The blanket flower grows particularly quickly and is extremely popular as a garden flower due to its long-lasting bloom. In addition, it is quite easy to care for.
The natural range of the blanket flower (Gaillardia) extends from the USA to South America. The genus of plants, also known as parrot flowers, belongs to the daisy family. Selection and breeding have resulted in a whole range of different varieties. The stature height of this pretty and durable cut flower ranges from 30 to 70 centimeters. Blanket flowers come into their own in beds and borders and are ideal as an eye-catcher in a colorful summer bouquet. The blanket flower is also suitable for the bucket.
The plant is characterized by long, entire leaves and is perfect for a prairie garden. The one or two-colored ray florets appear between June and September. A common identification of the cup-shaped inflorescences is a central red disk. The colors red and yellow predominate in the individual flowers.
When does the blanket flower bloom?
The Blanket Flower is a summer bloomer. There are a number of different varieties available, all of which are fast growers and consistently flower between June and October. A sunny location and loose and nutrient-rich soil ensure a constant abundance of flowers. If you regularly remove faded inflorescences, the plant will produce new flower heads more quickly.
Important:
If you do not remove the faded inflorescences in time, the blanket flower may self-seed.
Species and Origin
The original homeland of the blanket flower is America. Therefore, the plant hardly has any problems with the climatic conditions in our latitudes. In its ancestral homeland, the blanket flower occurs in about 25 different species. In our gardens you will find persistent and robust hybrids, which can also be combined very well with each other. The plant, also known as painter's flower, impresses with its extensive variety of species. Particularly popular varieties are e.g.:
❍ Burgundy Blanket Flower:
| Burgundy Blanket Flower (Gaillardia x grandiflora 'Burgundy') | |
|---|---|
| Flower color: | deep red |
| Flowering: | July - September |
| Growth: | 60 - 70 cm |
| Growth: | 30 - 40 cm |
| Location: | Sun |
| Floor: | fresh, permeable, nutritious |
The strong, deep red flowers are characteristic of this variety. The large-flowered blanket flower species is very suitable for planting perennial beds. This variety can also impress as a cut flower. The plant grows compact and bushy and can grow up to 70 centimeters in height. The flowering period is between July and September.
❍ Leprechaun Blanket Flower:
| Blanket flower 'Kobold' (Gaillardia x grandiflora 'Kobold') | |
|---|---|
| Flower color: | red with yellow border |
| Flowering: | July - September |
| Growth: | 10 - 30 cm |
| Growth: | 20 - 30 cm |
| Location: | Sun |
| Floor: | fresh, permeable, nutritious |
The Kobold blanket flower is one of the most popular species. The red-yellow flower heads appear between July and October. With a growth height of about 30 centimeters, the plant is one of the smallest representatives of the blanket flowers. The bushy perennial is satisfied with little space. Due to its low height, this variety is a popular rock garden plant. The cut flowers are used in Biedermeier bouquets or as scattered flowers.
❍ Blanket Flower Tizzy:
| Blankflower 'Tizzy' (Gaillardia x grandiflora 'Tizzy') | |
|---|---|
| Flower color: | red |
| Flowering: | June - September |
| Growth: | 30 - 50 cm |
| Growth: | 30 - 50 cm |
| Location: | Sun |
| Floor: | normal, nutritious |
The Tizzy blanket flower is characterized by a strong, compact growth habit. The plant shows its red flowers between June and September. The trumpet-shaped tubular flowers appear particularly numerous and, in the shades of red, terracotta and yellow, are reminiscent of an atmospheric sunset. Tizzy is also popular as a container plant.
❍ Blanket Flower Bremen:
| Blanket flower 'Bremen' (Gaillardia x grandiflora 'Bremen') | |
|---|---|
| Flower color: | yellow red |
| Flowering: | July - September |
| Growth: | 40 - 50 cm |
| Growth: | 30 - 40 cm |
| Location: | Sun |
| Floor: | permeable, high nutrient requirement |
With a growth height of about 70 centimetres, the Blanket Flower Bremen is one of the largest representatives of the plant genus. The dark red and particularly showy flowers appear between July and September.
The ideal location for the Blanket Flower
Direct sowing can be done from the end of April. The growing soil should be moist. For quick germination, the seeds need a light location. The outdoor location should be sunny to semi-shady and protected. The darker the plant is, the fewer flowers will appear. Since the stems break very quickly in the wind, the blanket flower should also be sheltered from the wind. A place near walls or house walls proves to be the ideal location. This offers the plant protection and at the same time makes it easier to overwinter, as the soil on walls is less susceptible to frost.
When planting, you also need to pay attention to the soil quality. The plants do not tolerate heavy loamy soil. Loosening the soil by introducing sand can help here. A loose and nutrient-rich soil is the basis for he althy plants and rich flowering. The soil should always be moist, but the plant does not tolerate waterlogging. Drainage can help improve soil quality.
In the bed, blanket flowers harmonize very well with carnations or colored nettles. Sunflowers, on the other hand, should be planted at a sufficient distance from the blanket flower. Otherwise the plants would deprive the blanket flower of important nutrients. If you pay attention to all these conditions, the plants will develop well and impress you with title="Sunflowers" lush blooms in the year they are planted.
Sow the blanket flowers - That's how it's done
❶ Sowing indoors is possible from March. To do this, first fill the plant pots with potting soil.
❷ Then put the seeds in the pots and do not cover them with soil. At 15 to 18 degrees, germination then takes place within two weeks.
❸ Four to six weeks after sowing, you can transplant the plants into 6 cm pots. Temperatures between 12 and 15 degrees are thenenough.
❹ After the ice saints, you can plant the flowers. Keep a planting distance of 25 to 35 centimeters.
Planting blanket flowers - explained step by step
The best time to plant blanket flowers is mid-May. The best way to do this is as follows:
❶ Choose a sunny spot.
❷ Loosen heavy soils with sand or compost.
❸ Dig the planting hole about 15 centimeters larger than the circumference of the perennial.
❹ Keep plants about 40 centimeters apart.
❺ Now carefully place the plant in the planting hole. Protect the roots.
❻ Finally, mulch the bed to ensure even moisture.
❼ After planting, you must water the plant vigorously. However, water with care, because waterlogging must not occur.
Tip:
If the soil is particularly solid, the cockade flowers can be planted on a small hill. This ensures that water can drain away unhindered and waterlogging is avoided. High-growing blanket flower species should also be given a framework as a support so that the stems do not snap off in the rain and wind.
Water and fertilize blanket flowers properly
You shouldn't forget to water, but it should be done with care, because you absolutely have to avoid waterlogging. Therefore, you must provide drainage or choose an elevated location. Never water the blanket flowers in full sunlight. The best watering times are in the morning and evening. If the dryness persists, it may also be necessary to give water several times a day.
Tip:
The plant tolerates drought better than waterlogging. It is therefore important to find a good middle ground. Apply a layer of mulch to keep the soil from drying out. A well-drained soil also prevents water from pooling.
So that the blanket flower convinces with rich flowering, plenty of nutrients are needed. If you administer a long-term fertilizer in spring, the plant will be supplied with sufficient nutrients for the following months. Commercially available liquid fertilizer should be added to the irrigation water about every two to three weeks. It is best to administer a mineral-organic fertilizer with guano. The recommended amount is 20 to 30 g/m².
Should blanket flowers be pruned?
In order not to slow down the eagerness of the flowering perennial, a regularPruning is definitely recommended, as this promotes flowering. The pruning stimulates tillering and the plants grow particularly bushy. After flowering, you should prune the cockade flowers back to about a hand's breadth above the ground. The plant can then develop numerous new shoots and thus strengthen itself for the coming winter.
How to propagate the Blanket Flower?
The plants can be propagated without any problems. Larger plants can easily be divided with a spade. This is best done in the spring to give the new plants enough time over the summer to take root and develop well. You shouldn't miss dividing the plants, because blanket flowers grow very profusely and are then rather lazy to bloom.
The plants can also be propagated by seeds. With annual varieties, it is a good idea to keep the seeds and grow new plants. It is important to note the following:
- Prepare plants indoors from March
- Cultivation soil should be moist but not wet
- Germination time at room temperature: 10 to 14 days
- from mid-May the plants can go outside
Overwintering Blanket Flowers Properly
Perennial species are not really hardy when it comes to overwintering. Many plants rot very easily under the protective layer. However, winter protection from brushwood, leaves or peat is necessary. To prevent possible rotting, you can also use garden fleece as winter protection. Do not attach the cover too tightly as there is a possibility of pockets of warming air forming underneath.
Blank flowers are also well prepared for the winter if you cut them back completely after the flowering period and only cut back the newly formed tuft of leaves in spring.
Diseases and Pests of Blanket Flower
Even if the care required for the blanket flower is rather limited, the plant is not always spared from pests and diseases. Diseases are favored by a location that is too wet. Then mold can form and the plants begin to rot. Too much shade will cause the plant to generally lag behind in its growth performance and produce few buds. Here is an overview of the most important pests and diseases:
❍ Aphids:
Aphids often infest plants of all kinds. The pests are easy to spot on closer inspection of the plant.
What to do?
- Spraythe plants with a sud of soft soap.
- Water them with nettle manure (how to make nettle manure yourself).
❍ Cicadas:
Foamhoppers are insects about eight centimeters in size that prefer to settle on blanket flowers. An infestation can be recognized by a coating that appears on the stems and stalks of the plant. This secretion is called cuckoo saliva.
What to do?
- Spray affected plants with a strong jet of water.
- Check the plant regularly for remaining larvae.
❍ Mildew:
If the plant is too damp or too dark, the blanket flower is at risk of mildew attack. A distinction is made between real and downy mildew. Powdery mildew leaves a whitish coating on flowers and stems that is reminiscent of flour. In the case of downy mildew, brown or yellow spots also appear.
What to do?
- Remove infected plant parts. These don't belong in the compost!
- You should treat downy mildew with garlic stock (instructions to make garlic stock yourself).
- Treat powdery mildew with agents containing silicic acid.
- Check the plants regularly for new infestations.
- Post-treatment may be required.