How to Care for Carnations

How to Care for Carnations

Carnations are one of the most commonly used flowers as a decoration in many homes and gardens, as they are very striking and require very little care to grow properly. There are countless varieties of carnations, among which we can highlight the so-called common carnation, the Chinese carnation or the dianthus. If you also want to enjoy these beautiful plants in your home, don't hesitate to consult this OneHowTo article on how to care for carnations.

Steps to follow:
1

The carnation is a flower that needs large doses of sunlight, so you will need to choose the place where you are going to put them carefully so that they can receive the sun's rays for most of the day. Also, if you live in a cold area, you should protect them from the cold.

2

As with most annual species, carnations are often grown in early spring from cuttings, while transplants are usually performed in autumn. Significantly, it is also possible to plant carnations with seeds, which should be placed about 10 cm (4 in) apart from each other. Use a sandy type of soil for the carnations, as these plants grown best in moist soil.

3

Similarly, it is vital that the soil in which you plant carnations is, as far as possible, porous and calcareous. You should also have a proper drainage system to ensure that water does not become stagnant and to prevent root rot.

4

In terms of watering carnations, it is worth noting that they need constant water but not too much of it. This should obviously be increased during spring and summer as they are warmer seasons.

Make sure the plants are always in between temperatures from 41°F to 59°F (5°C to 15°C) so, if you live in a country with a hot climate, make sure they are in the shade when temperatures rise.

5

Regarding the fertilizer you should give to carnations, it is important to add nutrients to the soil weekly during the summer, while during the rest of the year you'll have to fertilize them once a month.

6

When pruning your carnation, make sure you always leave around four nodes for new flowers to bloom, though you should always leave the stem intact.

Collect information from your garden center about the specific needs of different carnation species, as some may require different care to more generic varieties.

If you want to read similar articles to How to Care for Carnations, we recommend you visit our Gardening & plants category.

Tips
  • There is no need to add insecticide as these plants very scarcely have pests. Only use chemical products if you detect a pest.