How to Start Gazania Linearis Seeds

Gazania linearis, or treasureflower, is a flowering plant in the Aster family. Growing to a height of 8 inches when in flower, it has glossy green foliage and bright yellow, 3-inch flowers. Common in open, disturbed spaces and along roadsides in Southern California, Gazania linearis has few care requirements. In maturity it provides a drought-tolerant ground cover, or grow it in a rock garden. G. linearis seeds germinate quickly in Zones 4 through 8 on the U.S. Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness Zone Map.

Nursery pot or flat
Sterile seed starting mix
Heat mat

Instructions

- 1
  Fill a germinating container — nursery pot or flat — with sterile seed starting mix. Pour water over the mix, stirring until it is uniformly wet. Set the container aside until it drains and dries to the point where it's moist, not soggy.
- 2
  Set the seeds on top of the soil, and use your index finger to lightly press on them just enough to make contact with the soil. Don't bury the seeds, as they require light to germinate.
- 3
  Use a spray bottle to lightly mist the seeds with water and to keep the soil moist during germination. It is important that the seeds not dry out during this period.
- 4
  Place the container on a heat mat to keep the soil temperature at 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Germination occurs within two to three weeks.
- 5
  Turn off the heat mat after the seeds sprout, and move them to a cooler area in which they receive bright but indirect sunlight.

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