How to Cultivate & Care for Gerbera Daisy

Commonly known as Gerbera daisies (Gerbera jamesonii) cultivated for the bright and cheerful flowers also used for flower bouquet and floral arrangements.

Currently I'm cultivating two different colors the salmon and the scarlet red. Both are constant bloomers which requires good fertilizing regiment together with daily watering to ensure constant flowering blooming.

These are required to be acclimatized if they are bought from Cameron Highland nurseries as they will not do well in the hot & humid lowland weather. Just like many flowering plants that require bright sunlight but unable to handle the immediate shock - these may needed to be slowly introduced from indirect shade to bright sunlight in slow progression.

Care:

Light: These are sun worshipers. They love bright sun for it to bloom. The can handle partial bright morning sun but it won't bloom in total shaded areas.

Watering: Ensure deep watering twice daily to ensure they are well hydrated. Lacking water may cause the flowers to wither and burned petals.

Feeding: A good flowering foliar fertilizer works best compared to organic or convention granule types. 

Propagation:

The best propagation is by runners (trailing pups that form after the parent plant) I find that the seeds can be sterile and may proof to be difficult to germinate.

They do behave like sunflowers looking for the sun and move according the to sun movement.

These are what currently available in the Sg. Buloh nurseries. These Gerbera Daisy seemed to be stunted like a dwarf variety with a black centre (eye). Currently I'm just cultivating the muti-petaled type and didn't not venture into different cultivars of this type.

Unlike other annuals these do last for many years when cultivated and cared properly. I would say that these are low maintenance flowering plant.

Garden Centre - Floral (Part 1)

The best deal is these Moth Orchids, they are quite reasonable actually about RM17 or so (in fact most of the plants sold here are less than RM20 which is ok) I really admire these as they are doing so well. But I'm not going to advance myself in buying these orchids until I find those existing in my garden show some blooms.

But I guess some people just like the idea of having the plant with this lushful flowers and discard them when they are done. I think to wait for another bloom may take years and these flowers may take a lot of care & time that many city people seriously do not have that kind of patience, care or time to devote. (But then, it my closest guess)

Also Dendrobiums, Vandas and Reed Orchids are sold here.

I guess these are known as Tea Roses.

I had them before when my mum bought them and presented them as a gift for my birthday. But sadly they didn't last very long. The flowers slowly get burned or the buds shows the non-developed half blooms and slowly the leaves starts to show the shrivelled, wrinkled form (kind of root virus)

It was a sad slow end for these roses.

Gerbera Daisy also known as African Daisy.

I'm very sure this is no easy plant. Many times I had seen some gardeners purchase this plant only to find that this one die in few months. I'm guessing these are brought from Cameron Highlands and sold here. Beautiful but a short spanned just like the roses.

These miniature Crown of Thorn plant (Euphobia) This one is very cute. I had checked the thorns and found them not prickly. I'm not sure whether if this one develops and fully grown it will show its colours and its sharp fangs! But like most of these plants sold here, I can only guess.

Finally the Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum spp.) Indoor potted plant with glossy green foliage. It will give out the white flowers as a bonus to break the monotone of green tones. Those who love glossy green leaved plants should cultivate this one.

I have seen this planted along flowerbeds along corridors - sadly they are not attractive to me.