Gerbera Daisy (Gerbera jamesonii) Care Indoors and Propagation Guide

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Gerbera Daisy (Gerbera jamesonii) grows best in bright light with 6-8 hours of direct sunlight, average warmth, moderate humidity and moderately moist, rich, well-drained soil coupled with monthly feeding in the growing season.

Before diving into care tips, let’s get to know this gorgeous plant a little better. Gerbera jamesonii also called Barbeton Daisy or Transvaal Daisy is among the popular flowering plants for the well-lit spot. The striking flowers are a pleasant sight to behold in any space.

There are many colorful Gerbera Daisy plants available. The flower colors range from soft pink, white, pale yellow, pink, orange, red and purple. The hybrids are more compact and produce up to six blooms at a time.

To get more blooms, once a flower fades, cut off the flower stalk at the base to encourage more blooming.

Botanical name: Gerbera jamesonii
Family: Asteraceae
Common names: Gerbera Daisy, Barbeton Daisy, Transvaal Daisy

Origin

Gerbera Daisy is native to South Eastern Africa. It was first described by Robert Jameson in 1889 while exploring the Barberton area of South Africa.

Gerbera jamesonii belongs to the Asteraceae (Daisy) family formerly Compositae together with Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), Sunflower, Dahlias and Black-eyed Susan.

Size

Transvaal Daisy has been grown as a flowering pot plant for a long time and it grows to a height of 2 feet. The leaves are about 6 in. long, deeply veined and soft and hairy on the undersides.

Air Purifying

According to the NASA Clean Air Study, Gerbera jamesonii was found to be among the best air-cleaning plants. It gets rid of formaldehyde and benzene from indoor air.

Toxicity

Gerbera Daisies are non-toxic to both humans and pets as indicated by ASPCA. They are safe for cats, dogs and other pets.

Where to Buy

Gerbera jamesonii are pretty plants to add to your plant collection. If you are looking to grow these plants, you may obtain the seeds and live plants online from Amazon (Link to Amazon).

How to Care for Gerbera jamesonii indoors

To care for Gerbera jamesonii indoors, provide bright light with 6-8 hours of direct sunlight, warmth of 15-25⁰C, humidity of 50-55% and moderately moist, rich, well-drained soil coupled with monthly feeding during the growing season.

Gerbera Daisy care does not require too frequent repotting as it blooms best when pot-bound, repot only when extremely pot-bound. Regular pruning is needed to keep it neat and to encourage flowering. Keeping Gerbera Daisy healthy indoors requires proper light, watering, and maintenance. Let’s break it down step by step.

Watering

Water your Gerbera Daisy liberally in spring and summer only when the top 2-3 inches of soil dry out. Keep the soil moderately moist and avoid overwatering to prevent rotting, yellowing and leaf loss.

Cut down on watering in fall and winter to maintain the soil slightly moist as growth is minimal at this time. Do not allow the soil to dry out completely to prevent wilting, drooping, yellowing and leaf fall.

Use water that is at room temperature to prevent cold shock which can result in stunted growth and leaf drop. Ensure the water is free of chemicals to prevent browning of leaf edges.

Ascertain that the pot has a drainage hole and the soil is well-draining to prevent waterlogging which can lead to root-rot and eventual death of the plant.

Avoid wetting the crown to minimize fungal infestations like leaf spot disease, powdery mildew, and crown and stem rot disease.

Light Requirements

Gerbera Daisy flourishes in bright light of 6-8 hours of morning or late afternoon sunlight. Keep it away from hot direct sunlight as it can scorch the leaves.

Too little light will cause reduced growth and lack of blooms. Where the natural light is not sufficient, use a full spectrum grow light to supplement it.

Regularly turn the pot to ensure the Barbeton Daisy gets adequate light on all sides to prevent lopsided growth.

Temperature & Humidity

Transvaal Daisy prefers average warmth between 15-25⁰C. Keep it away from sources of drafts like AC units, hot air vents, windy doors, drafty windows and others to prevent stunted growth, leaf drop and reduced flowering.

Gerbera Daisy has no need for extra humidity; a moderate humidity of 50-55% is adequate for this plant. However, where the air is too dry, set the pot on a wet pebble tray or use a cool mist humidifier to increase humidity. Ensure that there is good air circulation to prevent fungal diseases.

Fertilizer

Feed your Gerbera Daisy every 3-4 weeks in spring and summer with a water-soluble fertilizer that contains micro-nutrients like Iron, Zinc and Magnesium which are needed for the healthy growth of the plant.

Withhold feeding in fall and winter as growth is minimal at this time and feeding the plant at this time can result in fertilizer burn and death of the plant.

Occasionally, flush out accumulated chemicals (salts) from the soil by running a stream of water through the soil until it drains through the drainage hole. Allow the stream of water to run for some time and repeat the process several times.

Potting Soil

The best potting soil for Gerbera Daisy should be light, well-draining with good aeration, rich in organic matter to provide the required nutrients and at a PH between 5.5 and 6.5. If the PH is too low the leaves develop black spots and patches. Where the PH is too high the leaves develop yellow stripes.

Very well-drained soil is important to prevent the plant from getting soggy as it can lead to root-rot and death of the plant. A blend of 3 parts of multipurpose potting mix amended with 1 part of sand is perfect for this plant.

Repotting

Repot Barbeton Daisy only when extremely pot-bound as it blooms more when slightly pot-bound. Do not repot a plant that is in flower as it can shorten the flowering period.

Use a pot 1 size larger that has a drainage hole to prevent waterlogging which can lead to root-rot. Check out these self watering planters with drainage hole on Amazon.

Pruning & Grooming

Pruning Gerbera Daisy is easy. Remove dead leaves and stems to keep the plant neat and discourage pests and diseases.

To encourage more blooms, cut off the flower stem at the base once flowering is over.

Regularly clean the leaves by damp-wiping with a soft cloth to get rid of dust and discourage pest infestations.

Gerbera jamesonii Propagation

Gerbera jamesonii is best propagated by plant division at the beginning of the growing season (spring to early summer) when in active growth.

Propagating Gerbera Daisy by plant division

1. Water the plant thoroughly at least 1 day before to make it easier to divide and also hasten establishment; a well hydrated plant suffers less shock and takes a shorter time to take root.


2. Slip the plant out of its pot and get rid of excess soil from the roots with your hands or wash it off with some water.


3. Carefully divide the plant into sections while ensuring each section has some roots to hasten establishment.


4. Select a 6 or 8 inches pot and make sure that the pot has adequate drainage to prevent the soil from getting soggy as it can lead to rotting.


5. Fill the pot with a quality potting mix and make a hole in the center of the pot. Ensure that the hole is slightly wider than the root base of the section.


6. Place the section in the previously made hole and lightly firm the soil around the base while taking care not to bury it too deep; maintain the section at the same soil level it was in the previous pot.


7. Confirm that the crown of leaves is above the soil surface to prevent rotting.


8. Thoroughly wet the soil until water comes out through the drainage holes.

9. Place the pots in a warm (21-27⁰C), brightly-lit place away from direct sunlight to avoid scorching.


10. Maintain the soil moist until the new plant is well established after which you can begin routine.

How to Grow Gerbera Daisy from seeds

1. Spread the seeds evenly on moist free-draining soil and cover lightly withsome soil.


2. Cover the set up with a plastic sheet to create a greenhouse effect to encourage germination.


3. Place the set up in a warm (21-27⁰C), well-lit place away from direct sunlight.


4. Maintain the soil moist through out by gently misting the soil surface until germination takes place.


5. Once the seeds have germinated and there is substancial growth, begin hardening the seedlings to get them accustomed to growing in room conditions. Gradually over a period of 2 weeks, remove the polythene sheet a little bit per day.


6. After hardening, transplant the new plants into individual pots in free-draining soil and begin routine care.

Gerbera jamesonii Problems & Remedies

Gerbera Daisy problems are plant dying, lack of blooms, wilting, yellow leaves, leaf spots, mold, rotting, pests and diseases among others.

Plant dying

Gerbera Daisy may be dying due to too little light, poor quality soil, poor feeding, root-rot, pest infestations, cold drafts, low humidity, incorrect watering among others.

Read more on 10 Reasons Why Gerbera Daisy is Dying and How to Revive It

Lack of blooms

Gerbera Daisy may fail to bloom due to too little light, incorrect watering, poor feeding, wrong temperatures, low humidity, lack of pruning, poor soil quality, pests infestations among other reasons.

Check out these 11 Reasons Why Gerbera Daisy is Not Blooming and How to Promote Flowering.

Pests

Common pests on Gerbera Daisy are aphids, scale insects, spidermites, fungus gnats and caterpillars.

Isolate the affected plant to prevent spread to the other plants and treat it with insecticidal soap or neem oil as per the manufacturers' instructions.

Diseases

Gerbera Daisy is prone to root-rot, crown-rot disease, leaf spot disease, botrytis disease, powdery mildew and viral diseases.

Related Content: Gerbera Daisy (Gerbera jamesonii) Common Problems and Solutions.

Final thoughts

Growing Gerbera daisies indoors takes a little extra effort, but the reward is endless colorful blooms. With the right light, watering, and fertilization, your Gerbera daisy will thrive and bloom beautifully all year long!

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