Aside from their stunning blooms, the main reason gardeners love Gazanias (also known as Treasure Flowers) is their incredibly long flowering season. These beauties show off from May all the way through October! It’s no wonder so many of us want to grow more of them. However, if you’re planning on sowing seeds for these sun-lovers, there are a few things you should keep in mind to ensure success.
Harvesting your own seeds is a bit of a gamble
While taking cuttings is an option, collecting your own seeds is definitely the most budget-friendly way to propagate Gazanias. But here’s the catch: most Gazanias you buy at the garden center are hybrids. This means their seeds are often sterile, or the plant might not produce seeds at all. Even if you do manage to harvest ripe seeds, you’re in for a surprise—because of cross-pollination, the new flowers likely won’t look like the parent plant. You never quite know what color you’re going to get!
Timing is everything
If you want a specific look, your best bet is to buy seeds from a reputable supplier. To make sure you have blooms by early summer, you’ll need to get a head start. Since Gazanias are not frost-hardy, you’ll need to start them indoors in seed trays or pots. The best time to do this is between February and April.
Step-by-step guide
Start by filling your pots with a good seed-starting mix and gently press the seeds into the surface. Don’t bury them! Gazanias are “light germinators,” meaning they need light to wake up and grow. Mist the soil so it’s damp and cover the pots with some plastic wrap to create a mini-greenhouse. Make sure to lift the plastic a few times a day to let in fresh air; this keeps the moisture levels right and prevents mold from moving in. Once you see those first green sprouts (usually after about two weeks), you can ditch the plastic for good. You can move your babies out into the garden beds once the weather warms up in early summer.
To recap, here are the keys to success when sowing Gazanias:
- Stick with store-bought seeds for the best results.
- Start your seeds indoors between February and April.
- Keep that soil consistently moist during germination.
- Wait until early summer to transplant them outdoors.
