arrive inside the garden centers before Valentines. They are popular for gifts.

The ones that are now outside are on pallets, so I am suppose they bring them inside before the store closes each night.

The next time you pick one for a floral arrangement, try rubbing the pollen directly from the face of the flower to one of the non-cut blooms. Maybe that would help pollinate them. I've never tried this, but I may just do that when I get some potted ones that are in bloom. Wouldn't that be a hoot if that produced more viable seeds?

[lbfoss]

Good idea, thanks, Ann!
Now that you mention it, I did see some at Lowe's last weekend inside. I, of course, am looking for things to plant out, but I only need to guard them, and harden them off this spring carefully and put them out. I do have two plants that apparently survived the winter in the garage from the ones I bought as closeouts last fall....there were three plants in each pot, but only one seems to have made it. i only hope I don't kill them off!! I might sink the entire pot into the ground for the summer if i think I can find the right place. Our summers get hot and sometimes very wet or very dry....last year was very dry. Do they like wet feet or dry feet?

[Ann B.]

Linda,

Too dry and hot and they will wilt. If you see signs of wilting, water as soon as you can.

Too wet and you chance losing them to disease.

Ie., plant them in well draining soil with plenty of humus or peat to maintain some moisture.

Actually, in the ground, they are not too picky. Full sun in mid summer, here anyway, combined with drought conditions and they will pout.

They don't seem to mind our heavy rains, but mine are planted where they will not flood or sit in water.

Have fun! They are little beauties.

[lbfoss]

ho HO HO!!!
Silly me, I went over to Lowe's and bought 14 Gerbera plants, so cheap and blooming so prettily. Then I looked at my damp paper towel in my zip lock baggie and saw that all 7 little Gerbera seeds i had stuck in there were sprouting....so i have potted them all up too. I am so excited to get my own crop of Gerberas going! They are so lovely. I also invested in 4 rannunculus, what a gorgeous flower, I just am flower happy. Lowe's really had a nice display of fun flowers. I also planted 13 emerald green arborvitae to start my living fence. I only hope my crape myrtle seeds get going, so far they have only one set of true leaves on a few of them.
Maybe when the weather warms a bit the plants will take off!!

Did some winter sowing as well, but they all should be sprouting shortly anyway as it is bound to warm up by month's end.
Linda

[Ann B.]

Not Silly! Smart!

The seeds are so expensive, and they are always mixed in colors.

Now, you can let them bloom there little hearts out, harvest seeds, know which seeds to keep and plant more for next year.

I must admit that I have never tried them in paper towels, just in soiless mix. Once they sprout, just a little care and making sure that they do not dry out and WOW, you have lots of plants.

Good for you! Sounds like you are a winner all the way around, huh?

I noticed at my last trip to Lowes that the selection had dwindled, but there were still lots and lots of them.

I don't know how well my favorite one will do when I transplant it, but I do need to move it so that it will get less shade. It is a choice of moving it or cutting back the camellia, so I'll move it.

Like you said, they are not that expensive.

Enjoy your Gerberas! I adore them... Don't forget to let us know how the seedlings started in paper towels do for you.

[lbfoss]

More of the saved Gerbera seeds sprouted this week so I have potted up another 7, but they might not all make it to flowering, I imagine. Otherwise, as luck would have it, I might have 14 sickly yellow-colored gerberas coming along (I don't recall the colors of the flowers' seeds I saved) but with my luck only the yuckiest colors will survive!! Flowers are flowers, it is the joy of seeing them grow that makes me happiest.
I tried to grow these once and not a one came up, but I had paid a fortune for the seeds, and was vastly disappointed. I have really enjoyed being able to read and learn from the postings here!! Now I have gerberas!!!
I am bitten so badly with this particular "bug" that every two days I take an old make-up brush and play "pollinator" with every single flower. I think it means that I won't cut any and and will let them go to seed.......now, don't they need to be cut (dead-headed) to continue blooming??
Linda
:) :D

[Ann B.]

What a pleasant surprise.

This is the same gerbera that was pictured three years ago in this thread.

It's first bloom of the year. I can't believe that it was evergreen this year.

[lbfoss]

You Lucky Duck!!
The gerbera plants I bought will be done blooming before I can get them into the ground. The seeds I saved from last year that are sprouted are just that...sprouted and not even the first true leaves have come out on even the oldest seedlings.......like they are in limbo!!!! some of the seedlings are up to 30 days old. Will they ever get growing??
If that flower of yours above ever produces seeds, I want a few!, please!! I feel so silly playing pollinator every few days, but as the potted flowers begin to fade, I can see that the seed pod fluff is already forming. I will have more seeds before the weather is even nice enough to plant them outside!! What's a girl to do??? I am sunning all my seedlings by opening up the garage door and pulling them out into the sun. It has been quite overcast so it is perfect, but we are a month away from being safe from frost!! I am itching to plant them all!!

Thanks for sharing the photo!!
Linda

[Ann B.]

Linda,

I did a flower on flower thing to pollinate this bloom. Two days ago, it was all fluff, so I harvested the seeds before they could blow away. There were a dozen or so seeds that looked like they were fully formed. Those were sown in the gh this morning.

Further research on the internet tells me that there are not as many female parts as expected, so perhaps that is the reason that there are so few viable seeds.

I've gotta tell you, though... When you are separating them, you need to wear a mask. Breath the wrong way, and they fly all over the place.

Here's another pic of a favorite...

[Ann B.]

A twin...

You see this quite often, and I sometimes wonder if it is genetic.

[lbfoss]

Okay, I will try flower to flower. I used my makeup brush daily and those that have gone to seed didn't seem to have produced anything that remotely looked big enough to be viable. I will try to have patience and wait this out. My blossoms seem much smaller that yours. I bought all of mine from Lowe's early this spring and they are all happy. Some are in the ground but a group of 10 pots await their permanent homes in the front yard, which I haven't had time to dig out planting room for!! Most of my seedllings went into the ground in their little peat pots but they sure are slow growers!!
Thanks so much for the lovely pictures!!!

I am dedicated to finishing my daughter's laundry room this week so i am up to my ears in drywall mud and dust. I get up about 6 am to garden for an hour before I must make everyone breakfast, pack a lunch and head on over there to work for 10 hours.......I am tired tonight, I have been mudding and sanding the walls all day. We have hung 16 sheets of drywall so far. My hands are killing me, hope they aren't so sore in the morning!!

Everytime we do over to Home Depot ( which averages 1-3 times daily) I buy another packet or two of flower seeds!! The gardener who is stuck in the basement laundry room!!!!

[Ann B.]

It is too soon to know how many will actually germinate, but yesterday, I saw green and YEP! A cute little set of leaves.

Others look like they are pushing out of the soil, so I have hope for quite a few babies.

Now, if only I can care for them long enough to get them potted up or in the flower beds. They don't like it very much in my gh. They like to be outside where there is more air movement.

Actually, they simply like it better in the ground. I think it is a shame that more people do not grow these as annuals. They bloom and bloom and bloom, and the blooms last a long time.

Not only that, the blooms produce seeds for next year and for gifts.

I'll take a picture when more have germinated so that everyone can see that they don't have to spend a fortune on seeds. Just buy the plant, make sure that it is pollinated, and sow those seeds while they are fresh!

[Ann B.]

Eight little babies have sprouted so far, and from the looks of some of the other, there should be lots more on the way.

It's fun to watch them start pushing up out of the soil, and seeing more every day start to open up their starter leaves.

I started these in clear little nacho trays that I purchased from Sam's Club. It's the kind that has a little separate section for the cheese dip. I use heavy scissors to cut the area between the dip section and main section so that excess moisture will drain. Then I put an uncut one on top and used a rubber band to secure the two.

After that, I cut a small piece of vinyl blinds in half lengthwise, wrote the name on it then slipped in on under to rubber band on one outside edge. Fit's perfact and everything is snug.

These are in the old gh where it is quite warm, but no artificial lights. I'll try to get a picture to post this weekend.

[Ann B.]

There are now 11 little ones sprouted, and all of those have been sprouted for a few days now.

I don't know if any more will come up or not, but they are little cuties. Considering how small the seed is, the little leaves surprise me to open so big (relatively).

I'm going to keep this thread moving as the seedlings progress, so that everyone will have a good idea as to how long it takes these to be blooming size.

That reminds me, it's almost dark, and I'd better get outside to check to see if more seeds are ready to harvest.

FUN!

[lbfoss]

My seedling gerberas are still about the same size, with 4 true leaves on each. they have been in the ground since mid April and haven't seemed to have grown a bit!!

I have them in several spots, none are doing any better than the others,,,,,are they just VERY slow growers?? I don't think they will get big enough to not be covered up by the mulch every time it rains!! .. . I have to go dig them out. It is wonderful warm weather....will they ever take off???
Linda

[Ann B.]

Linda,

They are a perennial, even though they are not very hardy. They do best in the ground for me, but they do not like the heat of the mid summer days and tend to like more water then.

Since they are a perennial, they are probably 'creeping' which means that they are developing roots. Many times, when you put perennials in pots, they will bloom sooner because their roots are confined. Then, when you put them in the ground with plenty of space to grow, they try to establish their roots first before becoming more robust top side.

Perhaps that is what is happening? Mine slowed down for a little while, but have started up with to top growth again. They are in very shallow pots and allowed to dry out (somewhat) in between waterings.

Just beware... Too much heat and too little water, and they will wilt. Too much water and not enough air circulation and they will start to develop a type of fungus.

However, once established in the gardens, I have never had to worry about anything other than their becoming too dry, and they tend to let you know that really fast. Ie., they POUT!!!

[lbfoss]

Well, both they and the ducks are pretty happy right now with 13" of rain in 5 days...I think I know how New Orleans felt a bit. I know the gerberas are happy and well drained, but the crape myrtles are planted in what appear to be low areas, and I bet they won't like wet feet and will up and die on me.....
I am just amazed at how slowly the gerberas are going, and they are really iin a nice spot. I havne't seen any new leaves on 4 or five of the seedlings in over 2 months, they just have the first 4!! But nothing is eating them, and they are green and perky, so I will just keep talking to them!! I found they actually did better with a bit of shade, too much sun and the bigger guys aren't growing at all either. I don't know what colors they are, and it is killing me!! I have seen so many wonderful gerberas growing here and there in florist pots, and I want mine to grow as well.
I will just have patience!

[Tom]

Linda,

I have absolutely no experience with Gerbera's, but I did find an interesting publication on the Auburn web page that answers some of your questions. Although the article is geared toward commercial production, some of the items in it deal directly with your questions, and confirm some you your own observations. For instance, the very young plants do not like full sun.

They make a big point about temperature and pH control.

Take a look at the article, use what you can.

http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/A/ANR-1144/

[lbfoss]

Thanks, Tom
I will print it up and take it with me home today!!

[Ann B.]

At first, I didn't think my Gerbera's were going to come back this year, but they have. There are more plants, but they are smaller, and they have not bloomed. This is probably due to the fact that they are now in too much shade. The camellia has gotten huge over the years.

So... As I recently told a dear friend, they are simply too inexpensive to worry about it.

So, this morning, there they were! For $3.96 per 1 gallon pot. Gosh! I wish I could have purchased more of them, but I only bought four.

Anyway, this will get you an idea of the size that you can get this time of the year for $3.96. They have to harden off before I can plant them in the yard and hopefully, we will start getting more rain!

[Ann B.]

Here are the four that I chose...

[txbeyer]

We planted a large pot of Gerberas on our back deck and they were blooming like idiots and doing so well until they were hit with powdery mildew - which also infested our new Burr Oak leaves and nearby Crepe Myrtle. Have any of you had a similar problem with powdery mildew infecting Gerberas? Ours should recover ok from it but the blooming stopped for a while.

[Ann B.]

Bob,

I have only had that problem when trying to grow them in the patio and the greenhouse where they do not get as much air circulation.

They will do well in full sun as long as you keep them watered, but I have seen them wilt to nothingness and die in neighbor's yards during droughts.

I never had problems with mildew under the camelia, even during heavy rain spells, so that makes me think that it is more of a problem with the leaves staying too wet for an extending period of time.

My neighbor has one of the old fashioned kinds in full sun, and although the grasshoppers and such eat holes in the leaves, it will bloom like crazy and has gotten HUGE.

Hang in there, but keep an eye on that mildew....

Here is a picture of my neighbor's which is about to start blooming!

[lbfoss]

It was fun to go back and reread the old posts from last year. I never did get even one single blossom out of any of the plants I had started from seed. They all died this winter, but 4 of the 10 purchased from Lowe's that I had planted out front did return and are blooming, and one in the original Lowe's pot that I had rescued and gotten seeds from is now blooming, ugly as predicted but blooming!! I think I am not a good gerbera grower, as my seedlings never got more than 4 leaves on them....quite disappointing...but my baby maple tree is growing!! And I have 22 crape myrtles from seed that are now lining my entire yard and they should all bloom this year!! some successes, some nots. I repeat my request, if you get some seeds from your beautiful gerberas, and you care to part with a few, I will try it again!
Linda :)

[vicki]

Linda,
I wish I would've known this a week or 2 ago. I'm done working at the greenhouse for this season, but I deaheaded all kinds of gorgeous gerbera's at work! I could have brought you seeds of all the colors. Maybe next year.

This past year was not good for seeds at my house. Last year was great with neat things started from seeds.

What color are your crape myrtles? Whatever color they are I bet they are pretty. 22 that seems like a good turnout.

[sue salley]

I never knew crape myrtle could be so easily started from seed. Thanks to Linda I have a whole flat of 1" crape myrtle coming up. They are red if the come true from seed. Thanks Linda.

[lbfoss]

I am dying to see what colors they will bloom. Some got to 4' last year, but none bloomed, and this year even the tiniest have flower buds on them. I have them in the ground and still 5 in pots awaiting homes. I, too, was amazed at how easy they were to grow from seed, but also from cuttings, equally easy and at least I know what color they should be then.

I snatched seeds from every crape myrtle I saw, so the flowering should be a great variety of colors, if I am lucky. I don't know if they bloom true from seeds but I will let you know in only a couple of weeks.

As far as the gerberas, I don't know why mine never got going out in the yard. so many other plants did great, just not my little ones from seeds. I keep trying to find any viable-looking seeds from the ones growning in my yard now, but none of the seeds seem as if they are viable, so I haven't tried any of them. I did just start a bunch of daylily seeds from Cathy and whitebud tree seeds from Sue. So I am still hanging in there!!

[lbfoss]

My crape myrtles that are blooming are lavender!! the seeds came out of a Tonto, which is fuschia.

BUT, after rereading the above posts I started looking for more Gerbera seeds and found some plump ones on a couple of the spent blooms, started them in wet paper towels and they have sprouted, so I will try them again this year and see if i can winter them over. Again probably the ugly peach is the mother, but at least I am getting a start again. Could you divide the plants themselves?? My clumps seem to be getting crowded....any thought on this method of propagating them?? Are they tubers?? Can you separate the clumps??

thanks!! Oh, and I am a little computer challenged but after two years, i think I just stumbled on the right button to use to post some photos...I have been trying to use the IMG thing at the top and just now saw the "Attach file" here at the bottom...pictures to follow!! Hurray!!

[lbfoss]

I have a new computer and I hope this works, these are gerberas i am trying to get new babies from. I have lots of harvested seeds, germinated and up to their first true leaves, but I don't know how it will go from here, I haven't ever gotten them to get any larger, so let's hope this time it will work. I keep reading the directions, eventuallly I should get a viable plant, I have easily 40 started here....wish me luck!
Linda

[Ann B.]

Gorgeous pic!

They do like a lot of water, in our heat, anyway...

Keep us posted, for right now, I do not have the time to spare to do more research on them, but sincerely hope that I will be able to do that next year!

Thanks!

[Dazed_Lily]

Linda- Thank you for that beautiful photo !

[haweha]

Thank you for that pretty photo Linda!

I do always pay particular attention to the cut flower offers. I can perceive that significant progresses are still taking place.
While, for example, the development in Gladiolus has come to an apparent standstill I notice that roses and gerberas are still improved and perfected!
Particularly I observed that two-colored gerberas are increasingly coming! Some of these are really amazing and exhibit deep contrasts within one flower like white to purple. Transitions from orange-yellow to pink are fascinating too - the "peachy way". Well, I shall take my digi cam with me during the next days in order to fill my statement with substance and illustrations respectively *lol*

[Ann B.]

A tequila sunrise would be absolutely gorgeous...

A creamy white fading to a light pink is often available and quite pretty.

Gerberas are really pretty planted under the outer edge of a Camellia bush/tree. I suspect the evergreen Camellia helps protect the Gerberas from hard frosts and prevents them from being killed by hard freezes.

I need to plant more Camellias...

Bob, I have had problems with powdery mildew, years ago, when I kept a few in the greenhouse. Do you think it had anything to do with lack of air circulation? I have never had this problem when they were outside, whether in a pot or in the ground.

[haweha]

I shall take my digi cam with me....

Here I go:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v215/haweha/4372.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v215/haweha/4370.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v215/haweha/4369.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v215/haweha/4368.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v215/haweha/4366.jpg

AND.......

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v215/haweha/4365.jpg
:eek:

[Ann B.]

My heart be still!

Look at those beautiful blooms...

They should start showing up in our garden centers very soon. Usually, they are sold starting in time for Valentine's Day. They put a pretty sleeve around them, use a colorful and pretty gift label holder and sell them for twice as much.

I'll be sure to watch for the two toned ones, and peachy-pink will always be one of my all time favorites.

That red with the pink tips and the light colored orange are awesome.

Thank you.

[haweha]

Thank you Ann.

I do not know whether that is a recent introduction - these almost black center "eyes" of some cultivars. But, that is a spectacular, contrast enhancing feature and it adds a lot to the attractivity of these flowers.

[Ann B.]

I agree!

I'll keep an eye out for the dark eyed ones this spring.

I adore Gerbera!

ALL of them!

[lbfoss]

All winter I have been regularly planting Gerber daisy seeds I had harvested and kept in the refridge. They seem to be the slowest growing things I have ever seen, but some I started last fall are now about 4" and have several leaves. True, they are in a window behind a lace curtain in a cool room and they apparently havne't gone dormant. I hope to see a bit more vigourous growth as the weather improves. I am determined to get a flowering gerbera out of all these seeds!!!

Linda

which reminds me....anyone want some of my spare seeds??? I have red, hot pink, probably orange and peach. the photos of the moms are on page 3

[Ann B.]

Unfortunately, I have not seen the beautiful new varieties that Hans-Werner posted.

I have seen one new type, and those seem to have more spidery and doubled, sharp pointed petals. They are very 'pricy', so I opted not to purchase any and did not have my camera available, so no pics. I like the ones that Hans-Werner shows more.

Maybe, one day, they will be available here!

[Ann B.]

Every once in awhile, I need to treat myself to something that I really like.

This morning, I was surprised that these were still available, and I needed a lift in spirits, so I splurged!

This is what I would call a Spider Gerbera, and WOW! Do they want me to hybridize or what?

Anyway, I was writing an email to a dear friend. I heard thunder. I finished the email and grabbed my camera. It was pouring down rain (OH! Thank YOU! Thank YOU!).

I managed to get the newly purchased plant to the porch and took my camera from under my blouse. I want you to see this...

[Ann B.]

Yes, they are wet and so am I...

[Ann B.]

Pretty and NICE!

[lbfoss]

Ah HA!!! Lookey, lookey!!!

After 9 months, my first flowers from seed!! I am so excited. I have posted a photo of the first seeds/plants I started last fall, and some of the ones I did about FEB, see how slow they do grow, but look out, I have lots of buds underneath the bigger ones (of course, per the labels they are all the same color!!), but eventually they do flower!!!! Thank you all for the fun support for growing thse beauties from seeds!!
love Linda

[MichiganDave]

Wow, it takes that long, huh? It must be quite rewarding to see the flowers. Congratulations! :)

[Ann B.]

Actually, Dave, 9 months is not that bad. It takes so much longer for Amaryllis and Daylilies BUT it is worth it!

Linda, it is so very exciting to see your seedlings start to bloom, and, Oh MY! They do look healthy.

You are doing GOOD!

[lbfoss]

New format, I am not sure how I got here, forgot what i was going to say....I am out on the Outer Banks on vacation this week, and hope my house-sitter will be watchful and water when necessary. Four of the gerberas were ready to bloom or blooming when I left....I have dark pink/red, light orange, and yellow-centered rose pink. I would love to share seeds if anyone wants some. I was hoping I had some yellow but no luck so far.....and Anne, I would love some seeds from the spikey pink you bought!! I have good luck with a Jerry Baker recipe for powdery mildew, that I spray on when it appears. I use it on the gerbers and on the crape myrtles, works great. I think I shared it here once already on the board.

Anne, do you know if the plants clumps can be split? I have a nice clump going out front that might benefit from splitting but I am chicken to try this method of propagation. The tap root seems to be quite long on these ladies from an early age.
Linda:p

[Ann B.]

Yes, Linda!

You can split them, but wait until winter. In fact, it would be great if you could wait until they go dormant. You may have to let them stay outside for the first light frost to get them to go dormant.

I have never tried this, but I suspect that you can divide them like daylilies by removing the top growth before separating them. But again, personally, I would wait unitl the weather cools down a bit. That's just my gut feeling, though.

I have some mixed color seeds of the spidery ones if you will send me a PM with your mail address.

Let us know how you do with separating the clumps. :jump:

[Ann B.]

The next two pictures were taken with a flash, but despite that, the color seems to show up okay.

[Ann B.]

They are called 'Margarita Gerbera', and they come in all sorts of colors. I haven't seen a pure yellow or cream colored one, yet, though. The basket that I have contains numerous colors, and I will have to divide them at some point as well. There's a red one and and a pastel pink. When those open, I'll try to get more pictures.

They are pretty!

[MichiganDave]

Wow, taken with a flash? They are wonderful pictures!

[Ann B.]

Hey, Dave!

I stand corrected! The flash I saw was not a 'flash', and I forget the term for what it is called.

Forgive me, for this is a 'new to me' camera, and I LOVE it!

These are taken after nightfall and are definitely with a flash.

The flowers are different colors from the above....

[Ann B.]

One more...

Also, with a flash (different angle of last flower).

[MichiganDave]

Haha, Ann. The problem is mine. I don't know what I was thinking when saw you pictures earlier, and for some reason photography and photographic terms just complete went out of my mine. I thought you took the pictures with a flash light (a torch)!

So I was completely surprised to see the result. :)

But they are good pictures and nice flowers!

[lbfoss]

I loved the photos. Thank you, Ann, for sharing. Neat petal shapes!!

I lost a good many of my gerberas over the winter, almost all the ones planted outside and most of the ones I garaged. I don't know if I have the heart to start over again, they were all so happy last summer, and bloomed so wonderfully!! Maybe I should just buy myself a couple of blooming ones and enjoy them???
Linda