The gazania flower, also known as the “treasure flower,” is considered to be the most delicate and colorful blossoms which can easily add energy to any garden and make it look very vibrant.
For the most part, gazanias come in shades of orange, yellow, and occasionally in red, and pink, which are the best hue options for those who have a small garden or terrace and want to create a joyous atmosphere.
Furthermore, not only do pot-grown gazanias provide the convenience and easy care for a person, but also the extra benefits that may occur contain the ability to be frequently moved around and placed in space-limited areas are still huge. This article will mainly deal with the features, care, and potting of gazanias thus your arrangement will be truly pleasing to you.
1: Understanding Gazania Flowers
Gazanias are indigenous to South African flora and are the most suitable for those who are concerned about the well-being of the plants, they are also the people whose lives will be filled with joy all the time.
A rather astonishing characteristic of theirs, that makes many people fall for them, is their habit of closing their petals once the night has fallen. Gazanias found in the wild are usually perennials and bloom again the following year; still, in areas where winters are very cold, gazanias act as if they were annual plants.
Being quite large and of an unusual appearance, the flowers of gazanias belong to the daisy family, and their colors may range from a rose, red, pink to a bronze, gold, orange, etc. Showing up from the mass of the green leaves, the leaflets of gazanias are the only part that can be seen and appreciated besides the blooming flowers that are of such vivid colors.
It is an admiring fact that a large number of the most beautiful flowers can be developed amid the leaves of the plant and in the end, you will have flowers whose whole area will turn into a green one and only the green will be visible, while the colorful flowers will be the reality.
Varieties
Many many different patterns of gazania are available. These include:
- White Flame Big Kiss: This sort has lots of white flake petals that are big, white, and pink and that they can fill a very hot space, which can be either a border or a container.- Tiger Stripes: These have so many yellow and orange stripes on them, they give even the tropical plant look to the whole concept of that expression by themselves only.
- Bronze Kiss: The double blossoms of this variety are those ones of bronze and orange shades in a special way. Thus, it would be the garden of any person who will grow one (plant) that would become; uniquely so, (and very) peculiarly so- in the space.
- Gold: It is one of the very first to flower, and this ability enables not only the dull days but also the rainy and cold ones to be smothered by the next one. So, it is becoming clear that this type may be exactly what people who always need the recurrent colors in their gardens want to see.
- Gazania Rigens var. This is the plant that changes its colors from yellow to a bit of white and cream and finally to pink and orange. At the same time will it be continuing to be the best of climatic conditions over the years.
- That’s it! the garden’s plot is highly illuminated. – Variegata, the plant having been described, has the sector of pink and orange to the tip of the leaf in yellow with the background as off-creamy whites. The leaf may as well appear to be green throughout the year; hence, there is none that beats it. C’mon! the spot of the garden is already too, too, lush.
- Part II: The Perfectly Suitable Pot
What Size and Material the Pot Needs to Be
A pot of the size that corresponds to the plant roots not only prevents, the roots from coming in contact with the water but also gives them a sense of security and part of their strength to the stems. Those that are of the same size that the plants on top can still keep the moisture in a proper state can be terracotta and ceramic. They also help to keep the planters dry.
Placement
Basically, the best blooms of gazanias you can get is with direct sunlight for 6-8 hours, no less. These numbers are the “magic bullet”, as they ensure the best possible results in case your sun is gone in time of your party. The place that is revolutionizing the gardeners’ mindset. Most people involve in a friendly competition with their friends in the garden with those who have the sunniest area that on the same day was merely a dull and sun-tanless balcony (they would even breathe its bad energy) or gardeners will find a new sunny area without handling it as a new life and be forced to cherish and protect it. For your gazanias to keep you happy you must not only cover their flowers but also their pots have to be moved out of direct drafts of wind, hail, or very heavy rain.
Soil and Planting Tips
Soil Requirements
The matter of the soil’s drainage is the top priority so that the compost should have good drainage, be less in salts and more in soil aeration. Gazanias can develop with root crowding, but you will never have a thick, springy, and full harvest from that as you wish if the roots are always dry. Different materials can be made into such a mix, but the use of these materials is the one which is closest to the natural environment of the flowers and hence gets their normative response, for instance, light and sandy would be best.
Planting Instructions
It is wise to plant gazania seeds in the fall as well as the spring season. In a word, these are the most important conditions for success in germination through using not very deep, heavy, and warm soil containers, and humid and the seeds should not be buried in the soil.
Gazanias are plants that need warmth to grow. If you are to have them sprouting, you should keep them in an electric greenhouse or expose them to the sun by placing them in a plastic bag at the right time.
If you decide to change the location and rather replant the seeds into pots, you should make sure that there is a sufficient distance between each plant to give them more opportunities to grow without any problems.
Section 4: Care and Maintenance
Watering
Frequent watering will not be good for gazanias as they can grow perfectly fine in a water-saving area. If the soil is absolutely moisture-free, then you may water the plants. Overwatering can lead to root rot and this is a serious thing that’s why checking the content of the soil frequently is of great importance. In times of drought, it could be appropriate to give the gazanias a light watering, but make sure the soil is not too wet at the same time.
Fertilization
Although gazanias are not always hungry when it comes to food supply, it would still be an excellent idea to keep the flowery plant fertilized every other week with a fertilizer that is rich in potassium in order to have continuous flowering for gazanias. Gazanias that live in their natural environment by the sea are living in poor soil, thus overfertilization is not an issue with them most of the time.
Deadheading and Pruning
Your gazanias will keep blooming all the time by up to date removing of the spent blooms. So the plant can save the energy of the seeds, which can be used in flower production, and the new flower buds are also created. Apart from that, it is a great idea to prune the grass in the early days of spring as the result of this could be the formation of the bush by encouraging the production of new healthy branches.
Section 5: Solving Pests and Disease Problems
Usual Problems
Gazanias are resistant to most pests and diseases, but in this case, they can still be attacked by aphids. The plants must be frequently checked for the pests and in case of any improvements, the vessels infested with the insects should be isolated in such a way that they do not infect the healthy plants as the propagation will continue. Furthermore, the level of humidity in the air should be watched constantly for the developments of powdery mildew or other fungal infections.
Home Remedies
If the pest problem bothers you a lot and you are willing to use only herbal approaches to protect your plants, then among the most popular organic pest control methods are neem oil and insecticidal soap. Moreover, a common method to reduce the possibility of fungus infections in plants is to make sure that the air around the plants is circulated properly.
Section 6: Planting in Combination
However, assuming that gazanias are the flowers of your first choice to plant with others, you have to bear in mind that the flowers of this species attract bees and hoverflies through the process of pollination that they carry out and ultimately, they furnish the most efficient pollination.
In addition, if you could make sure that the water and sun retarded and low water plants, gazanias, are placed together with the tall drought-resistant flowers like gomphrena, cosmos, or verbena, they not only will complement each other visually and create a good garden design but also the space in your garden will be utilized in an optimal way.
Furthermore, gazania plants that extend to almost 2 feet wide slowly, as well as being long-lasting and drought-tolerant, at the same time, do not require daily watering. They can cover the ground for a long time if left to themselves, although they will only grow very slowly. Additionally, they will not compete too much with others for water and nutrients because they don’t go deep in the soil.
Section 7: Overwintering Gazanias
If you happen to live in an area with extremely low-temperature conditions, it is still possible to go for the gazania flowers and take them indoors to impress the house during this period. Transfer the gazanias indoors just before it gets freezing and keep them in a place with good light, like a sunny window shelf. Furthermore, you should be cautious about watering in winter and water the plant only when the topsoil is dry. This way, the plant will go into a stage of dormancy and will be ready for the next spring to be replanted and to grow again because it has saved enough energy.
Planting a pot of gazania flowers is quite simple and most importantly, it’s a very enjoyable way to make the nice color getting into your living space. The colors are so bright and diversified that no one can possibly not notice them. The sturdy, robust, vigorous, and active characteristic of these flowers makes them the right and the best for newbies and veterans to the gardening world. If they get the proper care, they will grow beautifully and the different colors will be in full bloom from spring to autumn. To be able to have a visual delight that is also a true expression of oneself, one will have to use various varieties of flowers and to create different arrangements as well.
If you liked this post and want to get more suggestions and ideas for your garden, consider subscribing to our blog and following us on social media. This way you’ll be the first to know about the newest gardening activities! The comments section is open for you to let us know how your gazanias are doing! The growth of the sun devotee gazania is very remarkable because the light from the flower is alone beautiful enough to make the outdoor space remarkable, and the viewer would not feel happy and surprised at the beauty of the flower.