Brief Overview of Carnation And Their Popularity
Carnation is not only used as an ornamental flower due to its unique appearance but it is also used as a beauty cream due to its medicinal properties and skin-enhancing properties.
If you want to grow carnation successfully, then all your curiosity will be satisfied in this article.
Carnation is the most widely used flower in the world for decoration, especially to prepare a flower bed or container. Read the following article to know how you can plant carnation in your backyard garden and how to care for it.
If you want to put carnation flowers for fresh flowers in a vase, and if you do not want to buy from the market and want to put home-grown flowers, then read this article.
Carnation is a famous flower used for decoration. It comes in a variety of colors than other flowers and another notable thing is that it is taller than other flower species. The most beautiful species is chabaud’s (Dianthus caryophyllus).
Commercial flower growers grow the flowers in greenhouses at a certain temperature and remove the branches around each branch to provide more nutrients to the next main flower.
They are grown by cutting them. But if you want to grow them as seedlings at home, then growing them from seeds will be the best option.
Carnation is famous for its different colors and pungent aroma, and due to its property of staying fresh for a long time, it also looks great in a vase.
The advantage of these flowers is that they can also be eaten, they can be used in cakes, cold drinks, ice cream or even in salads. Its leaf soup is also drunk. According to one piece of information, its leaves should be removed before putting it in a vase, otherwise it will contaminate the water in the vase.
This flower comes from a place called “Mediterranean” or its place of origin and as far as this flower has been cultivated for the last 2000 years.
History & Different Species of Carnation:
Carnation has a rich heritage as it has been cultivated in various places. Carnation is a flower of the genus “Dianthus” which is a very popular flower species in modern times.
Its two other species are sweet William (Dianthus barbatus) and Garden pink (Dianthus plumarius). It is famous for its beautiful attractive leaves and pungent fragrance. The name of this species is derived from the ancient Greek words dios (meaning holy) and anthos (meaning flower)
Characteristics:
There are two types of carnation, in which there are two types (1) Annual and (2) Perennial which live every year or every year, it depends on the climate of your area.
Generally carnation is a long-lived species that depends on the climate of your area, but if you want a long life, then for that you need to take the right environment and proper care of carnation which increases its lifespan.
It comes in different varieties of colors such as pink, white and red varieties as well as blue and yellow with other color combinations, etc., and the special thing is that each variety also has different beautiful delicate leaves that increase its beauty many times over.
Where to buy seeds for sowing?
Generally, the last days of winter or the beginning of spring are very suitable for sowing seeds.
Start with high-quality sowing seeds:
Seeds of a famous and reputed company should be chosen, for this, factors like soil type, climate, etc. of your local region are effective.
Now for the next process, spread the seeds on the ground, and spread a light layer of manure or vermicompost on it and take care that the seeds do not go too deep into the soil so that they do not get the necessary heat, fertilizer, water, etc.
Sowing:
If you want to grow carnations as a business or if you want to grow carnations as a housewife a home caretaker or a general gardener, then this article will give you useful and necessary tips.
- As cut flowers in a flower shop or
- As a greenhouse cultivation.
- As a home decoration in a flowering plant or as an outdoor garden.
The species that die after flowering only once a year are more fragrant, while the species that flower every year are less fragrant.
Species that flower year-round need to be protected from frost and especially farmers using greenhouses do not allow the temperature to go below 45°F which is most suitable for them but if you live in a cold region then it is not useful for you.
In the opposite situation, some farmers use the Polytunnel method and maintain a certain temperature using lights or you can also use them as indoor plants in your house.
Sowing the seeds in well-drained, nutrient-rich soil or in plant pot.
When the carnation reaches a height of 5 inches, it should be planted in well-drained soil and keep in mind that the soil should not be too moist or waterlogged. Slightly moist or wet soil will be suitable but very muddy soil will not be suitable.
Supporting tall species with stakes.
Many farmers or greenhouse owners use the Staking method. In this method, it is desirable to cut off the high flower head at the front of the branch.
This is so that the flower buds around it can develop faster or grow faster. If you remove the front part using this method, the growth of the plant will slow down to the extent that the height of the plant will decrease.
But another advantage of this is that the number of flowers on the plant will increase significantly.
One thing to keep in mind here is that if you have brought the plant from a good quality nursery, this process will have already been done on it, but if you have planted the plant from seeds, then you should wait until the plant is 6 inches tall.
Fertilize according to the carnation’s specific needs.
Keeping a natural fertilizer around the seeds that have been planted or covering them with dry leaves, vegetable waste, etc. gives the germinated seeds and plants a good growth rate.
It is advisable to apply fertilizer mixed with water once a month. Before applying fertilizer, it is necessary to read the instructions specified on its packet, because it contains instructions on how much to apply, at what interval of time, etc., using excess fertilizer can also be harmful, but using fertilizer in the right amount and giving the best results leads to strong growth of the plant and abundant production of flowers.
The fertilizer used for carnation. Which is called slow-release fertilizer. If you add the right salts and nutrients to the soil using the fertilizer mentioned above, then you will continue to get its benefits for years release fertilizer helps in the rapid growth of the plant and increases the production of flowers, but as mentioned earlier, be careful not to damage the roots.
There is a special need for fertilizer in the summer season and it is advisable to give fertilizer only once a year.
Pest and Disease Prevention:
If yellow and black spots appear on the plant or leaves or any symptoms of any disease are seen, pay attention to it. It can be said that spider mites, aphids, thrips etc. can be removed by spraying insecticides and other means, as mentioned elsewhere.
Supporting and deadheading:
As seen in other flower species, one of the three flower buds or the middle one is picked so that the plant grows strong and produces more flowers.
It is often seen that the long branches of the plant, which are heavily loaded with leaves and flowers, are more likely to bend or break, so they should be supported with another dry branch of wood or other object or tied with a rope. Be careful not to tie them too tightly.
Step-by-Step Guide for Caring
Carnation care is easier than other flower species, but you need to pay attention to the following other things along with the above-mentioned tips. Such as
- It is necessary to keep enough space between the carnation plants so that other diseases like powdery mildew or fungal diseases do not spread and can be prevented.
- If the leaves are seen turning yellow, it means that the plant needs water or is not getting enough irrigation water.
- If we talk about sunlight, then at least 4 to 6 hours of full sunlight should be provided.
- If the content of the above salts in the soil is low, you can provide it separately through fertilizer.
- Water should be given 2-3 days a week.
What can you do to keep carnations kept in a vase fresh?
- First of all, when you buy the carnation from the flower shop, cut its stem in a V shape with a blade and keep it in a vase filled with fresh water so that these flowers remain fresh and shiny for a long time.
- Remove unnecessary leaves that are attached to the stem. These stale leaves increase bacteria, make the water dirty and reduce the shine of the flower. Also, since this flower is a cool-loving plant, it should be kept away from direct sunlight.
- Also, the water in the vase should be changed every 2-3 days. Due to constant water changes, the flowers will remain fresh and beautiful for a long time.
- Finally, a copper coin or such objects should be kept in the vase to keep the water fresh.
- Then water should be given very gently so that other seedlings are not damaged and then the required temperature should be maintained in the soil.