Blanket Flower Care And Growing Guide

Blanket flowers are hardy plants that originate from hot, dry regions like prairies and plains. They are well-suited for growing in the following conditions:

• Hot climates (USDA Hardiness Zones 3-10)
• Poor quality or nutrient-deficient soils
• Areas with little rainfall or drought conditions

Because blanket flowers naturally adapted to these tough environments, they don't require much extra care or resources once established:

• They don't need frequent watering, only during extended dry periods
• There's no need to amend poor soils, as blanket flowers can thrive in them
• They make excellent choices for drought-tolerant landscaping

Their hardiness and low-maintenance needs make blanket flowers an ideal option for gardens with dry, suboptimal soil conditions where many other plants may struggle. With their drought resistance, blanket flowers can withstand periods of neglect once mature.

Blanket flower plant are a type of flowering plant that grow very quickly compared to many other flowers. There are two different ways you can go about planting them:

1. Planting from seed

• If you plant blanket flower seeds directly in the ground, the plants likely won't bloom and produce their colorful flowers until the second year after the seeds were planted.
• This is because in the first year, the little seedlings put most of their energy into developing a strong root system under the soil rather than focusing on blooming.

2. Planting nursery-grown starts

• "Nursery starts" refers to young blanket flower plants that were started from seed and grown at a nursery beforehand.
• If you plant these nursery-grown starts (instead of seeds), they will likely bloom and produce flowers the same year you plant them, without having to wait a year.
• However, purchasing these young nursery plants is more expensive than just buying a packet of seeds.

When it comes to timing of planting, the ideal time depends on the typical winter climate where you live. For most regions, plant in late spring after the last expected frost of winter has passed.

In areas with very mild winters that don't get extremely cold, you can also plant blanket flowers in early fall.

If planting blanket flower seeds directly outdoors:

• First, use a rake to loosen and prepare the soil surface
• Scatter the seeds evenly across the prepared area
• Cover the seeds with just a very thin sprinkling of soil, or no soil covering at all

Blanket flower seeds need exposure to sunlight in order to properly sprout

• Use a spray bottle or hose to lightly mist the seeded area with water
• For the next few weeks, keep the seeded area consistently moist by misting regularly until the seeds germinate and sprout

If planting nursery-grown starts instead of seeds:

• Dig small planting holes 6-12 inches apart, making each hole just slightly wider than the nursery pot
• Gently remove each little plant from its nursery pot, loosening the roots a bit
• Place the start into the hole at the same level it was growing in the pot
• Fill in around the roots with soil, covering the roots completely
• Give each newly planted start a thorough watering

Gaillardia blanket flowers are wonderfully easy to care for perennial plants that provide long-lasting color once established in the garden. With their low-maintenance needs, they allow you to sit back and enjoy their bright blooms without a lot of effort on your part.

Blooming Season

• These flowers live up to their name by blanketing the garden with vibrant red and yellow daisy-like flowers
• The blooming season kicks off in early summer and continues through the first hard frost in fall
• During this extended bloom period, you may notice the flowering taking a short break and slowing down temporarily
• However, you can revive the plant's energy and keep blooms coming strong by deadheading spent flowers regularly
• Simply use pruners or your fingers to remove old, faded flowers down to the stem

Sunlight Needs

• Blanket flowers absolutely crave as much direct sunlight as possible - at least 6-8 hours per day
• They thrive in full sun exposures and can easily handle scorching hot summer temperatures
• If planted in shady areas of the garden, the plants will likely become leggy, spindly, and flop over
• Lack of sufficient sunlight also severely reduces flowering and increases the plant's vulnerability to powdery mildew disease

Soil and Water Requirements

• As native wildflowers of the American prairies, blanket flowers prefer very well-drained, dry soils
• They can handle poor quality soils and are not fussy about soil pH levels
• Sandy, loose, and gritty soils are ideal for preventing soggy roots, which can cause rot
• Once established, blanket flowers are extremely drought-tolerant and require very little supplemental watering

Temperature and Humidity Tolerance

• These plants do best in hot, dry climates and struggle in cool, humid environments
• While the plants are winter hardy in zones 3-10, they will naturally die back when temperatures remain very cold
• Excess moisture from high humidity or overwatering can lead tofoliar and root diseases

Fertilizer Needs

• One of the easiest care requirements - blanket flowers actually don't need any fertilizer at all!
• Applying fertilizer, especially those high in nitrogen, promotes leafy growth over flowering
• Blanket flowers seem to bloom most prolifically and look their best in low-fertility, nutrient-poor soils

With their easy-going nature and simple needs, blanket flowers make an ideal choice for gracing sunny borders, meadows, or natural areas of the garden with their cheerful blooms all season. Once planted, they require very little maintenance while providing color for months.

Blanket flower perennials are fabulous low-maintenance plants that provide a long season of vibrant blooms. While not absolutely necessary, a couple simple practices can help keep these prolific bloomers looking their best.

Pruning

While not required for continued flowering, deadheading (removing spent blooms) offers several benefits:

• It helps promote a neat, tidy appearance by removing unsightly faded flowers
• Deadheading encourages bushier growth and prevents plants from looking sparse
• Most importantly, it can stimulate the plant to produce additional flushes of blooms
• To deadhead, simply use pruners or your fingers to cut or pinch off old flowers down to the stem

If blanket flowers start looking lackluster during the heat of summer, you can rejuvenate them through harder pruning:

• Use shears to cut back all the stems by one-half to two-thirds their height
• This removes the stressed foliage and blooms
• It allows the plant to put its energy into producing healthy new growth
• With some food and water, the plant will rebound with a fresh outburst of fall flowers

Propagating Blanket Flowers

While some varieties can be grown from seed, it's best to propagate blanket flowers by dividing established plants every 2-3 years. This helps reinvigorate the plants and prevents them from declining over time. Here are the steps:

• Use a sharp spade to dig around the entire plant 6-8 inches out from the base, going 12 inches deep to undercut the rootball.
• Pry the entire rootball up and out of the ground. Shake or brush off excess soil to expose the root system.
• Using your hands, carefully pull the root mass apart into 2-3 separate clumps or divisions. Each division should have shoots emerging from it.
• Prepare a new planting area with loose, well-draining soil. Replant each division at the same level as before, making sure to spread out the roots.
• Water thoroughly after planting to settle the soil around the new divisions.
• Keep the soil consistently moist (but not soaked) until new growth emerges, then transition to normal blanket flower watering.

By dividing every few years and giving them a periodic pruning, you'll be rewarded with lush, vigorous blanket flower plants covered in colorful blooms all season!

While generally low-maintenance, blanket flowers can occasionally fall victim to certain pests and diseases. Being aware of the signs and taking preventative measures is important.

Aster Yellows

This is probably the most serious issue that can affect blanket flower plants. Aster yellows is a virus-like disease that is spread by leafhoppers and aphids.

Signs of Aster Yellows:

• Stunted or distorted plant growth
• Flowers develop a greenish discoloration instead of normal colors
• General decline in plant vigor and health

Unfortunately, there is no cure for aster yellows once a plant becomes infected. Diseased plants will not recover and should be promptly removed from the garden to prevent spreading to other plants.

Prevention is key when it comes to aster yellows:

• Encourage natural predators like ladybugs and lacewings that feed on leafhoppers/aphids
• Use insecticidal soaps or neem oil to deter and kill off insect pests
• Space plants further apart to allow good air circulation
• Remove and destroy any infected plant material promptly

Other Potential Pests:

• Aphids
• Spider mites
• Grasshoppers
• Rabbits (may eat foliage)

Monitor plants regularly and treat insect infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil. Providing good growing conditions and spacing will help discourage most pest issues. With some simple preventative care, you can avoid most problems and enjoy healthy, vigorous blanket flowers all season long!

With their bright, cheerful blooms, gaillardia plant make a vibrant addition to any sunny garden space. While dozens of different species exist, the varieties most commonly grown today are hybrids combining the best traits from multiple parent plants. This gives gardeners an array of colors and forms to choose from.

The blanket flower genus, Gaillardia, contains over two dozen different species that are native to various regions across North America. However, the most popular modern varieties are hybrids rather than straight species.

These hybrids were created by cross-pollinating different species to combine their most desirable characteristics into a new plant. The most prevalent hybrid is Gaillardia x grandiflora, which resulted from crossing G. pulchella (southeastern U.S. to Mexico) with G. aristata (a prairie wildflower).

G. x grandiflora took the large, vibrantly-colored flowers of G. pulchella and the hardiness of G. aristata to produce a garden performer with bigger, longer-lasting blooms and improved vigor over its parents. Most named cultivars sold at nurseries today are grandiflora hybrids.

Some of the top grandiflora hybrid cultivars include:

Arizona Sun - Aptly named, this 2005 All-America Selections winner produces brilliant 3-4 inch flowers with a red center surrounded by sunny yellow petals.

Burgundy - This striking variety features rich, wine-red petals surrounding a yellow center disk that transitions to a deep burgundy shade as it ages.

Fanfare - The trumpet-shaped blooms make a bold statement, with hues ranging from soft pinkish-red on the outer petals to bright yellows radiating from the rosy center disk.

Goblin - While the flowers are smaller, this cultivar is prized for its large, blue-green foliage heavily veined in maroon tones that provide incredible contrast.

Mesa Yellow - As the name implies, the 2010 All-America Selections winner wows with pure, brilliant yellow blooms lacking any other shades.

In addition to hybrids, some straight species like G. pulchella and G. aristata are also grown, primarily for wildflower meadows or native plant gardens.

But for bigger, more vibrant blooms and improved performance in typical garden settings, the grandiflora hybrids are the top choice of most gardeners.