9 Best Tips and Ways to Care for Dianthus

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tips and ways to care for dianthus

Dianthus are 1 inch tiny flowers which have ruffled edges and are usually found in attractive shades of pink.  These are perennial flowers which usually bloom and grow in mid-to-late springs. These flowers smell a little like cloves and can grow upto a size of 12 inches or higher.

What makes them special or unique is that they have finely spiked blue-green leaves.  Dianthus flowers grow well in rock gardens, containers and as edging plants but it is important to know how to take care of them if you are interested in growing them. The following are the best tips to care for dianthus:

tips and ways to care for dianthus

  • It is important to choose a location or spot for the flower which gets about 4 to 5 hours of sunlight every day. The soil must be rich, moist and well drained.
  • It is important to remember to water dianthus sparingly as they must not be overwatered. They can even live even if they are given less than an inch of water every week.
  • To encourage the growth of more blooms, you must always remove the faded flowers. These flowers usually continue to bloom even past mid-summer if the faded flowers are cut off regularly.
  • Another tip that can help you take care of dianthus is to fertilize it every 6 to 8 weeks with an all purpose liquid fertilizer. The fertilizer must be used based on the manufacturer’s instructions.
  • If you wish to start dianthus from the seeds in your garden, then you must sow the seeds one-eighth inch deep. After that, you will need to place soil firmly over the seeds and mist it everyday until the germination occurs which is usually within 2 weeks.
  • You must thin the seedlings when they are about 2 inches high so that they can stand about 12 to 18 inches apart from one another.
  • If you wish to plant transplants, then that must be done at the same level at which they were growing in nursery pots.
  • You may also need to improve the soil by spreading a 2 inch layer of compost and a 1 inch layer of well rotted manure on the soil’s surface.
  • You must also remember to dig up and divide the flowers every 3 to 4 years to encourage the flower growth throughout their life.