1) Climate
Production of quality flowers requires shade house (50%) or naturally ventilated polyhouse. Day temperature of 22-25°C and night temperature of 12-16°C are ideal.
2) Soil
Well drained, rich, light, neutral or slightly alkaline soil with pH range of 5.5 - 7.0.
3) Season
The crop can be cultivated throughout the year.
4) Propagation
Commercially propagated through division of suckers and tissue culture plants.
5) Field preparation and planting:
Soil fumigation withFormaldehyde (100ml in 5l/m2) or Dazomet (30g/m2) is recommended to control soil borne pathogens (Phytophthora, Fusarium and Pythium). Raised beds of 1-2m width and 30cm height are prepared. Growing media consisting of FYM: sand: cocopeat/paddy husk (2:1:1) is ideal.
Before starting gerbera cultivation, disinfection of the soil is absolutely necessary to minimize the infestation of soil borne pathogens like Phytophthora, Fusarium and Pythium which could otherwise destroy the crop completely. The beds should be drenched / fumigated with 2% formaldehyde (100 ml formalin in 5 litres of water / m2 area) or methyl bromide (70 g / m2) and then covered with a plastic sheet for a minimum period of 2 to 3 days. The beds should be subsequently watered thoroughly to drain the chemicals before planting. Well developed tissue culture plants having 4-6 leaves can be planted firmly without burying the crown.
6) Spacing:
40 x 30 cm or 30 x 30 cm
7) Irrigation
Drip irrigation is done once in 2 – 3 days @ 3.75 litre/drip/plant for 15 – 20 minutes. Average water requirement is about 500 – 700 ml/day/plant.
8) Nutrition
Fertigation is adopted from 3rd week after planting as per the following schedule.
| Fertilizer |
Quantity (g/500m2) |
| A tank (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) |
| Calcium Nitrate |
700 |
| Pottasium Nitrate ( 13:0:46) |
400 |
| Fe EDTA / sulphate |
20 |
| B tank (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday) |
| Mono Ammonium Phosphate (12:61:0) |
300 |
| Sulphate of Potash (0:0:50) |
700 |
| Magnesium Sulphate |
700 |
| Manganese Sulphate |
5 |
| Zinc Sulphate |
3 |
| Copper Sulphate |
3 |
| Molybdenum (Sodium Molybdate) |
1 |
| Boron (Borax) |
3 |
When flowers completely open, harvesting is done. Flower stalk is soaked in Sodium hypochloride solution (5-7 ml/lit of water) for 4-5 hours to improve vase life.
Post harvest handling
Harvesting is done when outer 2-3 rows of disc florets are perpendicular to the stalk. The heel for the stalk should be cut about 2-3 cm above the base and kept in fresh chlorinated water. Flowers should be graded and sorted out in uniform batches. Flowers packed individually in poly puches and then put in to carton boxes in two layers.
Bushiness
An abnormality characterized by numerous leaves, short petioles and small laminae, which gives some cultivars of gerbera a bushy appearance known as bushiness. Nodes are not clearly distinguished and no internode elongation is seen.
Stem break
It is a common post harvest disorder in cut gerberas. This is mainly caused by water imbalances. It could be ethylene controlled and associated with early senescence caused by water stress.
Yellowing and purple margin
Nitrogen deficiency causes yellowing and early senescence of leaves. Phosphorus deficiency causes pale yellow colour with purple margin. Increase in levels of nitrogen and phosphorus were found to promote development of suckers and improve flowering in gerbera.
Grading
Based on stem length and diameter, flowers are graded in A, B, C and D.