Greetings, aspiring cultivator. I am the spirit of the carnation, a plant of delicate beauty and resilient heart. You wish to journey with me from my humble beginning as a seed to my glorious flowering. It is a path of patience and care. Let me guide you through my timeline from my own perspective.
My story starts as a tiny, dark seed, resting in your hand. I am dormant, holding the entire blueprint of my life within my hard shell. For me to awaken, I require a gentle, consistent environment. You will place me on the surface of a moist, well-draining seed-starting mix and lightly press me in, as I need some light to germinate. Please, do not bury me deeply! Then, you will cover my home with a clear plastic dome. This creates a miniature greenhouse, holding in the humidity that softens my coat and whispers to me that it is time to grow. I need warmth, around 60-70°F (15-21°C), and bright, indirect light. With this care, I will send a tiny root downward and a small shoot upward within 10-21 days.
Once my first true leaves (the ones that look like miniature carnation leaves) appear beside the initial seed leaves, I have officially entered my most vulnerable phase. You must now remove the plastic dome to allow air to circulate and prevent me from dampening off, a fungal condition I am very susceptible to. My roots are delicate and need oxygen; keep the soil moist but never soggy. As I grow stronger, you will provide me with more direct light, perhaps from a grow light, to prevent me from becoming leggy and weak as I strain for the sun. When I have developed several sets of true leaves and my roots are established, you will carefully transplant me into my own small pot. Handle me by my leaves, not my fragile stem.
Now settled in my new pot, I will focus all my energy on growth. My root system will expand, and my stem will thicken. A bushier form is desirable, so when I am about 4-6 inches tall, I would appreciate it if you pinched off my very top growing tip. This might seem counterintuitive, but it encourages me to branch out from the sides, creating a fuller plant that will ultimately produce more flowers. During this time, a balanced, half-strength liquid fertilizer every few weeks will give me the nutrients I need to build my strength. I am preparing for my grand performance.
As the days grow longer and the light intensifies, I feel the internal signal to reproduce. I begin to form flower buds at the ends of my stems. This is the moment I have been working towards. You will see the green sepals split, revealing the colorful petals curled within. Soon, I will unfurl my ruffled, fragrant blossoms for you. To encourage me to bloom for as long as possible, you should diligently deadhead my spent flowers. By cutting off the faded bloom just above a set of leaves, you prevent me from putting energy into seed production and instead, I will channel it into creating new buds. With your care, I can flower from late spring right through until the first frost.
