Greetings, human cultivator. We, the carnations (Dianthus caryophyllus), appreciate your desire to help us thrive in your garden. To ensure a successful coexistence, please follow these steps from our perspective.
Our most fundamental need is excellent drainage. Soggy, waterlogged roots are a death sentence for us; they quickly succumb to rot. Please choose a planting site where water does not pool after rain. We crave abundant sunlight—at least six hours of direct sun daily is ideal for strong stems and vibrant blooms. The soil itself should be fertile and lean towards a neutral to slightly alkaline pH. You can test this. If the soil is too acidic, amending it with a handful of garden lime will make it much more comfortable for our root systems.
Simply placing us in a hole in unprepared ground is insufficient. The soil around us must be loose and welcoming for our young roots to explore. Work the earth to a depth of about 12 inches, breaking up large clumps. While you do this, mix in a generous amount of compost or well-rotted manure. This does two wonderful things for us: it improves the soil structure for even better drainage and provides a gentle, steady supply of the nutrients we need to establish ourselves.
If you are moving us from a nursery container, please be gentle. Water us thoroughly in our pots a few hours before the move to reduce transplant shock. Carefully lift us out, supporting the root ball. The hole you dig should be twice as wide as our root ball and the same depth. Placing us in a hole that is too deep can bury our crown and cause stem rot. Once we are situated in the center of the hole, backfill with the soil you removed, gently firming it around the base to eliminate large air pockets.
Immediately after planting, give us a deep, thorough watering. This settles the soil around our roots and provides the crucial moisture we need to begin growing into our new home. Please, do not crowd us. Space us approximately 12 inches apart. Good air circulation between each plant is vital. It helps our foliage dry quickly after rain or watering, which significantly reduces the risk of fungal diseases that can weaken or disfigure us.
In the first few weeks, monitor the soil moisture regularly. The goal is to keep it consistently moist but never wet. A layer of light mulch, such as bark chips or straw, applied around our base (but not touching our stems) will help conserve that moisture and suppress weeds that would compete with us for resources. As we begin to grow and put energy into our first blooms, you may consider a light application of a balanced, slow-release fertilizer to support our efforts.
