Gaillardia - These Native American Wildflowers Are Easy to Grow and They Bloom Like Crazy

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Gaillardias are native to the Americas. They look like daisies that have been painted in shades of gold, orange, rust and red. The blooms can be up to 4 inches across.

They're often called blanket flower and are included in many wildflower mixes. These daisy-like flowers begin blooming in June and continue until killed by frost.

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Although primarily grown as an annual, many varieties of gaillardia are biennials or even perennials. All varieties re-seed themselves quite easily.

Gaillardia - These Native American Wildflowers Are Easy to Grow and They Bloom Like Crazy

They're not fussy about their cultural requireMents but need full sun to grow and thrive. Hardy in Usda Zones 4 to 10, they will grow in any type of soil as long as it is well-drained. They withstand drought once established and need suppleMental fertilizer only once a year in early spring. They are not bothered by any serious pests or diseases.

Gaillardia grow about 2 to 3 feet tall. You don't have to prune them, but depending on the range they may need to be staked. The perennial varieties rarely need to be divided.

You can start gaillardia from seed quite easily. Plainly scatter the seeds in early spring where you want them to grow in your garden. Keep the soil moist until germination occurs. When the seedlings are 3 to 4 inches high, thin them to stand about 1 1/2 to 2 feet apart. Seeds planted in spring will bloom the same year.

You can also buy blanket flowers as bedding plants, which are widely ready in spring. They make good container plants because of their prolific production of flowers. As long as you snip off the faded flowers, they will bloom all summer long.

Copyright Sharon Sweeny, 2009. All possession reserved.

Gaillardia - These Native American Wildflowers Are Easy to Grow and They Bloom Like Crazy

Digital Photography Secretsby David Peterson Click Here!

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