Gerbera

Gerberas can be the finishing touch to your new home or garden. These long-lasting flowers come in a number of colors, ranging from white to deep red. Because they thrive in sunny conditions, the West Coast is ideal for growing them. Aside from being decorative, growing your own gerberas is also economical. With proper care and maintenance, a gerbera plant can bloom endlessly and last longer than the average vase of cut flowers.

Care

• Place your gerberas in a sunny windowsill where they can get approximately six hours of sunlight per day. Find a semi-shaded area outside if you are growing them outdoors -- a shaded patio or veranda is ideal.
• Expose your gerberas to average local temperatures. Avoid temperatures above 70 degrees Fahrenheit, if possible, since heat may cause your gerberas to stop blooming. If you can't provide your gerberas with a shaded outdoor area, move them indoors during the hottest hours of the day.
• Water your gerbera plants in the morning. Avoid wetting the flowers -- moisten the soil that the pants grow in. Allow the soil to dry before watering again. Avoid overwatering your gerberas as this may trigger poor flower growth and root or crown rot.
• Fertilize your gerberas every other week during the spring and summer flowering period. Use a water-soluble fertilizer that's rich in potassium and phosphorous.
• Mist the leaves of your gerbera plants with water at least once a week to increase the humidity and prevent red spider mites.
• Remove old, discolored leaves and faded flowers and stems to maintain your gerbera plants, prevent fungus infections and to encourage new growth.