How to keep gazania and help her get through the winter
At home, in distant Africa, where the temperature is above zero even in winter, gazania grows like a perennial plant. However, the Russian winter is notable for its special severity, before which the thermophilic African daisies cannot resist. Not surprisingly, fans of this culture are interested in how to preserve gazania until next spring. Of course, you can sow seeds every year and grow it as a one-year-old (when wintering in the open field, the bush completely freezes out). I must admit that this method is very popular. But if you don't want to mess around with the seedlings every year, you will have to take the gazania off the street. But where, and what to do with it later, we will now talk in detail.
How to keep gazania in winter
Further wintering of gazania can take place according to two scenarios:
- in home;
- in the basement.
Some growers do not dig up the plants, but simply mulch them well and leave them to winter in the garden. In general, this method has the right to life, but only in the southern strip with its warm winters. On the other hand, he does not guarantee that all the bushes will overwinter - some of them will freeze out.
Indoor gazania wintering conditions
It's warm in our house in winter, respectively, chamomile will continue to grow and even bloom. But for this it should be placed on the south window - gazania is very fond of the sun. Daylight hours for her should be at least 10 hours. On cloudy days, you will need to light up the bushes.
Before bringing the pot into a warm room, the plant must be acclimatized. To do this, it must be kept in a cool room for 2 weeks.
In winter, it is important to regularly water the gazania with settled water. At the same time, it should not remain in the pallet. But there is no need for feeding.
Features of wintering plants in the basement
If in your house all the windowsills are occupied with indoor flowers, you can send the gazania to winter in the basement or closet. The conditions of detention in this case are somewhat different. There will be no problems with the temperature - it is usually cool in the basements, but not "minus". But there is definitely no constant lighting, so the bush cannot continue to develop. This means that he should be sent to a forced retirement, having cut off the above-ground part. The root system will remain in the pot and need to be watered occasionally to keep it from drying out.
In this form, gazania will stand until spring. And in early April, it will be possible to take the bushes out to the lighted veranda, and they will start growing again. Plant them back to the garden after the frost has passed.