Carnation grenadine: description and cultivation

We all want to have a beautiful and well-kept garden, but it is not always possible to devote enough time to it. Therefore, whenever possible, everyone tries to decorate it with flowers that are unpretentious to care for, and do not require a lot of effort. Let's talk about one of these plants - the grenadine carnation.

This flower belongs to the type of garden carnations. In their homeland in Mediterranean countries, it belongs to perennials, but in the climate of our country it is a biennial plant... The saturated flowering period falls just in the second year. This garden carnation can grow as a perennial, but then the flowers will not be as lush, and the flowering time is rather short. The plant can reach 70 cm in height, the minimum height is 50 cm, the stem is straight and knotty, the leaf shape is linear. The diameter of the leaves is about 30 cm, and the color is green.

During flowering, several flowers can be located on one stem, their size is from 3 to 5 cm in diameter. Flowers may have differences that are related to varietal affiliation. Some flowers can be double or semi-double, and have solid or jagged edges. After the flower fades, poly-seeded capsules are formed in its place, in which there are very small seeds.

One of the popular varieties of grenadine cloves is "Carrot King"whose flowering period is from July to August. As is inherent in this variety, abundant flowering is observed in the second year. The height of the bushes usually ranges from 50 to 60 cm. The diameter of the flower itself is 5 cm. It is better to plant in sunny areas of the garden. It tolerates cold weather well. Variety "The Rose" reaches a height of 60 cm and has narrow and bright green leaves. The flowers have a pale pink hue, which is where the name of the variety itself originated. The diameter of the flowers is 5 cm. This variety is distinguished by its unpretentiousness and excellent frost resistance, it also tolerates drought well and does not require specialized care.

There are several ways how to grow a carnation, namely:

• using seedlings;
• growing from seeds in the open field.

There are several rules for choosing a planting site so that the plant grows well. For example, the area for the culture should be well lit, if you want to create a composition in the shade, then the sun's rays should illuminate this area for at least 6 hours a day... The soil must be permeable and not retain moisture. It is best to choose a light soil. You should not plant a flower in cold and clay soils, as a rule, it does not take root in them. It is best to plant carnations on slopes, because in the spring, when the snow thaws, the moisture level will increase and the plant may die. For a good harvest of seeds, it is better to do organic fertilizing of the flower; humus or manure will be the best option.

With this growing method you must do the following.

• Prepare the beds so that the soil is sufficiently loose and nutrient-rich and has a good cultivation capacity. For this, in some cases, the soil is mixed with river sand.
• It is best to choose lighted areas and plant in May or June.
• The seeds are immersed in the ground to a depth of about 1 cm, followed by a layer of substrate and light moistening.
• In order for the top layer to have the necessary moisture, it is covered with agril.

It is important to remember that until the seeds have germinated, the soil must be constantly moist and dry out must be avoided. Usually the plant begins to break through after 7 or 10 days. Already during this period, you can remove the shelter. After a month, the plants will become quite strong and can be transplanted for growing. The beds with carnations should be located at a distance of at least 15 cm from each other, and the flowers themselves at a distance of about 6 cm. Young flowers dive and arrange a canopy above them, which will protect them from direct exposure to sunlight. When the active growth phase begins, the canopy can be removed.

It is recommended to do a carnation transplant in the evening or in cloudy weather. At the end of summer, already quite strong and strong plants can be transplanted into a flower garden. In the first year, the carnation creates small compact bushes, the height of which is about 9 or 10 cm, and the width is no more than 15 cm. On a mature plant, the number of shoots can reach 100 pieces. In the second year from June or early July, the buds will begin to bloom. Abundant flowering will last for about a month, and the long total flowering period reaches 60 days.

Special care of the plant is not required, however, some things should still be done. For example, it is necessary to apply fertilizers on a regular basis and prevent the soil from drying out, as well as periodically loosen it. In some cases, additional care may be required, which will consist in sheltering the bush from too scorching sun or creating support in case of strong gusts of wind.

Top dressing is best done 3 times per season. The first, usually occurs two weeks after the bush is planted in open ground. It is better to fertilize with ammonium nitrate, which is mixed with superphosphate. Perform the second feeding during bud formation. Then the best option for fertilization is potassium sulphide mixed with superphosphate. And the final third feeding is performed during the flowering of the bush, since then the flower spends a lot of energy on this process. The basis of fertilizers should be potassium and phosphorus.

The soil should be loosened on a regular basis, however, do not forget that the root system of the grenadine carnation is located close enough to the surface of the earth, so you should be as careful as possible. This event is mandatory, since the formation of crusts on the surface of the substrate is bad for the plant.

Since this plant belongs to the category of those that tolerate drought well, it is still worth watering it on time. This should be done especially during the active growth phase and when buds begin to form. When the flowering process occurs and seeds are formed, watering can be reduced. Typically, during dry periods, watering should be done twice a week. If you want to prolong flowering, then you should cut off the faded buds at the base.

Collect in the second year of the life of the bush. Seeds are harvested from dead buds in August or late July. If seeds are harvested from the very first buds, they will have the highest germination rate. The seeds are removed from the boxes and laid out in a thin layer on cardboard sheets. The room should be cool and well ventilated.After the seeds have completely dried, they are collected in paper bags and stored in this form until the next sowing.

The most dangerous for a given culture, the following are considered:

• bear;
• thrips;
• nematodes.

Usually they get rid of them with insecticides. Often, a plant that has been fertilized too much with nitrogenous varieties of top dressing is affected by fungal types of diseases. Also, soil that is too waterlogged causes fungal infections of the culture. One of the most common diseases of cloves are:

• fusarium;

• rust;

• mottling;

• alternaria.

Due to fusarium, the growth of the bush slows down and the plant dries out. During the disease with rust on the leaves of the plant, you can notice minimal swelling. To avoid various diseases, it is necessary to properly care for the plant, and those crops that have already undergone the disease should be removed so that the disease does not spread to other plants. An important rule when planting is that it is forbidden to plant carnations next to tulips.

The best combination in a flowerbed with a carnation will be yarrow, gypsophila. Carnations go well with irises, and the combination with roses will also be the most effective. As you can see, this variety of carnations is unpretentious and does not need special care, however, it will be a great addition to your garden. The flowers of this plant are very interesting and bright, and their different texture will create interesting combinations in your garden.

See below for more details.