Gaillardia Mesa Red

Planting Advice:

• Unpack plugs immediately and stand them in water for an hour.
• If you can’t do this, they can sit in Mini Greenhouses for a week if upright and not too wet.
• Plugs may be slightly dry or yellow after being in a dark box in the post, but they’ll quickly recover.
• Put them somewhere warm, light, and airy such as a windowsill or greenhouse.
• When potting on, handle plugs carefully. Pot on using our 9cm pots in Shuttle Trays, using good multi-purpose compost.
• Give your plants a good water initially, then only when the top compost starts to dry. They don’t like to be left in standing water.
• Plant approx. 20cm (8in) apart to allow them room to grow.
• Feed using a high-potash feed such as Blooming Fast Superior Soluble Fertiliser for Flowers & Fruits, to encourage flowering.
• When plants are large enough, prepare the soil by digging over and removing any weeds. Incorporate some well-rotted manure to enrich the soil if necessary.
• Individually knock out each plant from its container.
• Next use a trowel or spade to create a hole just deep and wide enough to set in the root ball.
• The aim is to bury just the roots, leaving the bases of the stems (when in growth in summer) or the shoots (in spring) above ground.
• Firm back around the soil, using your hand for small clumps and your heel on larger areas.
• Water in well to settle the soil and prevent desiccation.

Aftercare Advice:

• Plants are drought tolerant once established and removing faded flowers will encourage a longer period of blooming.

 Pruning Advice:

• Naturally compact plants, they may just need an autumn tidy up if they have become too straggly.