Gerbera farming is the commercial cultivation of vibrant and long-lasting Gerbera flowers, which are used for various purposes such as decoration, gifting, and medicinal value.
Site selection is crucial for gerbera farming, with factors like soil type, drainage, and availability of water and sunlight needing to be considered.
Soil sterilization is an essential process in gerbera farming to eliminate harmful pathogens and promote healthy plant growth. It is required before gerbera plantation to manage Phytophthora infestation.
Gerbera plantation should be done in raised beds, and planting should be done at a spacing of 30 x 45 cm. The soil for gerbera cultivation must have a pH between 5.5 to 6.5.
For gerbera farming, apply 25-75 t/ha of organic manure and use 20:20:20:N:P:K at 1.5 g/l of water every two days in the vegetative stage. For flowering, switch to 15:8:35 N:P:K at 1.5 g/l of water daily.
Drip irrigation delivers water directly to the roots and helps to conserve water. Doing it once every two days with 4 liters per drip for 15 minutes is recommended.
Post-harvest handling of gerbera flowers includes grading, sorting, and packing in perforated polythene bags to ensure their quality and shelf life.