Gazania

Bred to deliver larger flowers, shorter peduncles and beefier looking plants, New Day gazania is more compact and offers better holdability at retail. Landscapers and consumers will appreciate this drought-tolerant series for its excellent performance in containers and baskets, as well as a garden edging or groundcover.

Use a well-drained, disease-free soilless media with a pH of 5.8 to 6.2 and a medium initial nutrient charge. Maintain night temperature at 55 to 60° F and day temperature at 65 to 70° F. Keep light levels as high as possible while maintaining the optimal temperatures.

Starting a week after transplant, apply fertilizer at a rate of 175- to 225-ppm nitrogen using a predominantly nitrate-form fertilizer with low phosphorous. Maintain the media EC at 1.5 to 2.0.

If plant growth regulation is needed, use B-Nine/Alar (daminozide) at 3,500 ppm to tone the crop. One application at two to three weeks after transplant will be sufficient.