WateringTimesWatering plan, $19
Gerbera jamesonii & hybrids, WUCOLS IV

How often to water Transvaal daisy in California

In July in the Central Valley, established Transvaal daisy in loam needs a deep watering about every 3 days: about 1.5 gallons each time for a plant 2 feet across, about 3.0 gallons a week. Transvaal daisy, often sold as gerbera, is a perennial from southeastern Africa and the parent of most garden gerberas. Big daisy flowers rise on tall stems above a rosette of leaves, mostly in spring and fall, though a few can appear at any time. It likes full sun and rich, moist soil that drains well, and its roots run deep.

PerennialRated for 4 of 6 zones

How often to water Transvaal daisy, month by month

Your city
Plant width
2 ft
Your soil

Type your city above and the days between waterings and the gallons appear here, worked out from your city's climate table. Or read the figures by climate zone further down.

Every month, on your water days. The personal plan prints this for Transvaal daisy and the rest of your yard, on the days your water supplier allows.Get the plan for $19

How this is worked out: established roots fill the top 1 foot of soil, and you water again when that soil has dried halfway. Loam soil holds about 1.5 inches of water per foot. Water the whole area the plant covers, and skip a watering after a good soaking rain.

Which soil do you have?

Dig down a few inches, take a handful of moist soil and squeeze it.

  • Sandy: gritty, falls apart when you open your hand, will not form a ball.
  • Loam: forms a soft ball that crumbles when you poke it.
  • Clay: forms a firm, sticky ball and squeezes out into a ribbon between thumb and finger.

Still not sure? Pick loam. Most garden beds sit between sand and clay.

How to measure plant width

A shrub with its width marked from one side to the other and the circle under it shaded blue

Measure across the plant, from the tips of the leaves on one side to the tips on the other.

Water the whole area the plant covers, shown in blue. The gallons here cover that area.

A wider plant means more gallons each watering, not more waterings. While it is young, measure again each spring.

How to tell it needs water

  • Soil dry an inch or two down beside the rosette means Transvaal daisy needs water
  • Leaves and flower stems flopping in afternoon heat can point to a dry root zone
  • Flower buds stalling during a warm spell can follow soil that dried out
  • A rotting crown and yellow leaves in soggy soil point to root rot from overwatering

How to water it

  • Water the soil around the rosette, keeping the crown and leaves dry
  • Moisten the soil 6 inches deep and water again once the top inch dries
  • Plant in full sun in rich, well-drained soil with the crown level with the ground
  • Give it afternoon shade in hot inland gardens
  • Remove spent flowers at the base of the stem

Through the seasons

Water new plants regularly while roots grow down. Established plants want soil kept evenly moist but never soggy, with light feeding. Flowers come mostly in spring and fall, and leaves may stay through winter where it is mild. Inland heat calls for afternoon shade and closer watching of the soil. WUCOLS rates Transvaal daisy moderate water on the north-central coast, on the south coast and in South Inland. The Central Valley carries a high water rating. WUCOLS marks it as not suited to the high desert or the low desert.

In pots

Transvaal daisy is a classic container flower for a sunny patio. Use a rich mix that drains fast, and set the crown level with the surface, not buried. Water when the top inch dries, aiming at the mix rather than the leaves, until it drains out. In summer, small pots can need water daily. Empty the saucer each time. Its roots run deep, so choose a tall pot over a shallow bowl. In winter, keep the mix just moist in a bright, frost-free spot.

1 Your climate zone six WUCOLS zones, each from its own reference city
4.27gal per sq ft in JulyHigh water use in the Central Valley zone
A year
27.38 gal per sq ft
Reference
Sacramento climate table
Counts
Plant need, before sprinkler losses
1.12.13.24.30.64JAN1.04FEB1.74MAR2.43APR3.32MAY3.97JUN4.27JUL3.82AUG2.88SEP1.88OCT0.89NOV0.55DEC1.12.13.24.30.64JFM2.43AMJ4.27JAS1.88OND
Gallons per square foot per month, Central Valley. Peak 4.27 in Jul, 27.38 a year.

Monthly water need by climate zone

Transvaal Daisy: gallons per square foot per month, by WUCOLS climate zone

MonthN. CoastC. ValleyS. CoastS. InlandHi DesertLo Desert
Jan0.370.640.780.78––
Feb0.531.040.810.87––
Mar0.871.741.151.3––
Apr1.182.431.41.61––
May1.463.321.611.95––
Jun1.613.971.742.29––
Jul1.614.271.982.51––
Aug1.493.821.862.33––
Sep1.242.881.491.86––
Oct0.871.881.151.33––
Nov0.470.890.840.9––
Dec0.310.550.650.68––
Year1227.3815.518.41––

How this is worked out: the WUCOLS water rating for each zone times that zone’s climate for the month. A dash means WUCOLS does not rate the plant there. The figures are what the plant uses, before sprinkler losses.

Plants with the same water needs 16

Rated high water in the Central Valley, like Transvaal daisy. Plants that drink alike can share one valve and one schedule.

Japanese Sweet FlagAcorus gramineushigh water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyRed GingerAlpinia purpuratahigh water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyShell GingerAlpinia zerumbethigh water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulySiberian BuglossBrunnera macrophyllahigh water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyMarsh MarigoldCaltha palustrishigh water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyUmbrella Sedge and PapyrusCyperus spp. (CA native and non-native species)high water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyUmbrella PlantDarmera peltata (Peltiphyllum)high water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyFoxgloveDigitalis purpurea cvshigh water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyLeopard PlantFarfugium japonicum cvs. (Ligularia tussilaginea cvs.)high water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyGiant GunneraGunnera manicatahigh water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyWhite Ginger LilyHedychium coronariumhigh water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyJapanese IrisIris ensatahigh water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyRushJuncus aquatic spp. (native and non-native spp.)high water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyCardinal FlowerLobelia cardinalis hybrids and cvs. (CA native and non-native spp.)high water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyBananaMusa spp. (shade in low desert)high water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulySensitive FernOnoclea sensibilishigh water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in July

Similar plants that need less water 16

Rated lower than Transvaal daisy in the Central Valley. Worth a look for a new bed or a lawn replacement.

DahliasDahlia spp.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyFernsNephrolepis cordifolia (SHADE IN DESERT)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyDayliliesHemerocallis spp. & cvs.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyBegoniasBegonia & ssp. & cvs. (shade in the desert)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyCalla LiliesZantedeschia aethiopica SHADE IN DESERTmoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulySageSalvia officinalis and cvs.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyBicolor MonkshoodAconitum cammarummoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyGarden MonkshoodAconitum napellusmoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyCarpet BugleAjuga reptans (shade)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulySnowdrop WindflowerAnemone sylvestrismoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyMountain SandwortArenaria montanamoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulySwamp MilkweedAsclepias incarnatamoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyOrange MilkweedAsclepias tuberosamoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyGreater MasterwortAstrantia majormoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyHardy BegoniaBegonia grandismoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyWax BegoniaBegonia semperflorensmoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in July
Minutes for your sprinklers

Turn this into minutes on your water days

Every city page has a calculator that takes Transvaal daisy, your sprinkler type and the month, and gives the minutes per water day for that supplier's schedule. Or put it in a zone of the personal watering plan and get all twelve months printed.

Questions people ask

How often should I water Transvaal daisy in summer?

In July, established Transvaal daisy in loam needs a deep watering about every 3 days in the Central Valley, about every 7 days on the south coast and about every 6 days in the South Inland zone. Sandy soil holds less water, so waterings come closer together. Clay stretches them. Check the soil before each watering and skip one after a soaking rain.

How much water does Transvaal daisy need per day?

In July in the Central Valley, established Transvaal daisy needs about 0.4 gallons a day for a plant 2 feet across and about 1.7 gallons a day for a plant 4 feet across. Give it in deep waterings spread days apart rather than a little every day, so the whole root zone gets wet.

Does watering for Transvaal daisy change across California?

Yes. WUCOLS rates Transvaal daisy separately for each of the six California climate zones: moderate water in the North-Central Coastal zone, high water in the Central Valley zone, moderate water in the South Coastal zone, moderate water in the South Inland zone, not suited to this region in the High and Intermediate Desert zone, not suited to this region in the Low Desert zone. The monthly table above shows how the same rating translates into different gallon amounts as reference evapotranspiration changes.

Why is my gerbera crown rotting?

Soggy soil and a buried crown both cause rot. Keep the crown level with the soil. Let the top inch dry before watering.

When does Transvaal daisy bloom?

Most flowers come in spring and fall. A few may appear at other times. Deadhead to keep the plant tidy.

Does Transvaal daisy need full sun?

It likes full sun, but hot afternoon sun can stress it. Inland, give it afternoon shade. Near the coast, full sun works well.

What pests bother Transvaal daisy?

Thrips, leaf miners, spider mites, aphids and whiteflies visit it. Gray mold and powdery mildew also occur. Water the soil, not the leaves.

Can I keep Transvaal daisy over winter?

In mild areas the leaves can persist through winter. Elsewhere, move a potted plant to a bright, frost-free spot. Keep the mix from drying out completely.

More plant watering guides

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Sources