Rules for planting and caring for Chinese carnation

Carnations of various varieties and species like to grow on their plots gardeners, respecting this flower for its many advantages.

Carnations bloom long and actively, their colorful flowers give a sense of celebration.

Such a clove as the Chinese has a special charm. It can be grown in pots and in open ground.

Growing Chinese Carnation through Seedlings

Chinese carnation grows in the form of a bush, the height of the stems of which reaches half a meter.The leaves of the plant are narrow, paired, long (sometimes - twisted). Dwarf subspecies can grow only up to 15 cm.

The carnation blooms with white, pink, purple, lilac and maroon flowers from June to August. This species is characterized by slots on the petals, a strip of bright burgundy color and the absence of smell.

The motherland of Chinese carnations is considered to be Korea and China, where its description was first published.

Seed preparation before planting

Seedlings do not have to buy in the store - it can be grown at home. Annual varieties of carnations are propagated exclusively by seeds, while perennial varieties are also propagated by cutting and dividing the bush.

Planting seeds should begin in spring - in March. In open ground, seeds can be placed in May - the Chinese clove is not afraid of light frosts.

Soil for growing seedlings

Before sowing Chinese cloves for seedlings, they prepare the soil in advance.

To do this, take the usual garden land in which it will continue to be grown, and add to it sand and vermiculite.

Can be used for germination a mixture of earth, peat, humus (ratio - 2: 2: 1) with an acidity of 6-6.5 pH.

How to plant seeds for seedlings

Seeds for seedlings are sown in the prepared soil in early spring. At the bottom of the container you need to lay out a layer of drainage, and the soil itself should be slightly wet. From above, the seedlings are covered with a 2 mm layer of earth and covered with paper or film. After the appearance of the first shoots, the film is removed.

Conditions for germinating seeds

When growing Chinese carnation from seeds, at the very beginning it is necessary to adhere to the temperature regime (+ 16-20 ° C) and regularly moisten the soil. Seedlings will appear in ten days, and then the temperature in the room is limited to + 10-15 ° C (so that the sprouts do not stretch out). The soil should be wet, but not wet, the humidity of the air is regulated in the range of 80-85%.

Temperature and free air exchange (ventilation) during the germination of seeds is very important.

Best of all seedlings will feel in a well-lit window. Of course, in the spring the seedlings may lack light, so the shoots need to provide additional artificial lighting, especially on cloudy days.

Caring for seedlings of carnations

After the first shoots appeared, the film for the daytime needs to be removed. They do this until the young sprouts take root.

In addition, in addition to a clear temperature regime, young seedlings need proper watering. Watering sprouts is necessary after complete drying of the soil, but you should not bring to wilting the leaves - it delays their growth.

As the seedlings develop, the ground is added to the stalks - this helps to strengthen the young stems. For dosed irrigation, you can use the spray.

Picking seedlings

When the seedlings appear 2-3 leaves, it is time to swoop down the Chinese carnation. Saplings are transplanted into small peat pots (cups) with a nutrient substrate. Before planting seedlings in open ground, it must be well strengthened.

For hardening, containers with seedlings can be taken out on a glazed balcony or loggia in good weather.

If the carnation is grown as an indoor flower, it is better to plant it in pots immediately.

Planting of Chinese carnation seedlings in open ground

This flower can be grown as indoor culture, and can be used as a greenery decoration.

Carnation is a light-loving plant, for the successful growth of which a light soil with a moderate degree of moisture is needed. The ideal place is a plot that gets direct sunlight. Before planting it is fertilized in the ground, and seedlings are planted at a distance of 20 cm.

Dates and choice of place for landing

The time when you can plant carnation seedlings in open ground is the end of May - the beginning of June.

The refined and exquisite Chinese carnation loves areas on which the sun is dry and enough. The longer the light day (16-18 hours), the faster it will bloom. With a lack of light, the stem becomes fragile, becomes thinner and wilts over time, and the flowers decrease in size.

Before planting, they dig up the area and fertilize with humus. If the carnation is planted in a flower bed, then we still need to remove the weeds.

The optimal scheme of planting seedlings

Before planting the bed is prepared, and the seedlings are planted at a distance of 20-30 cm from each other. Sprouts are transplanted along with the earthy ball, so as not to damage the root system.

To avoid stalk breakage, when the flower stalks appear, a special peg is placed next to each carnation, to which the flower stalks are tied.

Growing and caring for Chinese carnation

Carnation loves non-acidic, loamy, fertile soil. The Chinese carnation of water stagnates and overmoistening badly tolerates the carnation; therefore, when caring for it, it is necessary to observe the watering regime, as well as regularly loosen the soil and remove weeds.

Pinch the tops

In order for the carnation to bush and to be compact, the Chinese carnation seedlings are periodically squeezed over the 2-3nd pair of leaves.

How to conduct watering

Chinese clove is usually sufficient to be watered once a week. However, although the plant tolerates drought quite well, it needs abundant watering on hot days.

When watering, you need to make sure that the water does not fall on the buds - this will affect flowering and can cause diseases.

Fertilization

Houseplants require additional feeding, and the carnation responds well to fertilizers, responding with long and abundant flowering.

If the cultivation of Chinese cloves is carried out in a substrate without soil, then fertilizer should be applied at least once a week. If a mixture of soil and substrate is used for cultivation, the cloves can be fertilized every 14 days.

In the open field, the feeding of perennial carnations begins in the second year. To do this, use potassium or complex fertilizers for flowering plants (at the rate of 5 g per shrub).

Pruning buds

In order to prolong the flowering time of the carnation, the stems with faded buds are cut (up to 10-15 cm from the ground). After that, the land must be fertilized with mineral fertilizers, loosen and pour. Then, in time, new shoots will appear. Liked faded inflorescences can be left on the seeds for reproduction.

Pest and disease protection

Chinese carnation is very susceptible to pests and diseases. Especially dangerous for her are:

• rust;
• Fusarium;
• spotting;
• root rot;
• septoriosis and other viral diseases.

In order to avoid infection, you should not allow high humidity and thickening in areas where the cloves are grown.

If the plant is still sick, the affected seedlings are isolated and destroyed (burned).

Chinese carnation is attacked by such pests as:

• Bears;
• spider mite;
• thrips;
• nematodes;
• aphid;
• earwigs.

In the case of pests should be treated with clove Bordeaux liquid.

The combination of Chinese carnations with other plants

Chinese carnation as a bright and spectacular plant can not only decorate a flower garden, but also combine all its elements into a single whole, emphasizing the attractiveness of its neighbors.

1. Since the carnation is a minor plant, it is possible to pick out contrasting, colorful annuals (malcolmia, nemofil) in the company for it.
2. The bearded iris looks impressively against the background of carnations. Although it is extremely difficult to find partners for this handsome man, his flowers perfectly match each other with the Chinese carnation.
3. Salvia can serve as an excellent carnation neighbor in a flowerbed - it will also feel comfortable in a sunny and dry area.
4. A clove will harmoniously look among ground-cover plants (stonecrop, Veronica) against a background of stones.

Not bad as neighbors of Chinese carnations can be geranium, edelweiss, cereals. But poppies and delphiniums get along with this flower badly.

Wintering cloves chinese

Carnation tolerates cold in any region. To prepare for winter in late autumn, the plant stems are cut to 10 cm above the ground. It is not necessary to warm shrubs - to protect against frost, you can use peat, fallen leaves or sawdust.In the spring this shelter needs to be removed.

Ways of breeding carnations Chinese

Carnations are not long-lived, and after 3-4 years of flowering, they lose their decorative effect. In order not to lose your beloved plant, you need to multiply it regularly.

Division bush

Unpopular way, because it needs a powerful main root. It is best to carry out reproduction by dividing the root in early spring, then new plants will bloom in the very first season.

The bush is dug and neatly divided into several parts with a sharp blade. At the same time on each part there should be escapes.

Layering

In order to propagate the carnation in this way, an interstitial cut is made to the depth of the stem. After this, cut down the shoot is attached to the ground, fall asleep and moisturize. In this case, the plant first forms the roots, and then a new flower is formed.

Cuttings

The cuttings can be carried out in spring or autumn - the breeding time in this way does not matter much, although it is easier to find healthy carnations in autumn.

In early September, choose the most beautiful and abundant flowering bushes. They break off (with a part of the main stem) young apical twigs 10 cm long and cut the leaves in half.

For several hours, the cuttings should be dipped in a weak solution of manganese.Then they are planted in a prepared container (with drainage and earth) to a depth of 2 cm, keeping a distance of 5 cm. The earth around the cuttings is gently pressed.

After planting the soil is good to water and put the container with the cuttings in the container. The first week prunes pruneyut and regularly sprayed. Saplings will take root in a month. In winter, watering seedlings is not recommended, and to ensure their peace, cover them with a foliage of 15 cm. At a permanent place Chinese carnation can be planted in May.

Spring cutting is carried out from plants brought into a warm room in the fall and long-flowering. After the clove blooms, watering is gradually stopped, and the pot is moved to a cool place. Bush grafting can be used in February.

Carnation is a noble flower that adorns the garden and delights flower growers with its long flowering. Knowledge of how to properly seed Chinese carnations on seedlings,how to propagate in other ways, and also in what time to plant sprouts in the open ground and how to care for the plant, will allow you to admire these wonderful flowers all summer.