Carnations are a great cut flower, and can be used in a garden display.Carnation can be grown through plant hardiness zones 3 to 10.All varieties prefer a full sun position with well drained soil and air circulation.They thrive in soil that is neutral or alkaline.Pinching your perennial carnations will encourage more flowering.
Step 1: To help flowers grow, pinch your carnations.
More flowers will grow if carnations are pinched as they grow.If you want to grow flowers for cutting, pinching is important.Pinching helps the plant grow bushy instead of being a single tall stem, which some gardeners prefer.The height at which you pinch the stem off is what the plant should start to grow from.You can change the height of your plant.
Step 2: After the first half dozen leaves emerge, start pinching carnations.
The leaves will emerge from the leaf nodes.The plant is usually about 6 inches tall.Once the side stems emerge, do a second round of pinching.Once the stems are about 6 inches long, you should pinch them.If you purchase plants that are at least 6 inches (15.2 cm) high, they will have had their first pinching already.If this doesn't seem to have been done at the nursery, you may want to pinch the side stems once they reach 6 inches (15.2 cm) in length.If you grow your own carnations, you'll need to pinch them yourself.
Step 3: You can pinch your flowers with your fingers.
Remove or pinch off the tip of the stem above the sixth leaf nodes if the plant is less than 6 inches in height.You should be able to do this with your fingertips.The side shoots should emerge after this first pinching.Once the side shoots reach 5–6 inches (12.7–15.2 cm) in length, repeat the pinching process.It is a good time to stake your plant after you pinched it.Use garden wire or string to tie it to a garden cane.
Step 4: When the leaves begin to form, stop pinching.
Once the leaves start to form, stop pinching.If you want a long flowering season, pinch half of the stems.This way you get a couple of blooms.
Step 5: During dry weather, make sure to water your plants.
If you make sure the carnations are watered during dry weather, you can encourage them to flower again.They need to be watered about every 7 days through the summer or 3 days in very dry, hot weather.Give your carnations regular feeds, pinch the stems, and remove the withered flower heads.
Step 6: Protect your plants from the cold.
It's important to protect the flowers from the cold.It's important to keep them above 45F so you have a source of heat, even in a greenhouse.You can grow them as house plants.
Step 7: Nitrogen manures andfertilizers should not be used.
The carnations won't bloom if they are fertilized with high-nitrogen or manure.You should never mulch carnation plants.If planted outside, you should add lime to the soil to improve the alkalinity and use afertilizer that isn't too high in nitrogen relative to other components.
Step 8: The carnations should be fed with water-soluble fertilization every two weeks.
During the growing season, carnations need to be fed once every two weeks with a weak solution of water-solublefertilizer.Slow release fertilizers should be avoided.It takes too long for these to be used during the growing season.
Step 9: Continue plant health by dividing your carnations.
It won't perform as well after a few years.If you divide your plants at the root, you can make new plants.Use your hands to separate the root mass from the carnation.Water the divided sections.Once the soil is dry, continue watering.
Step 10: Take plants with you.
It's a great way to reproduce your carnation plants after a few years.You need to make sure your plant is healthy.A piece of fresh shoot can be cut early in the morning from a section that isn't flowering.Make sure your tools are sharp and not dirty when you cut below the leaf.Lower leaf growth should be removed.bury half the stem in some sand after dipping it in a rooting powder.Give the cutting water, cover with a transparent plastic bag, and put it in a well-lit place, but not in the sun.It's best to have a window ledge that isn't facing the sun.Keep the plants watered until they grow.
Step 11: The layering technique is used to propagate carnation plants.
A method called 'layering' can be used to make new carnation plants.Water the mix after mixing sand and compost close to the plant you want to grow.You want to remove leaves from the lower part of the body.Halfway along the length, use a craft knife to make a vertical slit in the stem.The cut middle stem area can be planted into the soil mix if you bend the stem over.You may need to use a piece of bent wire to keep it in the ground.Keep the soil mix moist for up to 2 months when it will be able to be replanted elsewhere.