The Gardening Tip That Prevents Gerbera Daisies From Root Rot

If you're looking for a plant that will add color to your garden, gerbera daisies (Gerbera jamesonii) might be the perfect fit for you. These flowers come in a variety of vibrant hues, including yellow, pink, and lavender — just to name a few. Although gerbera daisies are stunning, they are unfortunately susceptible to root rot, making it difficult to maintain their health. However, you can divide these plants as a preventative measure, only needing a spade and clean knife to get the job done.

You are probably wondering how dividing these plants helps prevent root rot. Well, it is easier for gerbera daisies to hold on to moisture that may eventually cause this problem when they are not thinned. Dividing the plants thins them out and keeps excess moisture away. Consider adding this plant maintenance task to your gardening routine to ensure your gerbera daisies remain healthy. Dealing with root rot after it has already begun is a major headache, so you should take measures to prevent it. If you are a beginner gardener who does not have experience dividing plants, fear not, because the process is pretty simple.

To divide your gerbera daisies, you will need to start out by using a garden spade to carefully dig each plant out of the soil. Then, gently remove the soil from the plant roots. Now, you are ready to actually divide the plants. Do this by cutting through the roots with a clean knife. While cutting, you need to ensure that each individual plant has roots on the bottom end and at least one crown at the top. Now that you have divided the gerbera daisies, replant them into your soil, ensuring you don't bury the crown. Finally, water them.

This is only one of the many ways you can protect these plants from root rot. You should keep the following advice in mind as well before planting gerbera daisies. Make sure to water the plants in the morning, and avoid watering them so heavily that the top of the soil is still wet at nighttime. Since these plants are so vulnerable to root rot, it is also important to ensure they are able to drain properly. If you have good draining ground soil, you can place your gerbera daisies directly into the ground. Otherwise, you will need to plant them in raised containers. Luckily, there are plenty of hacks you can try to prevent root rot.