| In general: | ||||||||
| Gerbera are sensitive for root diseases : desinfect trays, floors, benches ect before using. | ||||||||
| Gerbera are sensitive for trips and leafminers : Begin pest management spraying wk 3 | ||||||||
| Avoid resistance for pesticides : rotate with chemicals | ||||||||
| Week | Activity | Moisture | Temp F | Notes | EC | Ph | Fertilizer | Chemicals |
| Week 1 | Sowing | Wet | 70 | Keep soil moist for 7-10 days. Trays may be covered or tented to maintain high humidity. Apply Fungicde drench | 1 | 5.5 | fungicide drench | |
| Week 2 | Moist, Do Not Over Water! | 70 | Keep soil moist, not wet. Do Not Let Plants Wilt. However, overwatering will cause deformed hardened leaves. | 1 | 5.5 | Begin feeding 50 -75 ppm | ||
| Week 3 | Grading | Mediium moist | 68 | Plants can be graded for better uniformity in the finish container. Apply Insecticide spray. | 1 | 5.5 | insecticide | |
| Week 4 | Mediium moist | 68 | Let soil dry between watterings. Do Not Let Plants Wilt. | 1 | 5.5 | Begin feeding 100 -150 ppm | ||
| Week 5 | Mediium moist | 68 | Spray for thrips | 2 | 5.5 | insecticide | ||
| Week 6 | Transplant | Mediium moist | 68 | Water in with Fungicide drench, Increase Thrips monitoring, Spray for thrips | 2 | 5.5 | Begin feeding 150-200 ppm | insecticide, fungicide drench |
| Week 7 | Medium | 66 | Start with DIF, reduce temp just before sunset for 2 hours. Spray for thrips | 2 | 5.5 | insecticide | ||
| Week 8 | Space | Medium | 66 | Space pots now or next week, Spray for thrips | 2 | 5.5 | insecticide | |
| Week 9 | Spray with regulator | Medium | 66 | Buds are visisble. Spray for mildew. Spray for thrips | 3 | 5.5 | fungicide pwdry mildew | |
| Week 10 | Medium/dry | 66 | Dry up the soil to keep the crop compact and for good induction of the buds. Do Not Let Plants Wilt. Spray for thrips | 3 | 5.5 | insecticide | ||
| Week 11 | Medium/dry | 66 | Judge the plantsize now. If to small, give more water to get the desired size. Spray for thrips | 3 | 5.5 | insecticide | ||
| Week 12 | Medium/dry | 66 | Do Not Let Plants Wilt Spray for thrips. Spray for mildew | 3 | 5.5 | insecticide, fungicide pwdry mildew | ||
| Week 13 | First blooming | Medium/dry | 66 | Spray with regulator if the flowers stretch, use an underdose | 3 | 5.5 | Begin feeding 100 -150 ppm | |
| Week 14 | Blooming | Medium/dry | 66 | Monitor for botritys in the flowers, | 3 | 5.5 | fungicide botrytis | |
| Week 15 | Shipping | Place plants that are left together, otherwise they will dry out, and get short stems | 3 | 5.5 | ||||
| Transplant on time, do not let plugs get root bound. If plants are not planted on time it may affect the uniformity of the plants, stem length and flower timing. | ||||||||
| Lighting : HID lighting is important. High light levels will produce a better crop. Do not light for more than 12-14 hrs a day or leaves and flower stems may stretch. | ||||||||
| There are several manners to keep gerbera compact : keep dry, low temp, high EC, and chemical regulators. Try to use them all. | ||||||||
| When you use the NEG. DIF you get more and bigger flowers. Neg. Dif : temp by night a bit higher than the daytemp. | ||||||||