Hello, I am a carnation seed, a tiny speck of life waiting patiently. My journey begins with the touch of water. When a gardener places me on the surface of a moist, well-draining seed-starting mix and gently presses me down (I need light to wake up, so I shouldn't be buried deeply), I begin to drink. This is called imbibition. I swell, and my hard seed coat softens. Inside me, a miraculous biochemical process is triggered. Within 7 to 21 days, given a steady temperature of around 60-70°F (15-21°C), a tiny root called a radicle will emerge, anchoring me into the growing medium. My first mission is to establish a foothold and seek more water and nutrients.
Now securely anchored, I direct my energy upward. My hypocotyl, a stem-like structure, pushes towards the light, carrying my seed leaves (cotyledons) with it. These first leaves are not true carnation leaves; they are my initial food factories, absorbing light to fuel my growth. As my cotyledons unfurl and green up, I develop my first set of true leaves. These are slender and characteristic of my carnation lineage. During this tender stage, I am incredibly vulnerable. I need consistent moisture but despise soggy "feet," which can cause my roots to rot. Bright, indirect light is my best friend, strengthening my stem and encouraging robust leaf development. If I become too leggy, it means I am straining for more light.
This is my adolescence, a period of rapid growth where I focus on building a strong body. My root system expands into a dense network, branching out through the soil. Above the surface, my stem thickens, and I produce multiple sets of true leaves, which are now opposite, bluish-green, and grass-like. This is when a gardener might "pinch" me. While it may seem harsh, pinching the very tip of my main stem encourages me to branch out laterally. Instead of growing tall and spindly, I will become a bushier, fuller plant, which will ultimately support more flowers. I am a heavy feeder now, thriving with a balanced, diluted fertilizer to support all this new green growth.
Once I have matured and the days grow longer, I receive the signal to begin my reproductive phase. The apical meristem (the growing tip) stops producing leaves and starts forming a flower bud. This bud is a tightly packed cluster of miniature petals and reproductive organs. I channel all my energy into this bud, which slowly swells and elongates on a sturdy stalk. Finally, the sepals split back, and my petals unfurl in a spectacular display of color, fragrance, and form. This is my purpose, my way of attracting pollinators to ensure the next generation. With proper deadheading (removing spent blooms), I can be encouraged to produce more flowers, extending my blooming period for many weeks.
As the growing season ends and temperatures drop, my above-ground growth will slow and may even die back. Do not be alarmed! I am a perennial plant. My energy retreats to my crown and root system underground, where I will wait out the winter in a state of dormancy. With a protective layer of mulch, I can survive the cold. When the warmth of spring returns, I will tap into my stored energy reserves and send up new shoots, ready to begin the cycle of growth and flowering all over again, stronger and more established than the year before.
