How to Grow and Care for Gerbera Daisies, One of the Happiest Flowers You Can Plant in Your Garden

If you're a fan of big, colorful flowers, you've probably come across a gerbera daisy or two in your day. Also known as Transvaal daisies, gerberas originate from South Africa and come in an array of eye-catching hues, including orange, pink, and yellow—making them a popular pick for any size or style of garden.

"Gerbera daisies are exuberant and playful," says landscape architect Janice Parker. "Gerbera daisies are a popular choice for at-home gardeners due to their electric, hot colors, velvety petals, and long bloom season (spring to fall!). They help support a healthy garden by attracting butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees, and are excellent for making floral arrangements for the home."

Varieties of Gerbera Daisies

In addition to being bold and bright, gerbera daisies are much bigger than traditional daisies, measuring as wide as 2 1/2 inches across and growing 6 to 18 inches high. The centers' color falls along a spectrum from yellow to green to bronze to black. "They have a tall, slim stalk and the deep green leaves are spread out nicely on the stems—much lower than the flower, which adds the elegance of form," says Parker. "The leaves are rugged and deeply notched with cut lobes."

Gerbera daisies can have one of several different petal profiles, says Parker:

• Single: These flowers have one layer of overlapping petals surrounding their colorful center.
  
• Double: Double daisies have two overlapping rows of petals, giving them a thicker, fluffier appearance.
  
• Crested double: Crested gerbera daisies have the same overlapping petals as their double relatives, but with an additional ring of smaller petals just outside the center.
  
• Spider: Spider gerbera daisies flaunt narrow, pointier petals.
  
  

Gerbera daisies come in wide range of warm pinks, reds, oranges, yellows, and purples, plus a timeless white with a black center. "There are many options and all are beautiful, so choose the variety based on local availability and color options that suit your tastes," says Parker.

How to Care for Gerbera Daisies

Add gerbera daisies to your garden after the last spring frost. Bury the plant so that the crown remains at or slightly above the soil level; leave 12 to 18 inches between plants.

Soil Requirements

Gerbera daisies thrive in rich, well-drained soil—in the ground or in pots. "These plants are vigorous bloomers, which means they require nutrient-rich soil," says Parker. In planting zones 8 to 10, gerberas are hardy perennials, says Parker. Below zone 8, they are used as annuals or planted in containers and overwintered indoors.

Sunlight

These flowers bloom in the late spring and early summer and require plenty of sunlight to thrive. "They need full sun to grow, but do not like extreme heat," says Benjamin Godfrey, garden manager at Cornerstone Sonoma. If high temperatures are common in your geographic location, he suggests planting your gerberas in partial shade to protect them from damage.

Water

Gerberas thrive in moist, fertilized soil, which is why Godfrey says they need to be watered and drained regularly. "Plant them so the crown is a 1/2 inch above the soil line in a well-draining site," he says. "In warmer months, water gerbera daisies regularly, about once a week when the top inch or two of soil is dry to the touch. In colder winter months, water them less frequently, about once a month."

Fertilizer

When warmer weather arrives, Godfrey suggests fertilizing your gerbera daisies with organic compost to help them grow. "In the summer, feed them monthly by adding organic compost around the roots," he says. "Remove some of the bunched center leaves to allow in more light if they are getting bushy."

Winterizing

If you live in a warmer, southern climate, Parker says it's fine to leave your gerbera daisies in the ground over the winter, as long as they have a protective cover like mulch. However, these plants don't fare well in cold temperatures, so in colder climates, they might need to be brought inside. "In northern areas, you should take it out of the ground in the fall, pot it up, and enjoy it indoors," she says.

How to Prune Gerbera Daisies

Parker recommends deadheading gerbera daisies when the blooms begin to wilt to promote future blooms. "Follow the fading flower's stalk gently to where it comes out of the base of the main plant, and carefully cut the stalk at the crown," she says. At-home gardeners can also trim leaves from the base to shape the plant and promote air flow and sunlight access—or to improve the look of the flower by removing leaves that are faded or unkempt.

How to Repot Gerbera Daisies

Gerbera daisies that live in containers will likely need to be moved to a larger pot after one to two years, once the roots start filling and crowding the pot, says Parker. "Like most plants, it is best to repot them in the early spring before they start to push new growth for the season. You should choose a pot that is one size larger than the existing container—too much new soil can hold onto excess moisture and encourage root rot," she says. "The plant may wilt initially, but should perk back up in one to two weeks with good care."

Parker lists these step-by-step instructions for repotting gerbera daisies:

1. Start with 2 to 3 inches of new soil—ideally a blend formulated for flowering house plants—in the pot.
2. Gently remove the plant from the existing pot and examine the roots for any signs of disease or rot—you can gently brush the loose soil away to get a better look.
3. If needed, carefully trim away dead or poorly looking roots with clean, disinfected clippers.
4. Place the plant into the new pot and gently fill in soil around the sides. You should leave about 1 inch of space between the soil and rim of the pot.
5. Deeply water the plant; water should drain through the pot.
   

Harvesting Gerbera Daisies

If you plan on using your home-grown gerberas in your next bouquet, cut them them with clean, sharp shears at a 45-degree angle after the buds have fully opened. Parker recommends keeping the flowers upright as soon as you cut them. "One issue with gerbera daisies is that the heads can droop and the stems can bend once you put them in water," she says. "Make sure that they stand upright from the beginning; do not lie them down even for a short time."

Common Problems With Gerbera Daisies

Common garden pests—including aphids, mites, leafminers, and thrips—are likely to affect gerbera daisies; Parker recommends applying a "narrow-range horticultural oil or insecticidal soap" to stop them from making a meal of your prettiest blooms.

Keeping the plant properly watered can also pose a challenge to first-timers. Gerberas need regular watering, especially during hot and humid weather, but don't like damp soil. "Make sure that you water the plants deeply once a week, and always water in the morning so the soil can dry out during the day," says Parker. Allow the soil to fully dry between waterings to prevent root rot and powdery mildew from damaging your plant.