Growing gatsania from seeds and cuttings

Gazania (gazania) or African chamomile - a plant of the Asteraceae family, a low-growing flower, in shape very much reminiscent of a chamomile, only large, in different shades.

Gatsania has a very short stem, and in some plants it is completely absent; the flowers grow from the center of the rosette of leaves. Gatsania leaves are very dense, dark green on the outside and silver-green on the inside. Gatsania is a drought-tolerant plant and therefore has a long root-stem.

The flower's homeland is South Africa, where gazania grows as a perennial; unfortunately, in the middle zone, the plant does not tolerate harsh winters, and therefore is grown as an annual.

Currently, about 50 varieties of gatsania, which differ from each other only in the color of the flowers. Gatsania hybrids differ from their African relatives in their larger flowers and adaptability to our climate.

Despite its drought resistance, gatsaniya needs regular watering on hot summer days, otherwise the flowers and leaves will begin to shrink. And in order to increase the intensity of flowering, gazania should be fed at the beginning of the season.

Gatsania prefers light, fertile, well-drained soils; with good care it will bloom until frost. Before the onset of winter, gatsaniya is dug up and put away for the winter in a cool place, with an air temperature of at least 10 degrees C and periodic watering, and in the spring it is planted again in a flowerbed.

To avoid transplants that injure the plant, the flower can be grown in large pots.

Growing gatsaniya from seeds - one of the ways to propagate a plant, however, the flower propagates well by cuttings. Cuttings are isolated from side shoots at the very base of the socket. It is best to make cuttings in the middle of the season. Some types of gatsaniya can be propagated exclusively by cuttings, since they do not produce seeds.

Growing gatsania from seeds is a rather lengthy process. Firstly, the seeds must first be germinated, then the seedlings must be picked. The seedlings are periodically fed and hardened off. Only after this can the gatsaniya be planted in the ground. Gatsania grown from seeds begins to bloom approximately 3 months after planting.