Gazania Flower Seeds 2g

Gazania rigens, the Treasure Flower, is a low, spreading daisy prized for radiant blooms in fiery oranges, golds and bronzes, often striped or zoned at the petal base. Each flower opens wide in bright sun and folds shut at night or under cloud. Reaching roughly 15-30 cm tall and wide, it is ideal for sunny borders, edging, rockeries and containers, and shrugs off heat and drought once settled.

Planting

Sow about 6 mm deep in well-prepared, well-drained soil and keep it consistently moist until seedlings appear, usually within 14 to 21 days at a soil temperature of 15-18 degrees Celsius. In Egypt, sow in autumn (late September to November) once the worst summer heat eases, for blooms through the mild Delta winter and spring; a second sowing in February-March also works before peak summer. Direct-sow outdoors 2-4 weeks after the last frost, or start indoors about 8 weeks earlier. Space plants around 30 cm apart in full sun, 6 or more hours daily.

Fertilizing

Grow in moderately fertile, well-drained soil and apply a balanced slow-release fertiliser in early spring. Avoid over-feeding, which encourages lush leaves at the expense of flowers. Container plants benefit from a fortnightly potash-rich feed during the growing season.

Care

Let the soil dry between waterings; Gazania is drought-tolerant once established and prone to root rot if kept too wet, so good drainage in irrigated Delta soils is essential. Once seedlings reach about 5 cm, thin each group to one strong plant, and harden off roughly two weeks before transplanting after the last frost. Plants are largely pest-free outdoors, though watch for aphids and mealybugs. Flowers appear about 12 weeks after sowing.