From our perspective as perennial carnations (Dianthus), our foremost requirement is abundant sunlight. To initiate the strong growth and prolific blooming you desire, we need a minimum of six hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight each day. Please choose a garden bed with excellent drainage; our roots are highly susceptible to rot if left in consistently waterlogged soil. A slightly elevated or sloping site is ideal. We also prefer a sweet to neutral soil pH. If your soil is too acidic, amending it with a bit of garden lime will make us much more comfortable and help us absorb nutrients efficiently.
You can introduce us to your garden as young plants in the spring after the last frost. Please dig a hole that is twice as wide as our root ball but of the same depth. Gently loosen our roots to encourage them to spread outward into their new home. Place us in the hole so that our crown—the point where our stems meet the roots—is level with the soil surface. Planting us too deeply can cause our crown to rot. Backfill the hole, firm the soil gently around us, and provide a thorough initial watering to settle the soil and eliminate air pockets around our roots.
Once established, we are quite drought-tolerant, but we will perform best with consistent moisture. Water us deeply when the top inch of soil feels dry, but always avoid wetting our foliage, as this can invite fungal diseases. A light application of a balanced, slow-release fertilizer in early spring will give us the energy for a spectacular display of flowers. To encourage continuous blooming and maintain a tidy appearance, please deadhead our spent flowers by cutting the stem back to a set of leaves. This signals to us to produce more blooms rather than expend energy on seed production.
As perennials, we have a natural cycle that includes a period of winter dormancy. In colder climates, a light layer of evergreen boughs or straw mulch applied after the ground first freezes can help protect our crown from severe temperature fluctuations. Avoid heavy mulches that hold moisture, as this will harm us. Every two to three years in the early spring, you may notice our center becoming woody and open. This is the time to divide us. Carefully lift the clump, discard the woody center, and replant the vigorous outer shoots. This reinvigorates us and ensures many more years of vibrant growth and fragrance in your garden.
