Gaillardia - Torchlight Seeds, Mr Fothergill's

Gaillardia Torchlight produces large vibrant flowers on bushy plants that adds vibrant contrasting colours in borders, pots or containers. Flowers late in the first year from sowing. They attract bees and butterflies well which makes them a good pollinator and perfect for cutting.

Attributes

Botanical Name: Gaillardia grandiflora
Type: Hardy Perennial
Height: Up to 18in
Light: Full Sun
Habit: Bushy, Dwarf

Growing

Sow indoors, February-April, to flower the same year, 0.5cm (¼") deep, in a tray of compost. Water well and place on a warm windowsill. A temperature of 15-20°C (60-68°F) is ideal. Keep moist. Seedlings usually appear in 14-28 days. Transplant them, 5cm (2") apart, to other trays when large enough to handle. Gradually accustom young plants to outside conditions (avoid frosts), before planting out into well-drained soil, May-September, 25cm (10") apart, when frosts are over. Or, sow outdoors to flower the following year, May-July, in a seed bed, 0.5cm (¼") deep, into finely-prepared, well-drained soil, which has already been watered. Thin seedlings to 10cm (4") apart, before planting out to flowering position in autumn, spacing 25cm (10") apart. Flowers: June-September.

Tips

Remove the dead heads regularly to prolong the flowering season. Will attract beneficial insects into the garden.