Gaillardia x grandiflora 'Arizona Red Shades' syn. Gaillardia 'Arizona Red Shades'

Plant them between early to mid-spring depending on when the seeds were sown. Provide twiggy supports where necessary. Full sun and very well-drained soil are musts for blanket flowers to thrive. They prefer loose, sandy soil that isn't overly fertile with a pH near neutral or slightly alkaline. Established plants are quite drought tolerant. Container grown plants can be set out throughout the growing season, but spring or fall planting is ideal. Space dwarf cultivars about a foot apart; taller varieties should be set about 18 inches apart. Prepare the garden bed by using a garden fork or tiller to loosen the soil to a depth of 12 to 15 inches, then mix in a 2- to 4-inch layer of compost. Dig a hole twice the diameter of the pot the plant is in. Carefully remove the plant from its container and place it in the hole so the top of the root ball is level with the soil surface. Carefully fill in around the root ball and firm the soil gently. Water thoroughly.