The carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus) is also known as the carnation. It grows to a height of around 40 to 80 cm and blooms from around June to September. It originally comes from the Mediterranean region, but today adorns many local gardens.
How do you properly care for the carnation?
Carnation care (Dianthus caryophyllus) includes a sunny location with calcareous soil, consistent moisture, minimal fertilizer, protection from pests such as aphids, carnation rust and snails, and knowledge of its hardiness.
Planting the carnation
The carnation prefers rather dry or slightly moist soil in a sunny location. It can be calcareous. Plant your carnations either in spring or autumn at a distance of about 20 cm from the neighboring plant.
Water and fertilize the carnation
Water your carnation regularly so that the soil is always slightly moist and the plant does not dry out. Nevertheless, there should be no waterlogging. The carnation doesn't need a lot of fertilizer, but at least in spring it can tolerate a portion of good compost or other organic fertilizer. You may also want to give it some flowering plant fertilizer regularly in the summer months. Use calcareous fertilizer; one dose per month is sufficient.
Pests and diseases of the carnation
The carnation is quite susceptible to aphids, and occasionally also to carnation rust. It is also very popular with snails. If the infestation is small, collecting the annoying animals can help. If the infestation is more severe, you can put out slug pellets (€9.00 on Amazon). Rinse the aphids off with a strong jet of water or let parasitic wasps eat them.
You should definitely cut off plant parts affected by carnation rust early on, because if the infestation is severe you will have to dispose of the entire plant. However, compost is unsuitable for this, as the pathogenic germs remain here and can be transferred to other plants together with the compost that has been spread.
The carnation in winter
The carnation is hardy. It can tolerate frost between -15 °C and -18 °C without special winter protection. For a longer cold period, cover your carnations with a layer of brushwood. This also protects the plants from excessive moisture.
The most important things in brief:
- choose a sunny spot if possible
- preferably calcareous soil
- keep evenly moist
- susceptible to aphids and carnation rust
- likes to be eaten by snails
- hardy
Tip
The easy-care carnation prefers a sunny location, where it blooms for a long time and lushly.
