Ask the Master Gardener: When cared for properly, Gerbera daisies have long-lasting flowers

A Gerbera plant. — Improper water and light, and excessive heat are the main causes of failure when caring for Gerbera daisies.

By Jennifer Knutson | U of M Extension Master Gardener

February 04, 2024 at 4:57 AM

Dear Master Gardener: A friend gave me a potted Gerbera daisy as a gift but there aren’t any instructions on how to care for it. Is this a long-lasting flowering plant? How do I care for it?

A Gerbera daisy plant. — To successfully grow a Gerbera daisy indoors you will need to provide enough light for it to keep blooming and moderate temperatures.

Answer: Gerbera daisies are colorful flowering plants that are native to South Africa. They are members of the aster family and related to sunflowers. Yes, Gerbera daisies have long-lasting flowers when grown in the right conditions. Improper water and light, and excessive heat are the main causes of failure when caring for this, and other potted flowering plants. These plants are grown in greenhouses where the nighttime temperatures are cool, the air is moist, and there is adequate light. Our Minnesota homes tend to be dry and lack a lot of light in the winter. To successfully grow a Gerbera daisy indoors you will need to provide enough light for it to keep blooming and moderate temperatures. Place it in a location that receives as much sunlight as possible, such as a south, or west-facing window. Water your plant thoroughly, then when the top of the potting medium feels dry to the touch, water it thoroughly again. Avoid getting water on the leaves. Fertilize the plant in the spring and summer with regular houseplant fertilizer.

Dear Master Gardener: My orchid isn’t doing well. I have followed the directions that came with it and water it with an ice cube each week. The directions also say it needs a lot of light, but not direct sunlight. I have it near a north window so it’s not getting direct sunlight. Why is it struggling to survive?

Answer: Most houseplants originate in the tropics or subtropics and can be injured by icy water. Use room temperature water for all your houseplants. Never use cold or hot water to water your orchids. Orchid cells close when cold, therefore the roots do not efficiently absorb cold water. Hot water damages them. As a general rule, an orchid in a 6-inch plastic pot is watered weekly. However, if it is hot and dry in your house and the orchid is completely drying out in a few days or if you have it in a humid spot and the orchid stays damp for more than a week after watering it, then you need to pick up the pot to check whether it actually needs to be watered. Water drainage is crucial for an orchid, so it doesn’t get overwatered. It can be tricky to tell if an orchid has been over or under-watered as the symptoms can look similar. If an orchid is underwatered the roots will dry and collapse, leading to shriveled buds and leaves that turn brown and drop. When an orchid is overwatered, the root system can rot and collapse and the buds will also shrivel and the leaves drop. In either case, you should change the watering schedule.

Many orchids come double-potted, so remove the inner pot to give your orchid a good watering. Take it to a sink, make sure the water is at room temperature, and water the plant thoroughly, allowing the water to drain out for a few minutes. Make sure no water has collected on the leaves or in the crown, where the new leaves are emerging because this can rot new growth or create black rot spots on the leaves. Tilt your orchid on its side and allow the water to drain out or blow into the crown to drive the water out. If there is still water on the orchid, wipe it off with a soft cotton cloth. Orchids prefer a humid environment. To increase the humidity around your orchid, place a pebble tray with water in it under the pot, but make sure the pot is not sitting in water.

A Phalaenopsis orchid (which I am assuming yours is, as they sometimes come with the ice cube watering instructions) perform well under normal room temperatures with indirect light — an east or west-facing window is ideal. During winter they can even be placed near a south-facing window. According to the University of Maryland Extension you can tell if your plant is receiving the proper amount of light because it will have light green leaves. Low light conditions will produce leaves that are dark green and feel very stiff. Under very high light the leaves will develop a pink or reddish color along the margins and will appear yellow green or almost yellow.

February Gardening Tips

Start saving and washing out small yogurt containers for seed starting next month. Punch a few holes in the bottom for drainage.
Big, beautiful amaryllis blossoms are delightful in the dead of winter. Treat them as sun-loving houseplants. Put them outdoors in summer, fertilize them in spring and summer, and move them to slightly bigger pots as the bulbs get larger and develop offshoots. They should bloom annually for years to come.
Check on your calla lily, dahlia, canna, gladiola, and tuberous begonia bulbs you are storing over the winter. It is not unusual for them to rot in storage, especially if they are not kept cool enough. Discard any that are soft and mushy.
Plant begonia tubers in a flat of peat moss or vermiculite now for bloom in June.
Rather than buying cut flowers for Valentine’s Day, consider buying a potted, flowering plant that will last longer, such as an African violet, miniature rose, orchid, cyclamen, kalanchoe, or clivia. Choose plants with a few open blossoms and a lot of healthy-looking buds. Protect them from the cold on the trip home by wrapping them very well. If flowering plants are exposed to cold drafts, they may drop their buds (bud blast).
Mid-February is the time to sow seeds indoors for pansies, violas, wax begonias, heliotrope, and coleus. Two weeks later sow impatiens, petunias, snapdragons, vinca, and lobelia. Most flowering annuals may be started later, about eight weeks before they are transplanted outdoors. Starting them too early can result in large or leggy plants that do not transplant as well as more compact ones.
By the end of February, the days are getting longer and many houseplants are resuming active growth. Provide the nutrients they need by fertilizing them at half-strength every three to four weeks. Don’t fertilize if the potting soil is bone dry or you don’t see active growth.
Increase your houseplant collection or share new plants with friends by propagating pothos, ivies, philodendrons, and other houseplants. Fill an oblong plastic bag with fresh vermiculite. Add water and seal the opening. Make small slits to poke cuttings into, then move the “pillow pack” to a bright location. When all cuttings root, open the bag and transplant them into containers of fresh potting soil.
If you have little insects that look like fruit flies flitting about your houseplants, you probably have fungus gnats. These larvae live on decaying matter in soil. Allow the soil to dry out between watering sessions. To get rid of adult fungus gnats, hang a yellow sticky trap nearby.
When perusing seed catalogs, look for vegetable and flower cultivars with superior disease-resistance and make sure they will mature in our relatively short growing season.