Dianthus is a flowering plant genus with 300 species. We cultivate dianthus that we sell in bedding flats, as well as perennial dianthus that come back year after year at Bob’s. In general, dianthus is a hardy plant. It would be difficult to kill, even for someone with a brown thumb. However, here are a few pointers to help you get the most out of your dianthus.
To begin with, there is some misunderstanding concerning our dianthus in bedding flats.
Although we sell it as an annual, many customers believe it to be a perennial.
Our geographical position is the source of the ambiguity.
These dianthus plants are biennials, or short-lived perennials, but due to our unpredictably harsh winters, they could be killed in a strong freeze or survive a mild winter.
That is why they are sold as a “annual.”
Basically, we only sell plants as perennials if we are confident that they can survive our winters.
It’s more like a 25 percent likelihood with bedding dianthus.
Choose a location that gets plenty of sun and has well-drained soil, especially with a neutral to alkaline pH. Wet soils are not suitable for Dianthus, especially in the winter.
Plant in the spring or fall, 6 to 12 inches apart depending on the kind. Prepare the garden bed by loosening the soil to a depth of 12 to 15 inches using a garden fork or tiller, then mixing in a 2- to 4-inch layer of compost. Dig a hole twice the diameter of the container of the plant. Remove the plant from its pot and carefully set it in the hole, making sure the top of the root ball is level with the soil surface. Fill in around the root ball with care and firm the dirt carefully. Thoroughly wet the area.
To conserve moisture and suppress weeds, apply a thin coating of compost in the spring, followed by a 2-inch layer of mulch. If there is less than 1 inch of rain per week throughout the summer, water your plants. To keep tall varieties erect, stake them. To stimulate rebloom, remove spent blooms from tall kinds or shear back mounding plants after bloom. Cut stems back to an inch or two above the soil line after the first fatal frost. As new growth develops in the spring, divide plants every 3 to 4 years by lifting and splitting them into clumps.
Will dianthus survive winter?
Annual dianthus tolerates minor frost well, but strong freezes can be damaging. Dianthus can be grown as a winter annual in milder climates.
Do dianthus plants come back every year?
These plants are perennials with a short life span, although they are commonly planted as annuals in Missouri and other colder climates. Annuals have a single growing season. Many Dianthus types, on the other hand, self-seed every year. That is to say, they re-grow each spring.
Do you cut dianthus back for winter?
Dianthus plants (Dianthus spp.) produce consistent flowers in the summer and can be found growing in USDA plant hardiness zones 3 through 9, depending on the cultivar. The flowers, often known as carnations or pinks, are available in over 300 various colors, sizes, and shapes. Trimming the plants properly encourages reblooming and keeps the foliage and stems in good shape and health. Dianthus plants can take a lot of pruning and respond by producing more flowers and lusher foliage.
How do you keep dianthus over winter?
Plant hardiness varies depending on the species in the genus. The vast majority of Dianthus species grow well in the home garden and are ideal for planting and growing in USDA zones 3 to 9.
If you’re not sure whether the plants will make it through the winter, grow seedlings or take cuttings from the plant for the following season. During the growing season, most carnations reach a height of 24-inches, but sweet Williams only reaches 18-inches.
Pinks grow into 6- to 10-inch-high mounds, and alpine pinks are the smallest species in the genus, reaching only 4 to 6-inches in height. Dianthus alpinus is an excellent choice for rock gardens.
Short pinks that form mounds in the yard, as well as in window boxes and rockeries, create a captivating accent. Tall sweet Williams and carnations are best used in flowerbeds further back, where they can tower over other flowers and bushes, adding a layer of color to the area.
All Dianthus species thrive in locations of the garden that receive direct sunlight throughout the day. Gardeners who plant in places with afternoon shade may notice that their plants flower later and with less vigor.
Dianthus dislikes getting its “feet wet,” hence it needs well-drained soil. The development of disease and root rot in the plant might be caused by overly saturated soil. To prevent diseases like white powdery mildew and rust, gardeners must ensure that the plant receives appropriate airflow through the foliage and blossoms.
Work some rich compost into the soil in the flowerbed before planting your Dianthus. Try to loosen the soil to a depth of 12 inches, then incorporate the compost into the soil thoroughly. Add another 1-inch top-dressing around the base of the plant in the spring to help the plant with the blossoming phase by driving additional nutrients into the soil.
Gardeners should water their new Dianthus plants once a week at the very least, and let the soil dry out between waterings. Fertilize your Dianthus with a 20-10-20 ratio all-purpose liquid plant fertilizer. Late in the spring, you can also sprinkle a slow-release granular fertilizer around the base of the plant.
To avoid the production of seeds, gardeners must snip or pinch off the dead blooms and encourage a second wave of blooming before the end of the growth season. Gardeners should trim back flower stems to the ground at the end of the growth season.
Place a 4-inch layer of mulch around the base of your Dianthus before the first frosts reach the ground for extra winter protection. After the last frosts have passed, remove the mulch and let the plant to begin its growing season.
How cold can dianthus survive?
Whether you have perennial or annual dianthus will determine this. Perennial dianthus is very cold hardy, ranging from -20 to -30 degrees Fahrenheit depending on cultivar. The leaves of perennial dianthus are silvery gray in tone and resemble grass blades. The leaves of the annual dianthus are dark green and flat. Annual dianthus is only hardy to about 30 degrees Fahrenheit. Many individuals, though, believe it is perennial. It isn’t the case. The reason they get plants again the next year is because they reseed, not because they come back from the roots, as perennials do. If planted in a window box or container, a plant that is ordinarily cold hardy to zone 0 (zone 7) must be hardy to zone 6. Your first line of defense against cold damage is water. You could instead use a sheet, burlap, or another textile instead of plastic. At Walmart, every annual product has a UPC that is highlighted in red. A UPC was outlined in purole on every perennial product. Whether at Walmart, Lowe’s, or Depot, all plant tags should clearly state “Annual” or “Perennial.” If it doesn’t, it may have fallen out; examine other pots in the vicinity of the one you wish to buy. If none of them have it, the tagging process at the supplier may have been overlooked. The UPC also includes the names of all suppliers. If your plant doesn’t have a tag, you can call the supplier with a full description and they should be able to tell you if it’s an annual or perennial.
Is Firewitch dianthus a perennial?
With highly fragrant rose-pink flowers and gorgeous gray-blue evergreen foliage, Dianthus Firewitch is a wonderful Garden Pink. The Perennial Plant Association (PPA) had its annual meeting in 2005. Perennial plant that is drought resistant or tolerant (xeric).
Why is my dianthus dying?
When a plant is affected with storage rot, also known as botrytis blight, the petals of cut flowers turn dark. It’s possible that the cut stem ends will decay. This is most common when there is a lot of humidity, and it can be treated with a fungicide.
Should dianthus be cut back?
Dianthus Pruning Trimming back some mounding dianthus plants can assist retain the plant’s form and promote healthy branching. During the summer growing season, any excessive or leggy stems growing from the plant can be trimmed back.
Will dianthus rebloom if cut back?
To rebloom, the dianthus frequently sold as a cool-season annual (D. chinensis) does not need to be deadheaded or trimmed back. Allow some blooms to go to seed, especially with short-lived perennials or biennials like maiden pinks or sweet William, to encourage new, volunteer plants to take their place.