Gerbera Crush Seeds

Crush Mix

• The Crush Mix features dark green compact plants with 3.5- to 4-inch wide flowers of pink, rose and watermelon. The semi-double, frilly-petaled blooms appear about 14 weeks after the seeds are planted. Plants grow less than 1 foot tall and all colors of flowers open at the same time. The flowers are known to last a long time after being cut.

Seed Storage

• Gerbera daisy seeds are particularly sensitive and can lose viability if stored improperly. Seeds purchased commercially typically arrive in moisture-proof packaging. Store this or any gathered seeds in cool areas and keep them away from sunlight and moisture. Do not open the seeds until they are ready to be planted, as they will experience lower germination rates if exposed to room conditions for any significant period of time.

Seed Sowing and Germination

• The Alabama Cooperative Extension System recommends that the growing medium for gerbera seeds be 40 to 60 percent perlite and 40 to 60 percent peat with a pH between 5.8 and 6.0. Maintain a temperature between 70 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit and keep relative humidity as near as possible to 100 percent. Sow the seeds directly on the surface of the growing medium. The seeds may be covered with an extremely thin dusting of fine-grade vermiculite. Provide seeds with at least 12 hours of incandescent light daily.

Seedling Care

• Gerbera Crush Mix seeds should sprout within about two weeks after planting. Maintain relative humidity at about 70 to 75 percent. Provide the seedlings with adequate light, although they may warrant light shade in certain high-light situations. Keep temperatures in the low 70s for best results. Seedlings are ready to be transplanted outdoors or to their permanent container when the soil is completely warmed and seedlings have developed two sets of true leaves.