The easy-care Gazania, also known as midday gold or sun thaler, originally comes from southern Africa. It is perennial, but not hardy in our latitudes. With its up to 10 cm large flowers, it is an ornament in every garden.
The Gazania is not hardy with us
However, the often golden-yellow flowers only open when the sun is shining, they close again in the evening and remain closed the next morning without sun. The flowers are often two-tone with a contrasting center or radiating pattern. In addition to the typical yellow and orange flowers, there are also pink and cream or red ones.
How to overwinter your Gazania
Although the midday gold is often traded as an annual plant, you should definitely try overwintering it once. Finally, in its homeland, Gazania is a perennial herbaceous plant. A frost-free but cool and bright winter quarters is important for this. This can be a greenhouse or an unheated conservatory, but also the stairwell. A dark basement room, on the other hand, is not suitable for overwintering your Gazania.
Before the first night frosts set in, plant your midday gold in suitable flower pots, unless they are potted or tub plants anyway. As long as the days are still warm, the plants can spend them outside and only have to be put into winter quarters overnight. When temperatures drop, Gazania relocate entirely.
In winter, the Gazania, like most other candidates for wintering, are watered very little and not fertilized. They feel quite comfortable in their hibernation at temperatures between 5 and 10 °C. Then, in the spring, slowly harden the midday gold again by placing it outside during the day. However, you can only really take up your summer spot again after the ice saints in May.
The best winter tips for your Gazania:
- spend the winter bright and frost-free
- pour little
- do not fertilize
- Keep temperature possible at 5 - 10 °C
- Slowly harden off plants in spring
- Plant out only after the ice saints
- Overwintering also possible for cuttings
tips
Do not overwinter your Gazania in a dark basement. These plants need a lot of light! If in doubt, the stairwell is the more suitable place.