How to Plant Carnations

From Seeds

Sow the seeds in early Spring season. For best results, be sure that the soil is moist but not too wet.

Space seeds 12 inches (30 cm) apart. Cover with 1/4 inch (.6 cm) soil. Pat firmly.

Mist the seeds occasionally to promote moisture. Seeds should germinate in 2-3 weeks.

From Cuttings

Cut stem tips from a healthy carnation plant. Ideally, the tips should have 2-3 leaf nodes. Remove the stem immediately below a leaf node. Cut off the leaves from the bottom half of the stem tips.

Fill a planting container with coarse sand. Moisten it thoroughly. Repeat the same for each stem.

Push the stem tip about 1/3-1/2 of the way into the sand. Cut off any leaves that touch the sand.

Place the container in a spot where it will receive even, indirect sunlight. Use a spray bottle every day to keep the sand moist.

Use a trowel to loosen the cutting from the sand one month after it grows roots. Move it to a container with potting soil or a sunny garden spot.

By Division

Dig up an old carnation clump.

Separate the plant segments. This can be done using your hands or by using two gardening forks inserted in the center of the plant.

Replant each division. Water well.

In Pots

Transplant the carnations into large pots that are able to hold several plants. These pots should have drainage holes. Fill them up with fast-draining soil.

Dig shallows holes in the pot to accommodate the roots. Usually, you can plant 3 to 5 carnations in a ten-inch pot.

Pack the soil around the stems so that the root crown of the carnations remain slightly above the soil.

Do not prune the carnations until they have at least 10 pairs of leaves. Then, remove the top six pairs, forcing the carnations to branch out.

When watering, avoid getting moisture on the foliage. This can lead to potential fungi problems.

Fertilize the carnations once a week with 20-20-20 all-purpose plant food at half strength. Stop fertilizing the carnations during winter.