Gerbera very quickly conquered Europe, despite the fact that it became known to the world only a few years after its discovery and much later than other "flower competitors". She was noticed in time by Dutch, German, Japanese and American flower growers, who appreciated the amazing features of Gerbera. Thanks to them, this flower has become widespread.
When caring for gerberas, it is important to know that gerberas are imported packed in boxes and the peculiarity of transportation is that the stem is twisted at the base of the flower. Do not try to straighten the stem with your hands, the flower may break. To keep the head of the flower straight, it is necessary to gradually level the stem, which happens by itself, as the flower is drunk in warm water. Gerbera stem, soft and flexible. Often its rigidity is not enough for the flower to stand on its own in a vase. To give a frame, the stem is wrapped with a thin wire or placed in a transparent tube. Gerbera is a heavy head flower on a soft stem. This helps to hold the heavy head of the gerbera and give flower arrangements the intended shape.
In a vase with gerberas, do not pour a lot of water. The stalk of the gerbera, being in the water, quickly deteriorates and forms mucus. A sufficient level of water if the tips of the gerberas are immersed 5-7 cm. The water must be changed daily, washing the tips of the flower with running water and freeing them from mucus. Frequent water changes are a prerequisite for the flower to last for a long time and stand for two or more weeks.
Gerbera stems do not store well in water, so the vase where the gerberas will stand is thoroughly washed beforehand, and disinfectants and fertilizers for cut flowers are added to the water.
Put the flowers in the water as soon as possible and leave them for 4 hours. Water should not be too much and it is recommended to add a few drops of chlorine to prevent bacterial infections. Flowers can be used for bouquets once the stems have hardened. If the stems have not absorbed enough water and are not strong, you should use wire to strengthen.
Remove the shoots, as they do not absorb water. Always use clean vases and fresh water with cut flower food or a few drops of bleach. Be careful - the gerbera is a delicate flower and any damage will definitely show up the next day.
Gerbera stems are quite soft. Experiments have shown that it is possible to double the flowering period by making an oblique cut on the stem with a sharp knife. Use a knife, not a pruner, making sure the knife is very sharp.
Flower bouquets have become indispensable companions of our modern life. They are presented to solemn dates, they are presented to loved ones, decorate wedding halls. Or they just give for no reason, expressing their love and sincerity. Bouquet compositions of surprisingly sunny and colorful gerberas have been especially popular lately.
To make a gerbera bouquet last longer
You want to keep the original bouquet as long as possible. And not only because it is a sign of attention, courtesy and love. Fragrant unique flowers decorate the interior, raise energy, improve mood. So that the positive does not leave the room for a long time, you should properly care for cut flowers and extend their life by all means.
After fresh gerberas have gone through a waterless period, bringing them home should be placed in a container of water at room temperature and allowed to drink freely. In the same place, the tips of the stems should be cut off, but not with a pruner that crushes the stem, but with a sharp knife, obliquely, to increase the area for absorption.
While the flowers are drinking life-giving moisture, a vessel should be prepared for them. It is desirable that the vase was tall, but with a narrow neck. This is due to the fact that a rather heavy flower is located on a delicate soft stem. In order for the stem to support the weight of the peduncle, it must not touch the bottom of the vessel. Most often, special cardboard plates are used for this, which hold the flowers in limbo.
Before immersing the flowers, the vase should be thoroughly rinsed, pour settled water into it, it can be rain or melted water, but always at room temperature. To disinfect the environment, one tablet of aspirin and activated charcoal, or a few crystals of citric acid or potassium permanganate, should be added to the water. To feed cut flowers, you can add special concentrates and nutrients that can be bought at flower shops.
There should be enough water in the vase so that the stems are lowered by 3-4 cm, otherwise rotting will begin. Every day, the water must be changed to fresh, not forgetting to add antiseptics and top dressing. Then you need to cut the stems. In a hot room, you need to monitor the level of liquid in the vase and constantly add it.
If your bouquet has begun to fade, and the curved stem is unable to hold the flower, draw water into a deep vessel and immerse the flowers to the very peduncles so that the tips of the stems do not touch the bottom. After a while, the stalk straightens up, and several punctures can be made on it at the top and bottom. After that, the gerberas can be moved into a vase without filling them to the top with water.
Up to two weeks, colorful bouquets are stored in shaded places at room temperature, without heaters and drafts, even though these southern plants came to us from hot African countries.
In the composition, these flowers do not like fluffy fragrant flowers, preferring fresh greenery and decorative elements.
Gerberas, these charming "African daisies", have long won love in our hearts. They are unusual, colorful, bright, juicy, like little suns from some other planet. They are given in huge bouquets and singly for birthdays, dates and just like that - as a sign of care and love. With all the positive aspects, Gebrera has one significant drawback - a capricious attitude to external conditions. Therefore, for many, a bouquet of gerberas does not last long, just a few days: the petals curl up and the flower fades.
Cut gerbera care tips
For two whole weeks of color and light, cut gerbera suppliers promise their customers. This flower is really like the sun: it pleases with both shape and shades. As for durability, it's true. Cut gerberas do not wither for a long time even without water. In a word, and one of the most profitable plants on the flower market. With these flowers, as a rule, there are no special problems - neither when buying, nor when selling.
Moscow has been buying gerberas in bulk for a long time from trusted wholesalers, and the regions are slowly catching up. Well, buyers dismantle them long before the first signs of wilting. However, even this universal flower has its own characteristics. And they will definitely have to be taken into account when purchasing and subsequent storage.
Love for water
So, in order for customers to be satisfied with the freshness and quality of your flowers, you need, first of all, to buy initially good gerberas: strong, resilient, juicy, without stains, rot and other "non-marketable" signs. And after the batch of flowers has arrived at your store, you need to correctly place them in flowerpots with water. These sunny flowers need a lot of water, and it should be fresh every day. However, the structure of gerberas is such that the smallest villi on their stems provoke the appearance of mucus. Therefore, the tip of the plant should be immersed in water by only five centimeters, and when washing the vase, the stems must also be thoroughly rinsed. Remove the lower leaves, and fix the flower itself in a container so that the cut tip does not touch the bottom. Water should be colder each time, but nevertheless - soft, boiled and settled, in no case tap water. It is also better to cut the stem under water - in a basin or under a tap, so that the tubules in the stem do not become clogged with air. After that, let your crumbs just soak in more or less warm water, and only then put them back in the vase. The cut should be oblique so that the flower receives as much moisture as possible. 0.5 cm every three days - this will be enough.
Nutrition and disinfection
And again about stem villi. They not only rot in the water, but also contribute to the rapid reproduction of bacteria. Therefore, it does not hurt to immediately add some available antiseptic to the liquid: activated charcoal, aspirin, potassium permanganate, alcohol or citric acid. Some florists disinfect water with silver, which is placed at the bottom of the container. By the way, some substances not only fight unsanitary conditions, but also prolong the life of gerberas. So, ordinary alcohol with ammonia in a ratio of 2 tsp / 2 drops per 4 liters of liquid can put even slightly wilted flowers on their feet, returning them to a fresh look. For the same purpose, you can add sugar to water. But, of course, the best option would be ready-made top dressing for cut flowers, which are either poured into vases or attached to the tips of the stems.
Light, temperature and other nuances
Cut gerberas love draft-free coolness, even temperatures and partial shade. Therefore, it is better not to put them near radiators, heaters, air conditioners and ajar windows. In extreme heat, frequent spraying will help to cool and refresh them. And if it's winter outside, and the flowers are only from the street - let them get used to the store temperature and only after that put them in the water. Also, gerberas will not tolerate close proximity to other flowers or objects, give them a little free space around so as not to damage the delicate inflorescences. By the way, their inflorescences can wilt for no apparent reason, simply because the stem is rather weak for them. Therefore, the primary task of the florist is to support him: either with special transparent
Gerbera or in other words African chamomile is a flower that has become popular relatively recently. It first appeared in European countries, where it was considered a spring flower, then it spread to all continents. As a result, today we can see these amazing flowers in any store, as well as choose a bright and very interesting bouquet for relatives and friends with their presence.
With the growing popularity, florists began to look for different varieties of gerberas. As a result, science made it possible to discover new shades and some very interesting properties, but one minus still retained an enviable constancy - capriciousness. It is because of him that gerberas are difficult to grow in the garden, and even more difficult to keep in a vase for a long time. But you really want these sunny flowers to please us as long as possible! So, we propose to consider this problem and some options for its elimination.
As mentioned above, gerberas are very capricious flowers, and therefore you will have to try very hard to keep them in a vase for as long as possible. To do this, we recommend doing the following.
- Since gerberas suffer greatly due to transportation and lack of water, the first thing to do with a bouquet is to place it in a deep container of water in such a way that only the buds remain dry, and the water needs to be insisted for some time so that all oxygen comes out of it and she warmed up a bit.
- After half an hour you will see the changes. The buds will bloom even more, sparkle brighter and become fresher. This means that there is enough water in them. After that, we cut off the stems (2-3 cm from the bottom) directly into the containers and take them out, draining the unnecessary water. At the same time, remember that pruning is carried out only with a table knife and obliquely. This will allow the gerberas to absorb as much water as possible and not spoil for a long time.
- Preparing the gerbera vase is another important step. Professional florists recommend using special tablets that you can build with your own hands. This is necessary first of all so that the buds do not press on the stems with their weight. Since the buds are much heavier than the stems, even in a narrow vase, there is a lot of pressure on the latter, pressing them to the bottom. As a result, water absorption practically does not occur and the flower quickly dies.
- Then it remains only to put the gerberas in a vase and make sure that their water is always fresh and without the presence of chlorine. To do this, florists recommend adding a couple of tablets of activated charcoal or citric acid. If you want to keep gerberas for a long time, then you can add mineral fertilizers sold in flower boutiques to the water. They will help keep the water fresh and prevent rotting and the spread of bacteria.
- To make the flowers feel as comfortable as possible, cut their stems every 3-4 days. The water needs to be changed daily. Among other things, do not place a vase with capricious flowers in direct sunlight or near a radiator. They cannot tolerate excess heat.
As you can see, with proper care, gerberas will delight you with their appearance and aroma for a very long time. The most important thing is not to forget to take care of them, and the result is guaranteed to you!
