gerbera daisy from seed?

Has anyone tried to grow gerbera daisy from seed? Any suggestions on how to get them started?

I've tried... no success. Sorry.

Donna

I started a bunch a few years ago. I have had no success with my own collected seeds though.
I bought them from Thompson Morgan - I'd have to check my notes (which are in the greenhouse) to
remind myself of how I germinated them. I probably just followed the instructions on the seed pack.

Here's a link to another thread discussing Gerbera Daisy germination

http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/556700/

I planted the ones from my own flowers one year and had great success. I just scratched them into the soil near the plant and they came up without any special care soon after.

Robert.

But where does the seed come from on the bloom specifically? I tried the center fluffy stuff from the center.

Donna

The seeds are attached to the center fluffy stuff. I think the fluff would help the flower seeds spread if they were grown in the wild.

Robert - I'm gonna have to try again. I just haven't had success yet from my own collected seed.
Its obviously possible based on your experience.

Tam

It's possible that some cultivars are sterile and won't produce any viable seeds--nothing can be done about that. It may also be a matter of being fertilized with good pollen, possibly from another plant. I don't know whether gerbera are self-sterile or not. But any of those factors could be at fault.

Sometimes they are all set to procreate and lack pollinators (ie. bees) to get the pollen to the pistil. Never tried to pollinate mine. They were super-doubles and they did it on their own, it seems.

Since I didn't give any special care to mine, it may be a matter of having good seed to start with. Also, drying out at a critical time might kill the germinating seeds and attacks of fungus, which is common for too-dry Gerbers, might be a factor.

Hope you get some going!

Robert.

I have made two attemps at growing,and second time,i learned to tell the viable,from the non.The viable have swollen overies at the end of the fluff,and to compair them to the non,they are more full towards the bottom.The ones I am growing now are in a bulb pot,with a clay pot plugged at the end,and filled with water,(theclay pot),then I put a clear plastic bag over the bulb pot to make a"GH" effect.Keep them in a shadded place,w/mild temps.Not all seed on Gerberas are viable,all I have seen,on my own plants,are a small percentage of the seed head.Also beware of the "fluff bandit"on e-bay,that sells her streaght run of seed heads,and doesn't know if they are viable,or not.Good luck with your endevers.Mike

Tammy,
Thanks for the hyperlink. It helped alot to look at the picture of the viable seeds. I can see now how some of mine look more swollen than others.
Carol

How do you know when a bloom is ready to be "picked" for the seeds? Do you dry the flower head before looking for the seeds?

Donna

Let the bloom stay on the plant.

Eventually it will be a light-tannish puff of "fuzz". I check to see if they're ripe by give a very gentle tug on the fuzz, *very* gentle, and if they're ripe, the fuzz will pull out with the seed attached to the bottom. Gently because you don't want to pull them out before they've rippened.

Sometime I catch them after they've already started to shed on their own, falling on the soil below the flower if they've not been blown away. I *gently* pull more of the "ready" ones then. I'll check later in the day, several times, so that I can catch them before they fall, and every now and then from then on.

Some folks do the smart thing and put a little fine cheesecloth bag around the bloom head to make all that checking less necessary! But I just never got around to it--I wasn't intending to ever harvest any seeds, I just did cause they were there.

Robert.

When the bloom is "spent" (facing downward) would it be ready then?

I can put a baggie around the bloom... put some guaze or cotton between the plastic baggie and the stem and tighten with a twisty tie (as I know some plants detest this and will rot off at the point where you have anything attached). How does that sound?

Thanks,
Donna

Donna~

The petals will have all fallen off much earlier and the center will be fuzzy tan looking. Just go ahead and "bag" the flower.

It would be better not to use a plastic baggie as it may hold moisture and cause fungal infection. The covering should be able to transmit light and air.

You might be able to gather the "bag" behind the seed head with a running thread and not have to actually wrap anything around the stem. It won't be fro long a couple weeks or so.

Good luck!

Robert.

Robert,

What about something like these for bags to put over/around the bloom to catch everything:

http://www.packcoinc.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=51

Donna

Wow, those are the Rolls Royce of seed catchers!

Of course they'd work fine to catch and hold everything. My only concern is that they look a little thick and might block out too much light (and I don't know how that might affect the seed production) and if they got wet they might take too long to dry, possibly causing problems.

I think if you just cut a circle of gauze or even used a piece of gauze bandage material and ran a thread around the edge of it and used the two ends to gather it, it would be light, airy and would dry quickly if wet and that would do.

IAnd too, if you were carefull about not tieing the bag too tightly, you could just use a large enough medical gauze and just fold it over the bloom and fasten it behind the head or on stem. I really don't think it would be a problem cause it won't be on there for long. Just keep an eye on it.


Robert.

Hmmmm.... ok. I'll keep thinking and looking at possibilities. Not only would I use the method with gerbera daisies, but other plants as well.... so.... The guaze thing seems like it might be too combersome... pain in the arse if you would. And when I go to remove the guaze... the stuff may go flying all over. I dunno.

Donna

I hear you!

If you kept careful watch, you might get by without the bags, as I did.

Hope you find a workable solution.

R.

Ok... I got it... how bout this:

I was thinking the white one.... Looks like they have some really good seed saving things too... I have something like the case with the tic tac like things I got from Walmart for like $4 for an entire set of about 20.

http://www.beadfx.com/catalogue/packaging.jsp

What ya think?

Donna

Well, I do keep watch of things, but I have so many things... that's the problem. My gerbera daisies are in pots, so not a big deal keeping a check on them. But other things ... it's hard to catch them right at the right time.

Donna

Hey.... here's a brain storm thought.... why not just cut the toe/foot off my stockings and such and use that? Think they'll work?

Donna

Brilliant!

Robert.

Donna - those gauze bags look like they'd work too.

I use my old pantyhose to tie up my tomatoe plants. They are great
stuff - stretchy and hold up in the weather. I bet they'd make good seed
bags too.

Tam

I just wonder what my DH is going to think now.... I use to use baggies... but that caused some plants to rot at the point of contact. My DH was making silly remarks about that. I wonder what he is going to say about me putting panty hose on them.

Donna

I didn't see the gauze baggies from beadfx but they look good too.

Robert.

Ok, I have a new problem. I found some of my seeds that looked viable and planted them at several different depths in some vermiculite (to experiment). I have been keeping the vermiculite damp but did not cover with plastic wrap. I planted these on Saturday and they already look like they are getting mold around the ones I tried laying on the top of the vermiculite. The room they are in is about 70-72 degrees and they are under grow lights. Does anyone know why this would have occurred or any way to prevent this from happening? Will appreciate any feedback.
Carol

I took a head off one that was well spent. I found nothing that looked like viable seeds.

Since there is no real information regarding pollination for the gerbera's... I decided to try something. Today I took a small art paint brush... I went around to every bloom that I have and brushed the centers gently but thoroughly with the brush. Maybe this will help, I'll let you know!!

Take care,
Donna

Okay... I have been brushing the centers of the daisies with an art brush. I had a flower head that was ripe for picking today. I found what I believe to be 20 viable seeds in all the fluff.

Can these seeds be stored or do they need to be planted right away? I usually put my seeds in the fridge this time of year and start planting them in the green house around Jan.

Thanks,
Donna

Congrats, Donna, at finding some seed!

They can be stored dry.

To cdygma~

You might use some fungicide to prevent or kill fungus and improving air circulation might help. Some people point a small fan on low at the seeded pots or flats.

Robert.

I have no trouble germinating them-but I get them every year from Parks. I have never tried to get them from the bloom-guess I am taking the easy way out! The majority of mine come back every year though

The seeds need to be planted pointy end down so that about a third of the seed sticks up above the soil. They need some light to germinate.

I read on a commercial growing website that the seeds do not keep long. But they didn't say how long.

woofie,

Both ends are pointy... does it matter which end?

Donna

The mold is caused by too much water.I use capularity do the watering andthe pointed end that does not,or has not had fuzz.You can plant the fuzz,and it will drop,but it will also cause a fungus,unless you take a little pair of tweezers,to pick up the ,now not so fuzzy thing,now lying on the soil.Mike

Mike,

Sorry, but huh??? Are you saying to plant with what would be the fuzzy point up? And how would you know if the fuzz was no longer on the seed? Like if you burned it off or what have you.

Donna

Donna,The fuzz is natures way of sending it to its germination spot,with the intenden point to the ground,and it soon drops off,and sometime blowes away.In cultivation,we are the tenders,and the fuzz is a host for a blight that rest on top of the ground,just under the plant.Sorry I don't the name of the fungus,but it is in red tip photinia,also,and it is incubated by the leaves,and causes black spot,and will kill them off.People have found that after they cut,and clean up their red tips,they get fresher red tips.The gebera is very tender,and I have found that the fuzz will come off and fall,as the seed germinates.I then take a pair of tweezers,and remove it before it gets wet,or at least, too wet.I would say take the tweezers,and pass the seed over the flame of a candle,but you are likely to damage the ovary,holding,whitch is why I recomend using masking tape,and passing it over the flame.I hope it is more clear now.Mike

Mike,

Yes, much more clear!! Thanks! I was wondering if burning it off would cause any damage. I found that after a day or so of having the seed, it pulled right off any how. But when the fuzz is gone before you plant the seed, how do you know which end of the seed to stick in the dirt? That's my big question. Or does it matter?

Donna

Yes,put the most pointed end in the ground,just enough to stand up,or the root will be shallow.Mike

Just in case anyone is still watching this thread, last bunch of seeds I planted, it didn't seem to matter which end got stuck in the ground. Although if you look REAL closely, you can see that one end of the seed (the end that used to have the fluff) is slightly rounded and cupped. But I got tired of peering at seeds and just stuffed them in the soil about halfway and nearly all of them germinated.

Cool. I haven't planted that many, but no luck yet. May be my seed is too old (a few months).

Donna

I doubt they're too old; the seeds I planted (in Sept) are some I bought off eBay back in February. They're actually pretty easy to START, it's the keeping them alive that's tricky! You need to use moist, light-weight potting soil. I cover mine with a dome and try to keep them damp, but not too wet, removing the dome periodically if things start to look soggy. They generally germinate in 5 to 7 days. Once they have a few leaves going, I move them into clay pots. The clay pots dry out faster, so they're less likely to rot than in the plastic pots. Good Luck with them.