Gatzania or African chamomile belongs to the astro family. The flowers of this amazing plant open at noon, and close in the evening or in cloudy weather.
This feature must be taken into account when landing gatsanii. Improper care and an unsuitable place for growing will lead to the fact that you will not be able to enjoy flowering at all.
Gatsaniya landing on the site: photo varieties
Breeders bred more than 40 species of gatzania, but only some of them are grown in gardening.
1. Gatsaniya brilliant. Her red-orange flowers have black spots at the base, which makes this variety very easy to recognize.
2. A kind of potsi. Gatsaniya looks like a brilliant one, however, her flowers are slightly larger, the diameter of the inflorescence reaches 1 cm.
3. Long-shoot gatsaniya is an annual low variety, the baskets of which are painted in bright yellow color. The base of the petals is brown.
4. Peacock gatzania is distinguished by long and narrow petals. Baskets are yellow or orange, at the base are painted black.
5. Hybrid gatsaniya. It was bred by crossing a brilliant and long-shoot variety. The hybrid is more resistant to disease, which allows it to grow in harsh climates.
How to plant gatting from seeds: seedling care (photo)
It is a great pleasure to grow gatsanu with your own hands. Landing and caring for it will not be a hassle if you follow simple rules.
First of all, you need to determine the timing of sowing seeds for seedlings. It directly depends on the region in which the plant will be grown and climatic conditions. If spring is usually lingering and cold, then it is not worth sowing gatsaniya early. Shoots will develop poorly from a lack of heat and light, additional lighting will be required. However, it is impossible to delay the planting of gatsaniya, otherwise the first flowering will come only in the fall.
Experienced growers are advised to start planting seeds not earlier than the end of March or mid-April. This is the best time for the seedlings to get enough light and develop well.
When growing gatsaniya from seeds, it is necessary to take into account the fact that the roots of the plant are rod, so deep containers will be required for planting. So the seedlings can fully develop, and the root system will not bend.
The soil for seedlings needs loose and nutritious. Sowing is carried out superficially, laying out the seeds at a distance of 2 cm. It is not difficult to do this, since the planting material is not small. It is not necessary to deeply deepen the seeds when planting, you can simply decompose them and press them a little to the soil. After planting, the soil is well moistened from the spray gun and the container is covered with a film. Long-term care for gatzania comes down to regular ventilation and watering. The first shoots appear in a few weeks.
Seedlings develop slowly. If they are planted in a deep container and they have enough space, then you can do without a dive. In other cases, when a second pair of leaves appears, seedlings dive into separate containers and grow at a temperature of 16-18 C. Shortly before planting, young plants are gradually taken out to the street, accustomed to temperature. But you do not need to leave them in a draft; at night gatsanii is brought into the house.
Photo of the finished gatsaniya seedlings before planting in the ground
Planting gatzania in the open ground and caring for seedlings
Young plants are transferred to a permanent place only in late May or early June. But the place for planting is selected in advance, taking into account all the features of the flower.
1. Gatsaniya prefers the sun, so the bed should be well lit throughout the day. If you plant plants in the shade, then it will not bloom.
2. The flower tolerates drought well and does not like stagnation of water at the roots, so it is better to take a dry place for planting gatsaniya and be sure to lay a drain.
3. The soil on the site should be quite loose, since the plant is poorly developed in heavy soil.
Seedlings are planted at a distance of at least 20 cm from each other, while trying not to damage the roots. It is best to carry out a landing by transshipment, while maintaining the earthen lump. These simple rules will allow you to enjoy the flowering of gatzania a few months after planting.
It’s easy to take care of gatzania. Despite the love of warmth and light, the flower tolerates short-term frosts up to -5 ° C. Flowering continues until the fall, but for the appearance of new buds, it is necessary to regularly pick dry inflorescences, loosen the soil, remove weeds and water the plant in a timely manner. Mulching will help to facilitate work, which will not only preserve moisture in the soil, but also prevent the growth of weeds.
Gatsaniya is most often grown as an annual plant, but it also needs complete fertilizing with mineral fertilizers. If the soil on the site is quite fertile, do not feed the plant more than 1 time per month. On poor soil top dressing is carried out every two weeks.
Problems When Growing Gatsaniya
Beginners in gardening often encounter problems after planting gatsaniya in the garden.
1. The plant refuses to bloom. This is due to disturbance in growing and care conditions. Perhaps the flower is planted in a dense shade or irrigation mode is violated. Improper top dressing can also cause gatsaniya not bloom. Use fertilizers based on phosphorus and potassium, but nitrogen supplements often need to be added.
2. The roots are affected by gray rot, because the conditions for keeping the flower are violated. The soil is poorly drained, moisture stagnates, the place is too dark, poorly warmed by the sun. Eliminate all causes, remove the diseased plant without regret, and treat the rest with phytosporin.
3. Leaves are affected by snails. On a rainy summer, gatsaniya is attacked by snails. Pests are collected manually, the area around the flower is treated with red hot pepper, the soil is regularly loosened, and weeds are removed.
4. In the dry period, aphids and spider mites settle on rosettes of leaves. Perform preventive spraying with insecticides.
If all conditions were met when planting gatsaniya, and caring for the plant is complete, then diseases and pests will not annoy. Gatzania refers to unpretentious colors.
What to do with gatzania after flowering
In the harsh climate of Russia, gatsaniya is grown as an annual, so with the advent of autumn, it is simply removed from the site. Moreover, the hybrid varieties that can be found in the homestead economy do not retain varietal traits; it makes no sense to collect seeds. In addition, they do not have time to fully mature, and with gusts of wind they simply fly apart.
You can save your favorite plant until next year otherwise. In the fall, the selected instance is simply transplanted into a container and brought into the house. Gatsaniya winters at a temperature of 8-10 C in a well-lit room, while watering it only occasionally so that the earthen lump does not dry out. In the spring, the plant is planted in a permanent place, only the shoots are slightly shortened.
From the foregoing, it is clear that it is easy to plant gatsaniya and take care of it. However, some features of the plant need to know.
