How to Prune a Gerbera

Keeping your Gerbera plants healthy has a lot to do with the way you prune them. Pruning your Gerbera daisy isn't rocket science, but if you want your cut flowers to last their longest and look their best, there are a couple of points you need to keep in mind.

Things You'll Need

• Sharp knife

Instructions

1. Cut all dead and dying leaves off your Gerbera plant. Use a sharp knife rather than pruning shears, as Gerberas are a delicate plant. Cut dead leaves off no more than 1/8 of an inch from the stem of the plant, cutting vertically. Cull dead leaves frequently.

2. Remove all dead or dying stems at the soil level, cutting horizontally using a sharp knife.

3. Cut off all blooms that have passed their prime. Cutting blooms encourages new blooms to grow. Cut with a sharp knife close to the stem at a 45-degree angle.

4. Harvest young, health blooms frequently. This will encourage even greater growth. Always cut blooms with as much stalk as possible attached to the bloom, cutting them at a 45-degree angle with a sharp knife.

Tips & Warnings

• Flowers should be kept in a vase with only minimal water. Add cut-flower fertilizer to the water to keep your flowers looking good longer. Your Gerbera daisy plants should last between two and three seasons. Your Gerberas will bloom best in early spring and fall.

References

• Pruning and caring for Gerbera daisies