Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Gerbera Daisy bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Gerbera daisy, Barberton daisy, Transvaal daisy, Veldt daisy, African daisy, Gerber daisy (Gerbera jamesonii).

More about gerbera daisy

About Gerbera Daisy

Gerbera jamesonii · also called Gerbera daisy, Barberton daisy · flowering

Gerbera jamesonii is a clump-forming flowering perennial from South Africa, prized for big, bold, daisy-like blooms in jewel tones on tall leafless stems. Give it bright light, well-drained soil, and careful watering that keeps the crown dry. The ASPCA lists it as non-toxic to dogs, cats, and horses.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Botrytis (grey mould): Fuzzy grey mould on flowers and foliage in damp, still air. Remove faded blooms and dead leaves promptly and increase air circulation, particularly on plants grown under cover.

The reasons gerbera daisy isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming gerbera daisy traces back to one of these, roughly in order of how common they are:

Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.
Too much nitrogen feed, driving lush foliage at the expense of flowers (very common with general or lawn feeds).
The plant has not been deadheaded, so it stops flowering once it sets seed.
Irregular watering — drought or waterlogging at the budding stage makes buds abort.
It is still too young or was checked by a transplant and is rebuilding before flowering.

Feeding gerbera daisy a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.

The fix — how to get gerbera daisy to flower

Maximise sun. Give gerbera daisy the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers.
Switch the feed. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.
Deadhead regularly. Remove spent flowers often to keep it producing more rather than stopping to set seed.
Water consistently. Keep moisture even through budding and flowering — drought-then-flood swings make buds drop.

Light and feeding do most of the heavy lifting here. Dial in the spot with the light guide for gerbera daisy and get the feeding right with the gerbera daisy fertilising schedule — the wrong feed (too much nitrogen) is one of the most common silent reasons a healthy plant makes leaves instead of flowers.

Bloom season and what to expect

Gerbera Daisy flowers across its growing season (mostly summer) and, kept fed and deadheaded, can bloom for many weeks or right up to frost.

Post-bloom care so it flowers again

Deadhead, keep feeding lightly, and many will rebloom; collect seed from the best plants at the end of the season if you want to grow them again.

For everything else this plant needs day to day, see the full gerbera daisy care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Gerbera Daisy blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my gerbera daisy flower?

Gerbera Daisy blooms on the season's growth given enough sun, warmth and the right feed — there is no cold or photoperiod trick, just good growing conditions and a bloom-leaning feed. The most common reason it is not happening: Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.

How do I make gerbera daisy bloom?

Give gerbera daisy the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.

When does gerbera daisy normally bloom?