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Planting, Growing, and Caring for Gerbera
Brilliantly colored flowers and deep green foliage make gerbera daisies a favorite for containers and garden beds. Their long-lasting blooms look great in the vase, too! Learn how to plant, grow, and care for gerbera daisies.
About Gerbera Daisies
Gerbera daisies are tender perennials popular for their amazing colors. Sometimes called African daisies, the cultivars we buy from garden centers are commonly hybrids of Gerbera jamesonii and Gerbera viridifolia, and the tag will often display their name as Gerbera x hybrida.
While these flowers are perennials, they will only overwinter outdoors in the warmest zones. Most gardeners in USDA zones 8 and colder grow them as annuals or bring them inside to overwinter them indoors.
Gerbera daisies are shorter, with most plants reaching about 12 to 18 inches tall. They’re perfectly suited for the front of larger beds, as bright pots of color in containers on the deck, or as edging along sidewalks and paths. Breeders have developed gerbera daisies with single, semi-double, double, and spider blooms.
Planting
When choosing locations for in-ground gerbera daisies, pay attention to drainage. These flowers need a site with good drainage to avoid problems with crown rot. Perpetually damp sites can cause problems. Choose locations with full sun in northern climates and spots with afternoon shade in the southern US.
Gerbera daisies do best in slightly acidic soils, with a pH of 5.5-6.5. Fortunately, that’s the sweet spot for many other flowers and vegetables, so you won’t have to worry about the exact pH.
When to Plant Gerbera Daisies
Gerbera daisies can be planted–or set outside–once the danger of frost has passed in spring. If starting them from seed, sow them about 10 weeks before your last frosts.
How to Plant Gerbera Daisies
- Gerbera daisies purchased as young nursery plants are super easy to transplant. Don’t forget to harden them off prior to planting outdoors.
- Loosen the soil and add some compost or aged manure.
- Dig a hole about as deep and a little wider than the current rootball.
- Trim off any girdling or circling roots, and score the rootball if the plant is potbound to encourage new growth.
- Place the plant in the hole, adjusting the depth so the crown is slightly above ground level. The crown is the point where the stem meets the soil.
- Fill the hole with the soil you removed and tamp it in with your hands to remove any air pockets.
- Water well and apply mulch.
Gerbera daisies are often repotted into larger containers instead of planted in the ground. If repotting, follow the steps above using a good-quality potting mix. Keep in mind the need to adjust the depth so the crown is just above the soil surface, not buried.
Andy Wilcox
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