I have gerberas coming out my ears and would like to try some different things with them this year. I've really only seen them used as a stand-alone plant and am wondering what might look good with them. Has anyone used them in a mixed container? I'd love to hear some ideas.
Thanks!
Gerbera Daisy Ideas
Lala, tell us how you grow them, I've had no luck. Thank you!
I've found that you have to have excellent drainage.
Cathy I normally plant them directly in the beds and they seem to do well there. But I got a great deal this year on some plugs and I now have over 100 of them. Yikes, LOL. So I've got gerberas for me, the family, and the neighbors...now I just have to figure out what to do with all of them.
you could share with me...**he he he** I'll trade ya something for a few
I got 6 that were almost dead from a big box store about 2 months ago..they were touched by our lil freak freeze we got down here... they are finally getting their green color back... but no flowers yet..
We had freak freezes, too, I'm heading out to the box store today to look for "dead" plants on the clearance racks.
Usually we only plant gerberas in the fall when it gets cooler. Then in the spring when it gets hot they are gone. When we moved into this house about a year ago the co-owner took me around the front yard and some of the back - it's a huge yard-something like 7,000 square ft.planted all around the house and all around the fences back yard- and I noticed that the gerberas she had planted the year before or maybe longer ago than that were coming up. It was strange to me but she thought nothing of it. I was thrilled. Then I had my gardener in to do the yard and he had one of his men pulling weeds. Guess what was a weed to him. Of course. The gerberas were the first to go. The leaves do look a bit like that yellow allysum (sp). I was so unhappy but that wasn't enough to fire him. If I can find seeds I'm going to plant them in the same place they were before. I saw the plants at Lowe's yesterday - about 5 per pot, nice size and blooming - and they wanted $25.oo or so for them and I don't pay that kind of money for things like gerberas.
Ann
cathy4, after freezes here... they usually have loads and loads of "1/2 dead" plants on clearance,.. I play "LET'S MAKE A DEAL"... they don't really want dead plants hanging around... they want to get the new ones out to sell at full price... so I tell them make me a deal and I'll load my truck and get them outta their way!!! In Jan. & Feb. down here... I could load my truck for $20.00!!! yes... twenty dollars!!! they said what ever I could fit on a flat bed cart, $20.00 . . so I put all the big shrub & tree pots on first... then stacked the smaller plants on the larger pots, and if there were hanging baskets... they got hung on the handle of the cart!!! I had to care for them here at home tho... in the garage they all went... and out in the drive every morning by 9am to get air and sun... back in the garage by 5 PM! Everyday for 2 months.
BEST $100.00 I'D EVER SPENT!!
Wow what a deal! I have to be honest and tell you that's about the only time I have gerberas too.....when they're on the clearance rack. Those things are so stinking expensive which is why I jumped at the chance to buy the plugs. I'm actually hoping to have a plant sale this spring and will hopefully sell enough to get my own plants for free. I've been sowing seeds all winter so I have a pretty good assortment and am planning to put together some mixed containers to throw into the mix. Hence the question about planting gerberas with other flowers. I wonder if they'd look good with something delicate planted in with them...maybe some lobelia or verbena? What do you think?
Get out a color wheel and see what is opposite for contrast or close by for blend. I love different foliage types, makes it interesting.
Ann-
I live in Texas, too, in zone 8a. I used to kill gerberas, too, until I found out they need a lot less sun in Texas. I put them in a spot that gets a little less than a half day shade. The sun is intermittent through the trees.
The ones I have are three years old now, and about to bloom :0)
As for the original question of this post, you are wanting to put them in containers? How about in a hanging basket, or urn, with bacopa or lobelia trailing over the edges?
I put orange gerberas with blue trailing lobelia; DH loved it. That was before the cataract surgery! Usually 3 things in a mixed container: thriller, filler and spiller. I'd say the gerberas would most likely be the thriller!
I'm glad the lobelia suggestion came up, and I actually have tons of it! But I have a problem in that area. I know lobelia's supposed to be a sun plant but it grows so much better for me in shade. I wish I could figure out why 'cause I think it would look great in some of my sun containers. However it always seems to fry if it gets too much hot sun. Does anybody know what my problem might be? I know it likes a lot of water (at least that's been my experience) but I don't want to flood everything else in the container. I think it would look smashing with the gerberas too!
Lala, my lobelia always croaks when it gets hot here, so it isn't just you.
I've always had best luck with lobelia when it goes somewhere that at least gets afternoon shade (both here and back when I lived in Ohio)
Well that answers that, thanks for letting me know. I guess lobelia will remain a shade plant for me.
Here in hot Texas they are both a part sun plant for me.
If anyone has extra Gerbers to share, I'll trade!
In that container I was describing, the Gerbers suffered from lack of sun, btw.
Dirtygirl-
I don't have any extra, but you can get them pretty cheap this time of year at Walmart. I usually get the hanging baskets of them, and then divide out all the gerberas. I usually get about 8-10 for the price of the basket :0)
True, seedpicker. . it's fun to share and trade too!
Oh, yes :0)
and I've made many a friend that way, too.
-T
Same!! There's more to be shared than seeds and plants... it's really nice the friendships you can make ((with caution to start)) ~S~
I snagged me a good deal last week!! @ Lowes...on their clearance shelves, I found some gerbers and the manager and I played "Lets Make a Deal" *S* I also snagged some 3 gallon pots of LOLLIPOP daisys!! They do need some serious TLC, but they are still blooming and the stems are 18 inces tall!!! There are two new blooms fixin' to open, so I will snap some pictures when they open.
Nice! I'm sure they'll rebound for you and it's so early in the season that you'll get to enjoy them for a long time. I'm so happy that the manager was willing to bargain. I will never, ever, EVER understand some store's policy of opting for the dumpster over a discount. I was at Kmart the other day and there was a shopping cart full to the brim of plants heading for the dumpster, and most weren't even on death's door. There were a lot of Asiatic lilies that were done blooming. That's it. Nothing else wrong with them, they were just considered past their prime. Of course I asked about them, and even considered dumpster diving when they told me no. LOL! But I just shook my head muttered under my breath, (in a voice loud enough to be heard) "Wasteful, wasteful, wasteful."
LOL!
I'd be watching for the right dumpster, what a shame.
I don't know about Kmart, but some places like Lowes and Home Depot only pay their suppliers for the plants that sell, ones that die are no sweat for them since they don't have to pay for them. And it would take some time for them to go through and pick out ones that need TLC and mark them down, so I could see that it would be easier for them to just pitch them in the dumpster. Doesn't make it right of course, but that's why you'll see that happening even though it seems to make no sense.
I dont' deal with the STORE MANAGERS... I only deal with the PLANT VENDORS..they are usually there in the mornings. They are the only ones I'll deal with 'cause the STORE mangers WON"T budge.
I've had no problem dickering with the garden manager at Lowes, I'm there every Monday morning for torn bags and half dead plants.
all I can fit on a flat bed cart for $20.00 from the clearance shelves
Our Home Depot has a distressed rack and Lowes used to (they went out of business here,) but Menards won't and of course I just learned about Kmart. I'll tell ya what....if they don't want to mess with marking them down, how about just letting me cart them out the door?
:-P
DG how do you spot the plant vender? I'm up for that approach!
they wear the brown vests *S* Lowes managers here wear blue
Just got another steal yesterday on Gerber LOLLIPOP daisys... 32 plants for $10.00!!!! *S* love the clearance racks!
to me, when a store starts to compain about marking down plants because they will "lose money" . . FINE... as I say...they can make a couple bucks. . even at a negative... or... make it a total loss... I tell them I've gotta grab a couple things from inside... think it over, I'll be checkin' out at the garden center.... I DO NOT always get my way... (hince a bargain of all bargains) . . but I can tell you this... I NEVER GIVE UP! There are a few at each location that now know me!!!!! *S* I
I read somewhere that gerberas don't play well with others. Can't remember now if the gerberas die off or the other plants, but I remember the recommendation was to only plant other gerberas with gerberas.
Heh, heh and I'd be more than happy to give any lonely little gerbils a place to live.
I have gerbers and Dahlias and impatiens all in a raised garden bed, along with some mini roses and sedum. they are all playing very nicely!!