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What to do with gerbera daisy in winter is to bring them indoors or provide heavy frost protection if you want them to survive the cold months.
Gerbera daisies are tender perennials that simply cannot handle freezing temperatures the way hardier garden plants can.
If you have been asking what to do with gerbera daisy in winter, the short answer is that these colorful blooms need to be moved to a protected spot before the first hard frost hits.
Your gerbera daisy can either be treated as an indoor houseplant during winter or stored in a dormant state in a cool dark location.
In this post we will explore exactly what to do with gerbera daisy in winter so you can keep your plants healthy year after year.
Let’s dig into the best winter care for your gerbera daisies starting right now.
What to Do With Gerbera Daisy in Winter – The Complete Guide
Understanding what to do with gerbera daisy in winter starts with knowing that these plants are native to warm climates.
Your gerbera daisy will stop blooming and enter a slower growth phase when temperatures drop below fifty degrees.
Here are the key steps for what to do with gerbera daisy in winter depending on your growing zone and your plant’s current condition.
Bring Your Gerbera Daisy Indoors Before the First Frost
The most important thing to do with gerbera daisy in winter is to bring it inside before temperatures fall below freezing.
A gerbera daisy that gets hit by frost will likely suffer leaf damage and may not recover at all.
You want to move your gerbera daisy to a bright sunny window where it can still get plenty of indirect light during the shorter winter days.
Indoor gerbera daisies will continue to grow slowly through winter if you give them the right conditions.
Reduce Watering for Your Gerbera Daisy in Winter
Another critical thing to do with gerbera daisy in winter is to cut back on watering significantly.
Your gerbera daisy does not need nearly as much moisture when it is not actively growing and blooming.
Let the top inch of soil dry out completely before you water your gerbera daisy again.
Overwatering a gerbera daisy during winter is one of the fastest ways to cause root rot and kill the plant.
Stop Fertilizing Your Gerbera Daisy During the Cold Months
Part of what to do with gerbera daisy in winter is to pause all fertilizer applications until spring rolls around.
Feeding a gerbera daisy when it is in a resting phase can burn the roots and force weak leggy growth.
Your gerbera daisy will not be able to use the nutrients anyway because its metabolism has slowed way down.
Wait until you see new growth emerging in late winter or early spring before you start feeding your gerbera daisy again.
Alternative Methods for What to Do With Gerbera Daisy in Winter
Not everyone wants to keep their gerbera daisy as a full-time houseplant through the winter months.
If you prefer a hands-off approach to what to do with gerbera daisy in winter, you can put the plant into true dormancy instead.
This method works especially well for gardeners who have limited indoor space or poor natural light inside their homes.
Store Your Gerbera Daisy in a Cool Dark Location
A different way to handle what to do with gerbera daisy in winter is to move the plant to a garage basement or shed.
The ideal temperature for overwintering a gerbera daisy in dormancy is between forty and fifty degrees Fahrenheit.
Your gerbera daisy will drop its leaves and look completely dead, but the crown and roots will remain alive.
Check on your gerbera daisy once a month and give it just a tiny sip of water so the roots do not dry out completely.
Dig Up and Pot Your Gerbera Daisy Before Winter
If your gerbera daisy is planted in the ground, another option for what to do with gerbera daisy in winter is to dig it up carefully.
Transplant your gerbera daisy into a clean pot with fresh well-draining soil about four weeks before the first frost.
This gives your gerbera daisy time to adjust to the container before you move it indoors or into storage.
A potted gerbera daisy is much easier to protect and move around as the weather changes through winter.
Common Mistakes When Deciding What to Do With Gerbera Daisy in Winter
Even experienced gardeners can make errors when figuring out what to do with gerbera daisy in winter.
Avoiding these common pitfalls will help your gerbera daisy survive until spring without issues.
Leaving Your Gerbera Daisy Outside Too Long
The biggest mistake with what to do with gerbera daisy in winter is waiting too long to bring the plant inside.
A single night of frost can destroy a gerbera daisy that was perfectly healthy just hours earlier.
Check your local forecast and move your gerbera daisy indoors as soon as nighttime temperatures dip into the upper thirties.
Better to bring your gerbera daisy in a little early than to risk losing it to an unexpected cold snap.
Placing Your Gerbera Daisy Near a Heat Vent
Another mistake when planning what to do with gerbera daisy in winter is putting the plant too close to a heating source.
Hot dry air from radiators or vents will quickly stress your gerbera daisy and cause the leaves to crisp up.
Your gerbera daisy prefers consistent humidity and moderate indoor temperatures rather than scorching drafts.
Keep your gerbera daisy away from fireplaces space heaters and south-facing windows that get intense direct sun.
Pruning Your Gerbera Daisy at the Wrong Time
Timing matters when you are deciding what to do with gerbera daisy in winter especially regarding pruning.
Do not cut back the leaves of your gerbera daisy hard in fall because the foliage helps the plant photosynthesize during winter.
Only remove dead or yellowing leaves from your gerbera daisy as needed throughout the cold months.
Save the heavy pruning for early spring when your gerbera daisy starts showing signs of new active growth.
Preparing Your Gerbera Daisy to Return Outside After Winter
Once you know what to do with gerbera daisy in winter, you also need to plan for the transition back outdoors.
Your gerbera daisy will need a gradual reintroduction to outdoor conditions so it does not get shocked by the change.
Start hardening off your gerbera daisy about two weeks after your last expected frost date in spring.
Place your gerbera daisy outside in a shaded spot for a few hours each day and slowly increase the time and sunlight exposure.
After about a week of this gradual process, your gerbera daisy will be ready to stay outside full time again.
So, What to Do With Gerbera Daisy in Winter?
What to do with gerbera daisy in winter is bring it indoors before frost hits, reduce watering, stop fertilizing, and give it bright indirect light.
Your gerbera daisy can also be stored in a cool dark spot at around forty to fifty degrees if you prefer the dormant method.
Both approaches work well for what to do with gerbera daisy in winter as long as you avoid frost overwatering and temperature extremes.
Now you know exactly what to do with gerbera daisy in winter so your plant can rest properly and come back strong in spring.
Give your gerbera daisy the winter care it needs and you will be rewarded with gorgeous blooms for many seasons to come.