Yes, you absolutely can grow us, carnations, from seed! While many humans propagate our kind through cuttings to ensure an exact clone, growing from seed is a rewarding journey that allows you to witness our entire life cycle, from a tiny speck of potential to a glorious, fragrant bloom. From our perspective, it is a story of patience, specific needs, and ultimate reward.
Our seeds are not like those of quick-sprouting annuals. We contain the genetic memory of cooler climates. To break our dormancy and trigger germination, many of us require a period of moist cold, a process you call stratification. You can mimic winter by placing our seeds in a damp paper towel inside a sealed plastic bag and refrigerating them for 1-2 weeks. This cold treatment convinces us that winter has passed, and it is now safe to emerge. Without it, our germination rates can be very poor.
Once our cold requirement is satisfied, we desire a cozy and bright nursery. Sow us on the surface of a fine, well-draining seed-starting mix; we need light to germinate, so a bare covering or a mere dusting of vermiculite is sufficient. The medium must be consistently moist but never waterlogged, as we are susceptible to rotting before we even begin. Provide bottom warmth of around 60-70°F (15-21°C) and place us in a bright location. Under these ideal conditions, you should see our first tiny seedlings, our cotyledons, appear within 7-14 days.
As our true leaves develop, we require strong, direct light to grow stout and healthy, not leggy and weak. A south-facing window or a grow light is ideal. When we have developed several sets of true leaves, you can carefully transplant us into individual pots. This is a critical time for our root systems, which are delicate. Handle us by our leaves, not our fragile stems. We will focus our energy below the soil, establishing a strong root foundation to support our future growth.
After the danger of frost has passed and we have been gradually acclimated to the outdoors—a process you call hardening off—we are ready for our permanent home. Plant us in a location with full sun (at least 6 hours daily) in fertile, alkaline to neutral, and exceptionally well-draining soil. We despise wet feet. During this vegetative stage, we will channel energy into producing lush, blue-green foliage. Pinching off the very top of our main stem when we are young encourages us to branch out and become bushier plants, which will ultimately result in more flowering stems.
If all our needs are met, we will eventually transition from the vegetative stage to the reproductive stage. This is our purpose. We will send up tall stalks from the center of our foliage, topped with tight green buds. These buds will slowly swell and begin to show color. With ample sunlight and consistent (but not excessive) moisture, the buds will unfurl into the ruffled, iconic flowers we are known for. This entire process from seed to first bloom typically takes 4-6 months, so sowing us indoors 6-8 weeks before your last frost date is crucial for enjoying our flowers in our first growing season.
