How to Care for Gazania Flowers
Gazania flowers are part of the Asteraceae family of annual and perennial daisies. Native to South Africa, they are perennial in zones 9 and 10, but are treated as annuals in colder, frost-prone areas. The Gazania flowers close up in low sunlight, a well-known characteristic of these carpet-forming plants. Gazanias are very easy to grow, requiring only full sunlight and minimal water and fertilizer. They can be sown from seeds or planted as mature plants. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Small hand shovel
- Gazania seeds or mature plant
- Fertilizer
- Water
- Sunlight
- Sheet of white paper
- Small spade
Instructions
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Growing and Caring for Gazania Flowers
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1
Select a location in the garden that has a light sandy soil and receives more than four hours of direct sunlight per day.
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2
Amend soil with a good quality commercial fertilizer for flowering plants.
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3
Sow Gazania flower seeds outside just after the last frost of the year, at a depth of about 3mm. Space the plants at 20 to 40cm apart, depending upon the size of the Gazania variety.
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4
Water weekly until seedlings are established.
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5
Deadhead spent flowers to promote blooming.
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6
Propagate established plants by dividing them in half with a small spade once they grow into clumps, or by collecting seeds from spent flowers. Seeds can be collected by shaking dried flower heads onto a white sheet of paper and separating out the seeds for future sowing.
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Tips & Warnings
1. Gazania seeds can be started indoors 7 or 8 weeks earlier than they can be planted outside. Seeds take one to three weeks to germinate. Transplant the seedlings into the garden a few weeks after any chance of frost. 2. Gazania plants in annual zones bloom from spring to frost. 3. Gazania are relatively pest-free.
Do not water more than once per week.
