Our today’s hero is the vivid Gazanias blessing your backyard and lawns. These bright and bushy beauties are pretty low maintenance to grow. Probably that’s why gardeners keep dodging the initial problems in Gazanias. And when they realize this, the beauties often give up life.
So, I am here to warn and pave your way to grow healthy Gazanias without making such mistakes. I’ll try to provide a complete guide highlighting the main reasons like wrong watering, pest and pathogen attacks, improper planting, and unfavorable temperatures that can kill your plant.
Now, off we go.
Problems | Solutions |
Wrong watering schedule | Water once every 2 days during the hot season and once a week during the other times of the seasons. |
Pathogen attack | Maintain lawn sanitation and apply proper fungicides with suitable doses. |
Pest infestation | Use traps and botanical solutions at the initial stage of the attack, and suitable pesticides at the later stage. |
Improper planting | Choose proper soil and planting materials, and maintain enough distance among plants. |
Freezing temperatures | Install cold shields or move your plants indoors. |
Why Are My Gazanias Dying- What to Do
1. Wrong Watering Schedule
Overwatering doesn’t allow enough oxygen to pass to the roots. Thus plants can’t get enough oxygen to continue their metabolism and die. In the case of inadequate watering, lack of water causes wilting and cell damage. So, in the long run, plants dry up completely and can’t survive.
Though Gazanias are drought tolerant and don’t require so much water, over or under-watering can cause severe damage to your plants in the long run. Wilting, yellowing, and finally drying can push your plants to end up living.
So, it’s quite important to maintain a proper watering schedule as well as control overwatering and water deficit issues. Let me help you with this. Take a look at what I got for you.
Control Measure
Establishing a proper watering schedule is the prime measure to be taken. During the warm season, Gazanias need water every 2 days. And in the other months, these plants are okay with watering once or twice per 7 days.
In the case of pot planted Gazanias, it’s necessary to place a plate or disc below the container to check overwatering. Discard the extra water after 10 minutes of watering. This will reduce the risk of gazania root rot and anaerobic conditions in the soil.
If you have overwatered your plant, give it a break from watering for at least a week during normal days. You can place your pot-planted Gazanias in full sunlight for several hours to reduce such stress.
Wilting will indicate that your plants are craving some water. This occurs mostly on hot humid days. So, water your Gazanias deeply but gradually. Do not add too much water at once.
These easy practices can reduce water issues in gazanias to a large extent.
2. Pathogen Attack
Gazanias are attacked by different fungal pathogens. The most common diseases are downy mildew and root rot. So, if you are wondering why gazania leaves are turning white, this can be an apparent reason.
Seldom you can find some white to greyish fungal growth on the underside of leaves in case of downy mildew. When it comes to root rot you, may not be able to trace them so easily. But your plants can show symptoms like yellowing and wilting even after having enough watering.
If not treated on time, fungal pathogens can definitely kill your plant. Well, you don’t need to be worried. Here I have some effective solutions to combat these issues. Let’s check what these are.
Control Measure
First of all, you need to trim off all the affected plant parts as these bear fungal spores that speed up the disease dissemination process. These are highly contagious, so you have to clean your hands or garden equipment after using them. Rubbing alcohol works fine in such a case.
Next, you have to allow your Gazanias to have enough sun exposure for some days. Also, you have to avoid overhead or sprinkler irrigation in the garden. You can prune off or remove some bushes to allow better aeration. These practices will suppress all the favorable conditions for fungal growth.
You can place some ashes on the soil surface. This is helpful in soaking up the extra moisture in soil mostly after rains. Keep changing the ashes in every 2 days to maintain the efficacy of this method.
Finally, you can use organic 2% neem oil containing azadirachtin to deal with fungal problems. If the infection is severe, apply some fungicide specifically formulated for herb and ornamental plants. Here is my recommendation (Our Pick: Bonide 811 Copper 4E Fungicide)
Preventive Measure
Some preventive methods can help in reducing disease incidents caused by pathogens in your Gazanias. So, let’s check what these are.
Avoiding crowded planting is highly suggested to prevent fungal infestation in Gazanias. This will allow for better aeration and less contamination.
Wetness and humidity are favorites of fungus. So, do not allow your plant surface to be wet for longer. Therefore, it is advised to water your Gazanias in the morning, so that the surface waters can dry up with rising day temperature.
Also do not work in your garden when the foliage or soil is too wet. This can promote the spreading of soil-borne fungal pathogens.
Home Remedies
#Remedy 1: Hydrogen Peroxide Solution
Ingredients:
- One liter of 3% hydrogen peroxide.
- Four liters of distilled or fresh water.
Steps:
- Combine the hydrogen peroxide with water and make a solution.
- Apply this to your plant base.
#Remedy 2: Apple Cider Vinegar Spray
Ingredients:
- 10 to 12 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with a 5% acetic acid concentration.
- A gallon of water.
Steps:
- Add apple cider vinegar to the water to make a spray solution.
- Pour this solution into a lawn sprayer and apply to your Gazanias focusing on the lower parts of the foliage.
3. Pest Infestation
Pests have been the most annoying intruders in flowering plants. In Gazanias these also cause serious damage. Though initial symptoms may not create any crucial breakdown in plants, they can kill your Gazanias in the long run.
Aphids, thrips, mealybugs, and scale insects are the most common insect pests of Gazanias. The others are snails and slugs.
You can track down these enemies simply by their feeding symptoms. Gazania leaves curling, yellow feeding spots or chewing patterns from the edge are the most prominent signs of the presence of pests in your garden.
As soon as you trace these features, you need to start working on them. Trust me these are not that hard to eliminate. Let me show you how you can get rid of pest problems in Gazanias.
Control Measure
Handpicking and mass removal of insects and their eggs are quite effective during the initial stage of the attack. You can also apply some good water splashes to wash off the insect pests.
Moreover, horticultural neem oil or insecticidal soaps also works brilliantly in controlling the insect population. These are easily available in the market. You just need to follow the proper dose and instructions while applying.
To control slugs and snails, you can install some bait or traps on your lawn. A bucket half-filled with beer will attract and kill them by drowning.
Let me tell you about an interesting trap to catch snails and slugs. It’s the melon shell. Yes, you heard it right! Snails and slugs are attracted by the smell and as they gather, you can remove the trap from your lawn.
Additionally, placing some coarse substances around your plants distracts and slows down the snails and slugs. Egg shells are great in this as these will also serve the purpose of adding nutrients to soil while keeping away the enemies.
Unfortunately, at some point, these practices can backfire. So, you need to rely on chemical pesticides in such a case. These are persistent and effective in controlling pest populations. Here is my pick for you which is suitable for ornamental plants like Gazanias. (Our Pick: Bonide CAPTAIN JACK’S Neem Oil Ready-To-Use)
Home Remedies
#Remedy 1: Garlic Spray
Ingredients:
- 4 medium-sized garlic bulbs.
- 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil.
- 1 litre of water.
Steps:
- Crush the garlic and strain the juice out of it.
- Add vegetable oil and water to it.
- Pour this mixture into a lawn sprayer and apply to your gazania bush.
#Remedy 2: Soapy Water Spray
Ingredients Needed
- 70 ml of mild liquid soap
- 70 ml of vegetable oil
- 8 litres
Steps:
- Mix soap and oil together and gradually add water to this.
- Spray this mixture with a sprayer to your Gazanias.
4. Improper Planting
As far as I am concerned, you might have made the mistake of ignoring some basic planting practices. This might be a reason why your bright blooms are calling it to quit.
Unsuitable soil conditions, contaminated planting materials, not maintaining enough distance among plants, and nutrient toxicity will be counted under this category. Well, I got something for you on these.
Let’s dig a little deeper to encounter what’s wrong with your Gazanias and how to deal with it.
Management
Most importantly, pick your seeds and cuttings wisely to start planting Gazanias. Always choose disease-free propagules. To disinfect your planting materials you can place them in a mixture of 5 ml bleach and 250 ml hot water for 15 minutes and then wash them off before planting.
Additionally, Gazanias prefer sandy and well-drained soil with a slightly acidic to neutral composition. So check proper drainage to your lawn. Consequently, add some sulfur to reclaim the alkaline condition.
Planting distance is an important factor to reduce competition among plants. It is advised to maintain a distance of 6 to 9 inches in Gazanias for better growth. So, you can thin off some extra plants to maintain your bushes.
Did you know that woody weeds and blueberries have an allelopathic effect in killing Gazanias? So, if you are thinking of why my Gazanias are dying even after providing all the necessary care, keep this one in mind. Place your Gazanias away from these plants.
However, when it comes to nutrient issues, there is limited evidence for the extreme need for fertilizers in Gazanias. They grow finely even without any heavy dose of nutrients. But if you are a pot grower, your plants may be happy with some potash-rich fertilizers. Do not use excessive doses as these can cause toxicity.
5. Freezing Temperatures
As you know, Gazanias are sun-loving plants that bloom keeping pace with the daylight; there is no need to explain the importance of sunlight here. These also need a temperature of 18°C to 20°C for germination. So, freezing temperatures create an adverse condition for them.
In cold weather plants, regular metabolisms can be hampered. In intense conditions, you may lose your beautiful blooms as well as the whole bush. So, you have to put light to this issue and take prompt action to save your Gazanias.
Here are some of my suggestions that will help in caring for Gazanias during winter.
Control Measure
Allow some sunlight to your Gazanias and let the soil have a bit of moisture. Where soil tends to freeze, it’s better to use pots to plant as these will be easy to move indoors. In lawns, place a 12 to 15 cm layer of dried leaf litter.
If possible, introduce a greenhouse to your garden to benefit warmth during cold days. Mostly, it is suggested to keep Gazanias in such a place where the temperature does not fall below 7°C. So, try to maintain this temperature range.
You can also cover your plants with a thick plastic covering during a cold breeze. Place them leaning to the direction of passing wind to protect your Gazanias.
Moreover, to meet the need of sunlight, some artificial LED lights can be installed in the lawn. Nowadays these are quite popular.
FAQs
Question – How do you maintain Gazanias?
Answer – To maintain Gazanias and prevent them from dying, allow the full sun to your plants and drench them with the correct amount of water regularly. Also, provide favorable soil and enough spacing to let them grow properly.
Additionally, take action against pest and disease infestation as soon as they appear. Furthermore, practice pruning and removing dead heads in late winter or early spring to encourage new growth every time.
Question – Does Gazania regrow?
Answer – The answer depends on the condition of your plants. Normally, in the case of deadheads or the initial stage of pest and disease infestation, Gazanias can be revived with proper care.
But if your plants are dried up, it’s quite impossible to get them back to life. So, take prompt actions against stress and adverse conditions.
Question – Do Gazanias need to be cut back?
Answer – Yes, Gazanias do. But only when it is needed. Normally, cutting back or pruning is practiced when you notice some dead heads or wish to grow bushy plants. Otherwise, it’s not that necessary.
Pinching off the tips can promote growth. But it is suggested to avoid this during rainy days as pathogen infestations can be promoted with the cut ends.
Conclusion
Finally, I have ended up-phew! Trust me it’s not that hard to save your Gazanias from dying so easily. At least, your plants are not going to die because of the issues discussed here anymore.
In a nutshell, you need to keep monitoring for diseases and pests often. When it comes to watering and other planting methods, I believe, you’re not going to repeat the mistakes. And as long as I am here you don’t need to bother much. You can write about your problems and experiences in the comment section. Wish you the best of luck, grower!
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