By Dr. Yoseph Shoub


Optimizing Gerbera Production


How long is it advisable for a gerbera grower to keep his gerbera plants in the containers’ media and still harvest an economical production? This issue is important for the plants-producers too, as they are interested in producing, selling, and keeping the reputation of their products. We are presenting here some morphological in- formation that might describe the possible rea- sons for the significant decrease in flower pro- duction that starts 1.5 to 2 years after planting.


A


ll along the growth cycle of a gerbera plant, it continues to produce branches, leaves, and roots. Toward the period of a year and a


half after planting, the plant already holds numer- ous branches and leaves and many roots that fill up the container volume almost totally (picture 1). This situation is encouraging leaf elongation above the efficient length, it reduces the aeration and the light intensity at the plant surroundings, it delays the growth-rate, and decreases gradually the flower production and their quality.


Along its growth, horizontal branches are continu- ously developed below the media surface, from the container center towards the container margins. (Pic. 2 A) This kind of growth is leaving behind “Nonproduc- tive horizontal-branches”; in other words, branches that already produced leaves and flowers in the past. (Pic. 2 B)


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At this stage the old branches are covered with many scars of historical flowers, stems, and leaves (Pic. 3).


Furthermore, in many cases when the plants are kept longer than 3 years in the same container, and the horizontal branches are reaching the container mar- gins, the branches change their horizontal-growth habit toward vertical growth in open air above the media. It means that the newly emerged roots are


Picture 1: Marinilla 2.5 years old in 4 Liter container.


All images © Dr. Yoseph Shoub


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