Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Gaillardia 'Sun Devil' bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Sun Devil blanket flower, blanket flower, Indian blanket (Gaillardia 'Sun Devil').

More about gaillardia 'sun devil'

About Gaillardia 'Sun Devil'

Gaillardia 'Sun Devil' · also called Sun Devil blanket flower, blanket flower · flowering

Gaillardia 'Sun Devil' is a compact blanket flower producing vivid red and gold bicoloured daisy blooms from early summer to first frost. It is remarkably heat-tolerant and thrives in poor, well-drained soils. Gaillardia is not listed as toxic to dogs or cats by the ASPCA; some individuals may experience mild contact irritation.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Short lifespan: Many Gaillardia cultivars are short-lived perennials or biennials. Deadheading regularly extends flowering; allow some seed to set for self-seeding replacements.

The reasons gaillardia 'sun devil' isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming gaillardia 'sun devil' traces back to one of these, roughly in order of how common they are:

Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.
Too much nitrogen feed, driving lush foliage at the expense of flowers (very common with general or lawn feeds).
The plant has not been deadheaded, so it stops flowering once it sets seed.
Irregular watering — drought or waterlogging at the budding stage makes buds abort.
It is still too young or was checked by a transplant and is rebuilding before flowering.

Feeding gaillardia 'sun devil' a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.

The fix — how to get gaillardia 'sun devil' to flower

Maximise sun. Give gaillardia 'sun devil' the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers.
Switch the feed. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.
Deadhead regularly. Remove spent flowers often to keep it producing more rather than stopping to set seed.
Water consistently. Keep moisture even through budding and flowering — drought-then-flood swings make buds drop.

Light and feeding do most of the heavy lifting here. Dial in the spot with the light guide for gaillardia 'sun devil' and get the feeding right with the gaillardia 'sun devil' fertilising schedule — the wrong feed (too much nitrogen) is one of the most common silent reasons a healthy plant makes leaves instead of flowers.

Bloom season and what to expect

Gaillardia 'Sun Devil' flowers across its growing season (mostly summer) and, kept fed and deadheaded, can bloom for many weeks or right up to frost.

Post-bloom care so it flowers again

Deadhead, keep feeding lightly, and many will rebloom; collect seed from the best plants at the end of the season if you want to grow them again.

For everything else this plant needs day to day, see the full gaillardia 'sun devil' care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Gaillardia 'Sun Devil' blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my gaillardia 'sun devil' flower?

Gaillardia 'Sun Devil' blooms on the season's growth given enough sun, warmth and the right feed — there is no cold or photoperiod trick, just good growing conditions and a bloom-leaning feed. The most common reason it is not happening: Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.

How do I make gaillardia 'sun devil' bloom?

Give gaillardia 'sun devil' the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.

When does gaillardia 'sun devil' normally bloom?