How to Germinate Gaillardia

The genus Gaillardia includes approximately 14 species of flowering plants commonly known as blanket-flowers. Species such as Indian blanket-flower (Gaillardia pulchella) and common blanket-flower (Gaillardia aristata) are often cultivated in gardens for their showy, red and yellow flowers and their hardy nature, which makes them easy to care for. Both of these species grow effortlessly from seeds if they are kept in a bright location, but they grow best when germinated indoors six to eight weeks before planting outside.

3.5-inch starter pots
Seedling compost
Plant mister
Fluorescent lamp

Instructions

- 1
  Prepare a pot for each gaillardia plant desired. Fill 3.5-inch starter pots with loose seedling compost. Do not press or firm the seedling compost.
- 2
  Sow two or three gaillardia seeds into each pot. Place the seeds on the surface of the seedling compost. Do not cover or bury them: They require light exposure for proper germination.
- 3
  Spritz each starter pot four or five times with a plant mister to settle the soil. Keep spritzing the soil until it feels moist at a depth of 1/2 inch. Maintain soil moisture at that level until the gaillardia seeds germinate.
- 4
  Set the starter pots on a sunny windowsill or near a large window where the gaillardia seeds will receive eight hours of light each day. Use a fluorescent lamp for supplemental light if a naturally bright location is not available.
- 5
  Expect germination in two to three weeks. Thin out the gaillardia seedlings in each pot until only the strongest and best-formed plant remains. Thin out the seedlings once they produce a set of mature, fully formed leaves.
- 6
  Plant the gaillardia seedlings in a sunny bed once soil temperatures reach 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Space the plants 12 inches apart.

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