Garvinea Sweet Glow Gerbera
Gerbera 'Garvinea Sweet Glow'
flowerThe Garvinea series transformed the gerbera daisy from a fussy florist flower into a tough garden perennial. Sweet Glow carries glowing red-orange daisies on long upright stems held well above a rosette of lobed leaves, and a strong plant can throw up to a hundred blooms across a long season from spring until the first frost. Unlike the classic greenhouse gerberas, Garvinea types are bred for vigor, disease resistance, and cold hardiness (hardy to about USDA zone 7), so they return year after year in milder gardens and bloom tirelessly everywhere else.
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Sun
full sun
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Water
Every 5 days
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Bloom
~90 days
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Difficulty
easy
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Lifecycle
tender perennial
Perennial in warm zones; grown as an annual where winters freeze
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Spacing
12-18 in. apart
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Planting Depth
Crown at or slightly above the soil surface (never buried)
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Soil pH
6.0-6.5
Growing Details
Soil Type
Rich, well-draining
Hardiness Zones
Zones 7 – 10
When to Fertilize
Liquid feed every 2 weeks, or controlled-release 2-3 times a season
Fertilizer
Balanced fertilizer with iron and manganese micronutrients
🌱 Growing Guide
Plant in full sun (with a little afternoon shade in hot-summer climates) in rich, well-drained soil, and grow it on the drier side - the one thing gerberas will not forgive is a wet, buried crown. Set plants so the crown (where leaves meet roots) sits at or slightly above the soil line, and water early in the day at the base, letting the crown dry between waterings to prevent rot. Space 12 to 18 inches apart. Feed every couple of weeks with a liquid fertilizer or use a controlled-release feed two to three times a season; in pots they may want extra iron and manganese. Garvinea is hardy to roughly zone 7; in colder zones treat it as a long-blooming annual or overwinter it indoors.
🌼 Have a different variety?Cultivars of the same species usually share the same basic care — they differ mainly in flower color, height, and bloom form, not in how you grow them. So this guide still applies even if your exact variety isn't the one shown.
Planting Calendar
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Start seeds indoors
Feb 4
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Transplant outdoors
Apr 22
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Projected first bloom
Jul 21
JJan
FFeb
MMar
AApr
MMay
JJun
JJul
AAug
SSep
OOct
NNov
DDec
✅ Plant alongside
Good neighbors that attract beneficial insects or deter pests
- Petunia — A trailing container partner that fills the pot edge while the gerbera holds the upright center, both loving sun and good drainage
- Sweet Alyssum — A low carpet of tiny flowers that draws beneficial hoverflies whose larvae eat aphids
- Salvia — A drought-tolerant companion whose spikes contrast the round gerbera blooms and pull in pollinators
🛡️ Pest & disease prevention
Proactive ways to stop trouble before it starts — tap a name with an arrow for its full guide
Check leaf undersides, rinse off colonies, and treat hot spots with insecticidal soap or neem oil
Rise in hot dry air - keep plants healthy, rinse foliage, and use insecticidal soap or neem for outbreaks
The main gerbera killers from too much moisture - keep the crown high and dry, water at the base in the morning, and give good airflow
🌸 Blooms & cutting
Gerberas are prized cut flowers: snip stems at the very base (pull or cut where the stem meets the crown) in the cool morning when blooms are fully open, and they will last one to two weeks in a vase. Removing finished flowers and old leaves at the base keeps new buds coming and the crown healthy. In the garden it simply blooms on its own from spring to frost with steady deadheading.
🥗 Nutrition & benefits
Grown as an ornamental and a top-tier cut flower. The big bright daisies attract bees and butterflies in the garden and last for one to two weeks in arrangements, which is why gerberas are a florist staple.
For educational and informational purposes only — HomeSown is not medical, health, or other professional advice. Always positively identify any plant before handling or eating it; some plants, and some parts of otherwise-edible plants, are toxic. Consult a qualified professional before consuming or otherwise using any plant, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a health condition.