The blanket flower (Gaillardia) is a popular perennial valued for its cheerful, daisy-like flowers and prolonged blooming period throughout the summer months. Maintaining the appearance and vigor of this plant involves deadheading, the practice of removing spent or faded flower heads. This simple maintenance procedure helps manage the plant’s growth cycle and appearance effectively.
The Purpose of Removing Spent Blooms
Removing faded flowers serves a specific physiological purpose. If a flower remains on the stem, the plant shifts energy resources toward seed development. Manually removing the flower redirects that energy away from seed production. This redirection promotes the development of new flower buds, resulting in a continuous or repeat blooming cycle that extends the visual display of the Gaillardia.
Beyond flower production, deadheading offers a secondary benefit of garden hygiene. Eliminating decaying bloom material prevents potential fungal issues by improving air circulation around the lower foliage. A tidy plant appearance also contributes to the overall aesthetic of the garden space.
Step-by-Step Technique for Deadheading
Deadheading Gaillardia requires precise placement of the cut to encourage robust rebloom. Gardeners should use small, sharp tools, such as bypass snips, or their fingers if the stems are soft. The spent bloom should not be removed just beneath the flower head, as this leaves an unproductive stub of stem material.
Instead, trace the stem downward from the faded flower until the first healthy leaf set, swelling lateral bud, or branching point is located. The cut must be made directly above this node or branching point, as this is where the plant is primed to initiate new growth. Cutting too high leaves an unproductive stub that can harbor disease and detract from the plant’s appearance.
Conversely, cutting too low unnecessarily removes viable foliage and potential new flower production points. Making the cut at the correct location ensures the plant immediately utilizes available energy to push out a new stem and bloom. This maintenance is most effective when performed continuously throughout the flowering season.
A plant deadheaded weekly, or even daily during peak bloom, sustains a higher level of flower production than one addressed intermittently. Consistent removal of fading blooms signals to the plant that its reproductive cycle is incomplete, encouraging the production of more flowers. This continuous effort maximizes the ornamental display of the blanket flower.
Preparing Gaillardia for Winter
Continuous deadheading during the summer transitions into a seasonal cutback once the main blooming season concludes, typically in late fall. This end-of-season maintenance involves a more aggressive removal of plant material than the routine summer practice. After the first heavy frost, the entire plant is usually cut back significantly.
Gardeners often reduce the plant’s height to a mound of foliage, generally six inches or less from the ground. This substantial cutback helps tidy the garden and prevents decaying foliage from becoming a source of overwintering pathogens. Some gardeners choose to leave a portion of the spent flower heads intact to serve a dual purpose. The remaining seed heads offer a food source for finches and other winter birds, and the residual material provides insulation for the plant crown during deep freezes.