Gaillardia (Blanket Flower) in Zone 3a & 3b

Gaillardia x grandiflora

Yes, gaillardia (blanket flower) grows in zones 3a and 3b. Start seeds indoors Apr 11–Apr 18 and plant out Jun 6–Jun 13.

When to plant gaillardia (blanket flower) in zone 3b

Zones 3a and 3b share the same average frost dates, so this page covers both.

Method: Either: Start indoors for an earlier harvest, or direct-sow outside for less fuss. Either works.

Start indoors	Apr 11–Apr 18
Direct sow / transplant outside	Jun 6–Jun 13
Estimated bloom	Aug 25–Sep 1 (~80 days after planting)

Spacing: 1 per square foot (square-foot-gardening spacing). Mature height: 1-1.5 ft.

Full gaillardia (blanket flower) profile · Companion planting guide · Zone 3b planting calendar

Plant alongside it in zone 3b

These go outside within two weeks of gaillardia (blanket flower) in zone 3b, so one planting day can cover them.

NasturtiumJun 6–Jun 13
MarigoldJun 6–Jun 13
Ageratum (Flossflower)Jun 6–Jun 13
Annual Geranium (Pelargonium)Jun 6–Jun 13
Butterfly Weed (Asclepias)Jun 6–Jun 13
Campanula (Bellflower)Jun 6–Jun 13

Gaillardia (blanket flower) is one of the few heat-tolerant annuals here that stays put instead of sprawling across the bed. It forms a tidy 10-15 inch mound and just keeps blooming through the kind of summer heat that shuts down less tolerant flowers.

How gaillardia (blanket flower) fits zone 3's season

Zone 3b's frost-free window runs about 98 days, from May 30 to September 5. Gaillardia (blanket flower) needs about 80 days from sowing to first bloom.

Gaillardia (Blanket Flower) planting windows in every zone

Zone 3b is highlighted. Useful for comparing against a neighbouring zone, or for a garden somewhere else.

Zone	Start indoors	Sow or plant out	Bloom
3a & 3b (your zone)	Apr 11–Apr 18	Jun 6–Jun 13	Aug 25–Sep 1
4a & 4b	Mar 27–Apr 3	May 22–May 29	Aug 10–Aug 17
5a & 5b	Mar 22–Mar 29	May 17–May 24	Aug 5–Aug 12
6a & 6b	Mar 7–Mar 14	May 2–May 9	Jul 21–Jul 28
7a & 7b	Feb 20–Feb 27	Apr 17–Apr 24	Jul 6–Jul 13
8a & 8b	Feb 4–Feb 11	Apr 1–Apr 8	Jun 20–Jun 27
9a & 9b	Dec 28–Jan 4	Feb 22–Mar 1	May 13–May 20
10a & 10bFall window	Not usually	Sep–Nov	~80 days after planting
Spring window	Not usually	Jan–Apr	~80 days after planting

Bloom dates are about 80 days after the sow or plant-out date, not after starting seeds indoors.

Good companions

No well-established companions for gaillardia (blanket flower).

Where to buy gaillardia seeds

True Leaf Market · Burpee (each supplier's gaillardia seeds)

Varieties we recommend, and where to get them:

Arizona Sun: A 2005 All-America Selections Flower Winner: mahogany-red, yellow-edged blooms on a compact 8-10 inch mound, and it performed well from seed in its first year in AAS trials. Buy: Burpee Full notes
Mesa Yellow: The first F1 gaillardia grown from seed, a 2010 AAS winner that AAS notes as more uniform and floriferous than older varieties and specifically resistant to going loose and floppy. Buy: True Leaf Market Full notes
Goblin: An older, seed-propagated dwarf at 12-14 inches with flat red rays tipped in yellow, per University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension. Buy: Botanical Interests Full notes

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See it growing

Search YouTube for "growing gaillardia (blanket flower)" videos → (a live search, not a hand-picked video; results vary and aren't vetted by us)

← Back to the full zone 3b calendar · Plan your beds in the Garden Designer →

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Growing Gaillardia (Blanket Flower) in USDA zone 3b: when to start seeds indoors, when to direct-sow, and when to expect a bloom.

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