Can gerbera daisies survive outside or meant for indoors? They're beautiful but I haven't had any luck getting them to last more than a couple weeks outside, I'm in zone 5. Thanks, Lisa

I haven't had much luck keeping them flowering outdoors either. The plants survive, but seem inconsistent in how long they'll flower. When you say last, do you mean the plant as a whole dies, or they just stop flowering?

New hybrid of gerbera which call Garvinea was said to be hardy garden variety. It said can stand even on snow and will coming back at spring.

Have you try them ? They were more vigorous and desease resistant than florist gerbera. The flower much smaller but come in great quantity for continuous display

I haven't seen those here, they sound interesting. Apparently only hardy to zone 7 though so wouldn't be perennial for Lisa and me. I think part of the problem with Gerbera here is tarnished plant bugs (Lygus lineolaris) but I had two last year where one quit flowering at all fairly quickly while the other struggled on somewhat longer. I haven't bothered to check yet if they are short day, long day or day neutral for flowering....

Aahh.. I am sorry. I am forget to check the hardiness zone.

Insect and thrips also common problem on my gerbera. Here in tropic even florist gerbera can grow outdoor all year. But they are not a good garden performer. The flower stalk is too long and weak to support that heavy flower. And they asking more intensive of fertilizing and pest control.

From last year i have try Garvinea. They grow lushly and seem dont care about some insect that attacked them. Although the flower was small and not as impressive as internet picture. Just look like vegetable lettuce with many leaves and less flower. Maybe i need to feed them some flowering promote fertilizer.

If you see one in garden centre you can try them. I am sure they will stay longer in garden maybe for 3 season. And you can try to overwinter with some protection too

Thats my humble opnion. I never live outside the tropical zone yet

Looking it up again I see Garvinea was plant of the year at the Canada Blooms garden show in Toronto back in March. I was there and did notice gerberas, I just assumed they were the regular kind and more or less ignored them although I like the flowers.

You'd certainly find it a lot different gardening here! I came to this zone 4 from an 8 or 9 in the UK where we didn't even always get snow in winter. It would take a lot to protect them here where it gets below -30C a time or two most winters.

Edited to add now that I know about them I will look out for them and give them a try, thanks for the suggestion.

Garden show or exhibition always nice place to visit and to get something new

Yes. That seem some different and challenging gardening there. But some plants are suitable for certain climate and situation. I am always envy to know how easy gardener in cold region to have nice tulips, lily, iris, hyacinth etc to grow in ther garden. And how almost impossible for me to grow them here

Wish you have luck to find nice garvinea there and hope they can grow beatifully for long period in your garden

They stopped flowering after couple weeks, then died shortly after. I have no idea what kind they were, but they had really big pretty flowers. Maybe I didn't give them proper amount of water? Sometimes I over-water plants, thinking that I haven't given them enough! I will have to look for the Garvinea variety, thank you both for your help

Apparently Gerbera Daisy (Gerbera jamesonii) is only hardy as far north as zone 8 and our database shows Gerbera Garvinea® Orangina hardy to zone 7a

This site shows G. garvinea hardy to zone 6b

I bought three Gerbera this spring. They bloomed awhile but need a lot of water, they were really too big and leafy for their pots and wilted a number of times, and bounced back. I moved them to larger pots but now they're slow in blooming again. They're said to be heavy feeders. Consistent plentiful water and food is probably the best bet in pots.

I don't think they'd do well indoors at all.

But they would also just as soon rot from too much water as look at you. In pots, they do best in terra cotta, because it dries out more quickly. The ones I had the best luck with were in 10 inch clay pots, set on a bench next to the north wall of our woodshed, sheltered from the run-off by the roof overhang. I love them, but haven't had a lot of luck keeping them alive for very long. Best I've managed was spring through fall, they then got eaten alive by aphids and whiteflies when I tried to bring them indoors for the winter.