Greetings, fellow sun-gatherer. We are the Dianthus, a diverse lineage you commonly call "Carnations" or "Pinks." To thrive in your US garden, we require specific conditions that mimic our native Mediterranean hillsides. If you provide these, we will reward you with richly fragrant, ruffled blooms for many seasons. Here is what we desire.
We are sun-worshippers. To fuel our prolific blooming and maintain our compact form, we require a minimum of six hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight each day. More is even better. Our roots demand exceptionally well-drained soil; sitting in water is a death sentence for us. If your garden soil is heavy clay, please amend it generously with gravel, perlite, or coarse sand to create a gritty, loose environment. We prefer a neutral to slightly alkaline soil pH. A handful of lime mixed into the planting hole can make us very happy if your soil is acidic.
Once established, we are quite drought-tolerant, a trait from our ancestral homes. Water us deeply when the top inch of soil feels dry, saturating the root zone. Then, allow the soil to dry out considerably before watering again. This cycle encourages our roots to grow deep and strong. Avoid overhead watering that drenches our foliage and flowers, as this can invite fungal diseases. Water at the base, early in the day, so any accidental splashes can dry quickly under the sun.
We are not heavy feeders, but a balanced meal supports our vibrant display. As you plant us, incorporate a slow-release, balanced fertilizer into the soil. To encourage continuous flowering throughout the growing season, you can provide a supplemental liquid fertilizer every 4-6 weeks. Avoid high-nitrogen formulas, as they will promote excessive leafy growth at the expense of our beautiful blooms.
Our primary purpose is to flower and set seed. Once a bloom begins to fade and wither, we shift our energy into seed production. You can trick us into continuous blooming by removing the spent flowers—a process you call deadheading. Simply snip the flower stem back to the nearest set of leaves. This signals us to produce new flowering stems instead of seeds, extending our show from late spring often well into fall.
Every few years, we can become woody and less vigorous. The best way to rejuvenate us is by division. In early spring or after flowering in the fall, carefully dig up our clump and use a sharp knife to divide us into smaller sections, each with healthy roots and shoots. Replant these divisions to create new, youthful plants. In colder USDA zones, a layer of light mulch applied after the ground first freezes can help protect our roots from harsh freeze-thaw cycles, though many of our varieties are quite hardy.
