Chinese carnation - "Shanghai lights": planting and care. Chinese carnation from seeds: growing seedlings and caring in the garden
Chinese carnation rightfully considered one of the most beautiful decorative garden flowers for more than a century. Its popularity does not fall due to the work of breeders who delight lovers of fragrant garden decoration with new forms and varieties. A variety of colors and sizes allows the carnation to be widely used to decorate alpine slides and rockeries, green lawns, flower beds and mixborders. Lush hats of flowers also look good against the background bush plantings, as solo plants, and in a variegated collection.
Choosing a landing site and care rules
Active flowering and growth of Chinese carnation bushes can only be achieved in well-lit areas. Even the bright sun in the middle of the day in summer is not for her. negative impact. On a well-warmed and sunny hillock, the carnation will feel great. Slight shading on the southeastern and southwestern slopes, the shade is more large plants is not considered a hindrance to it if the total time in the sun is at least half a daylight hours.
Carnation does not tolerate too wet places.
Stagnation of moisture has a detrimental effect on the plant, causing diseases and rotting of the root system.
In regions where there are rainy, cool periods in summer and autumn, it is worth picking up elevated places with good water flow for Chinese carnations. by the most good decision there will be an alpine slide or raised above general level flowerbed landscape. A carnation can also grow and bloom well in a flowerpot, if it is necessary to provide holes for drainage in it.
Top dressing in the 1st year after planting can be omitted if the soil has been properly prepared. From the 2nd year of life, perennial Chinese cloves need to be fed twice a season with complex fertilizer (necessarily with a potassium content). You can pick up in the store mixtures labeled "for flowering plants and use them as instructed. Usually, the 1st top dressing is done before flowering, when the beginnings of buds appear on the bushes.
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Carnation is very demanding on the composition and acidity of the soil. Even an outwardly suitable elevated place can have soil with too high acidity, and the owner of the site will be perplexed about why carnations do not bloom even with careful care. When preparing the soil for planting, it is imperative to add lime-containing substances to the soil: chalk, ground shell or egg shell, fluff, limestone, gypsum. This is especially true for regions with big amount rainfall and in areas located in lowlands, near forests, on drained swampy lowlands.
Heavy and clay soils will also not allow you to fully enjoy the flowering of carnations. In the presence of compacted, difficult to dig soil in places where you want to plant a carnation, you must first add some sand to the soil to ensure good air permeability of the flower bed. Depending on the density of the earth, up to 1 bucket of fine river sand per 1 m² of area may be required. by the very the best soil dry, light sandy and loamy soils are considered for carnations.
What varieties to prefer for planting
The choice of varieties for flower beds or landscape design entirely depends on the desire of the author of the composition. In border plantings, it is better to prefer undersized compact bushes of modern varieties "Ideal Rose", "Perfit Strawberry" and the like. This dwarf hybrids and varieties with a large number of flowers of a white-pink range of shades, up to 20 cm high. They will also be appropriate on alpine hills or in stone gardens, as they have non-double corollas characteristic of wild carnations.
Their flowering is usually short, but when grown in suitable conditions such varieties may bloom again closer to autumn. It helps to increase the flowering period and provokes the 2nd wave of budding and pruning of peduncles with seed boxes. Then new buds begin to form in the axils of the leaves, and the plant can again please beautiful flowers caring hosts.
A variety of Chinese carnation that can be grown as an annual crop in the northern regions is the "geddeviga" carnation. Based on it, many varieties have been created with charming double and semi-double flowers. Many varieties have white edging on the edges of the petals, which gives them extra showiness.
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This group includes rather compact varieties (20-25 cm tall): "minstrel" with burgundy-white corollas, "schneeball" - pure white, "schwarzer prince" and "gypsy" (their flowers have an almost black color of petals with a contrasting white border). For those who want to get carnations different color, seed producers produce variety mixtures under common name"Chinese terry carnation mix". It includes seeds different varieties. Flowers sown on a Moorish-type lawn will give it the necessary variegation.
A distinctive feature of the geddewig variety is the absence of the smell characteristic of Chinese cloves. Therefore, for a garden of aromas, less spectacular, but fragrant varieties with non-double corollas should be preferred. But in a border or parterre planting, these varieties will be simply irreplaceable due to the compact size of the bush, abundantly covered with large (up to 5-6 cm in diameter) flowers.
All varieties of Chinese cloves are suitable for pot culture. IN room conditions This unpretentious plant becomes truly perennial. On balconies, planting carnations can be carried out in flowerpots and boxes of small volume. This is made possible by the shallow, fibrous root system of the plant. And if you provide a warm winter, then even varieties labeled "Annual" can bloom for several years in a row.
Carnation: history, types, care (video)
reproduction
Carnation is a perennial flower crop, so it can be propagated not only with the help of seeds. Great importance also have vegetative methods in which you can get bushes with flowers that you like on mother plant. When propagated by seeds, this possibility is usually absent.
Vegetative
The easiest way to grow many identical bushes is to divide the mother liquor. So you can reproduce any perennial variety. At the age of 3-5 years good care carnation bushes grow quite strongly and can interfere with neighboring plants. In this case, at the beginning of autumn, they need to be dug up and divided into several smaller ones. In addition, each division should have at least 3-5 shoots of the past season and several renewal buds at the base of the stems.
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Parts of the bush must be planted at a distance of at least 20 cm from each other in right place. Before planting, the soil should be dug up to the depth of a shovel bayonet and chalk (up to 1 kg per m²), sand (up to 10 kg per m²), wood ash(200-300 g). If the soil is not particularly fertile, then it can be enriched with humus or compost at the rate of 5-10 kg per 1 m². Thus prepared soil will give the bush the opportunity to grow green mass and root system during the next year after transplantation, to bloom.
Propagation by layering involves bending and pinning some stems to the soil surface. At the same time, roots can form on the nodes of the stem after a season, after which the stem can be separated from the mother liquor and transplanted to another place. Landing occurs in the same way as when transplanting delenok.
Vegetative propagation by green cuttings is much more risky, since a significant part of the material does not take root. For cuttings, you need to choose young shoots of the current season, which did not have time to lay buds and bloom. The shoot is divided into parts with 2-3 nodes, cut off the lower part so that about 1 cm of the stem remains. Cut off the top just above the knot. On the lower part, make shallow notches along the stem, dip into a root formation stimulator (Heteroauxin, Kornevit, etc.) and plant in a greenhouse or container with a moist sand substrate, leaving 1-2 knots on top.
Cover the container or greenhouse with glass. Rooting can be considered successful when the cuttings show signs of growth: new shoots are formed from the leaf axils at the nodes. Until this time, you need to constantly monitor the moisture content of the soil, not allowing it to dry out. After rooting, the shelter can be removed, and the young bushes can be planted in a permanent place (the propagation scheme by cuttings is shown in the video).
When the seedlings have 2-4 true leaves, the seedlings can dive into separate pots. If the plants begin to stretch, you should install a fluorescent lamp and increase the length of the "day" to 10 hours. Seedlings can be planted when the spring frosts stop.
Perennial carnations can be grown without seedling way. In this case, sowing should be done immediately in a flower bed in shallow grooves. Top the seeds with 0.5 cm of soil and water it well. Care of crops is reduced to maintaining optimal humidity before seed germination, weeding and watering young bushes. Flowers with this method will appear only in the 2nd year after sowing. In order for young plants to overwinter well, in regions with little snow low temperatures(from -20 ° C and below) plantings can be covered with spruce branches, foliage, nonwoven fabric. These measures will help protect the stalks from being eaten by mice. After the snow melts, the shelter must be removed so that the carnation does not rot.
A very grateful and responsive plant will surely delight loving owners 1-2 times a season. It is only important to follow simple rules and provide the carnations with the necessary care.
Chinese carnation belongs to the category of plants that you never get tired of admiring, which every owner wants to have in his flower garden. The variety of colors makes this flower desirable for any landscape designer. Already one name - Chinese terry carnation - makes it clear that this miracle of nature has a non-standard appearance and makes us carefully study the information about the features of its cultivation.
Today we will acquaint you with elementary recommendations for planting and caring for this plant. This information is useful not only for a beginner grower, but also for those who want to learn more about this flower.
general information
This beautiful flower came to us from the east, namely from China, Mongolia and Korea. It is not known exactly where exactly the plant appeared, but it is these three countries that are considered its homeland. Despite the fact that the flower may only grow for a year or two, it is still regularly planted in flower beds, as its beauty exceeds all expectations.
Chinese carnation gives short growth, no more than fifty centimeters in height. The stem is mostly quite thin, and the leaves are long and pointed.
A variety of varieties has led to the fact that at the moment there are many colors and structures of this flower at the disposal of flower growers. Simple, terry or semi-double - carnation is good in any case. There are buds of one color, and there are two-color buds with unique transitions of shades. Flowers reach three to four centimeters in diameter.
origin of name
By the way, the Chinese carnation has a similar name only in our country. At home, this flower is called nothing more than the "flower of the gods." There is a whole legend about this plant. The essence of the legend is that this flower fell in love with two gods: Zeus and Jupiter. And he appeared at the moment when the goddess Artemis decided to teach a shepherd a lesson because he sang. Drops of his blood turned into bright burgundy buds. But as a result of three hundred years of work of breeders burgundy color turned into the palette of the most different shades.
Species features
Speaking about the types of Chinese carnations, it is worth noting that they differ not only in the color of the buds, but also in the height of the stem and the shape of the petals. One variety has long leaves, the other has twisted leaves. One plant stretches up to half a meter in height, while the other does not grow above fifteen centimeters and is considered a dwarf variety.
Carnation flowering occurs from the very beginning of summer and lasts until the end of the season. You can find white, pink, purple or scarlet buds. But they are all wonderful. Initially, the flower could grow over many years, but in cold climates, it gradually turned into an annual plant. Now specialists are working hard to return the flower to the opportunity to grow more than one or two years and increase the flowering period.
Due to the fact that the roots of the flower have a very compact shape, it is quite easy to transplant. A small height makes it attractive to home growing. Among the most common varieties of cloves are:
- "Diana",
- "schnebal",
- "gelstrat",
- "fireball",
- "charm".
Any of these varieties looks great in a flower bed in combination with other plants.
Planting seeds
In order for you to have such a miracle in your garden, you need to properly plant and care for it. To begin, consider the process of planting Chinese carnation seeds.
In a special container (pot, box) lay out the drainage layer. On top we place pre-prepared soil, which includes garden soil, sand and vermiculite. Gently plant the seeds at a short distance from each other and sprinkle with soil. We create a greenhouse effect using oilcloth or film. We place the container in a place where there is enough light and the temperature fluctuates around twenty degrees. After a few days, you will notice the first shoots. Remove the film and care for the sprouts, following these tips:
- the temperature should not be below seventeen degrees;
- the ground should be moist, but not too wet, so moisten it with a sprayer;
- If sunlight little, use artificial lighting;
- after the appearance of the second leaflet on the stem, you need to dive the seedlings, using, for example, plastic cups;
- after three weeks after the appearance of the first sprout, you need to start accustoming the flower to a lower temperature, gradually reducing it to twelve degrees.
So we look after and wait for the formation of the root system.
We plant seedlings
Proper cultivation Chinese carnation largely depends on the place where the flower is planted. It is recommended to plant the plant in a place that is abundantly lit. sunbeams. The procedure is best done at the end of the spring period, when the soil has warmed up sufficiently after winter.
The selected place is dug up and fertilized well. Carefully inspect the proposed site for the presence of weed grasses. They will interfere with the flower to grow and develop properly. When planting seedlings, make sure that the sprouts are not closer to each other than twenty centimeters. Planting is recommended along with a clod of earth from the container where the seedlings grew. This will help the flower acclimatize faster in a new place. So that the plant does not break, the stem does not bend, stick a small stake next to each sprout, to which gently tie the flower until the stem is strong.
If you plant a carnation in the shade, you risk never enjoying the beauty of its flowers, as it only blooms when there is plenty of light. And the longer this light falls on the flower, the longer it will bloom.
Landing in the ground
There is another way to plant Chinese cloves. Cultivation from seeds can be done directly on open area. This is a more troublesome process, but some growers use it, especially in warm areas. In this version, the seeds are also planted at the end of spring, when the earth has already completely receded from the winter cold. The most difficult thing is to maintain the temperature regime at night. Seeds do not tolerate cold, so it is imperative to cover the planting site with a film. The whole procedure is as follows:
- soak the seeds for twenty minutes in a solution succinic acid;
- we take out the seeds, let the napkin absorb excess moisture;
- we prepare the landing site in advance by digging up the ground, loosening it, removing all weed grasses;
- we sow the seeds in the ground at a distance, sprinkle with earth on top;
- irrigate the landing site with water using a sprinkler;
- we cover the entire flower bed with a film to create a greenhouse effect and maintain a temperature of at least fifteen degrees.
After waiting three weeks, you will be able to observe the first sprouts. Seedlings need to be thinned out if they have sprouted too thickly.
Caring for a flower
There are a few things to consider when growing Chinese cloves. Planting and caring for a flower does not cause any particular difficulties, but still requires your attention. Like any plant, this flower, which came to us from warm lands, needs elementary care. Here are some tips for the beginner florist:
- mulch the soil where the flower grows, this will prolong the flowering period;
- water the plant moderately, but do not let the soil dry out completely;
- increase watering at the time of budding and flowering;
- delete it will accelerate the appearance of new ones;
- do not use ammonium-containing fertilizers;
- use fertilizer formulations containing potassium;
- three weeks after planting seedlings, use stimulants to accelerate flower growth;
- in autumn, prune the flower, leaving about eight centimeters of the stem, and also cover the plant for the winter.
By following these simple tips, you will be able to grow beautiful plant in my own garden. Your reward will be the beauty of the flower bed and the envy of your neighbors.
Possible problems
The Chinese carnation, the photo of which is presented in this article, is quite resistant to diseases and pest attacks. But with the wrong care, problems are possible. If you overdo it when watering or plant flowers too densely, this will lead to the appearance of pathogens and fungus. Do not plant cloves constantly in the same place. At least once every five years, you need to treat the soil with fungicides. If you still notice the appearance of spots or traces of decay on the flower, remove the diseased bushes and burn them, and treat the planting site with a special antifungal drug. The fight against aphids and mites is carried out in a standard way by using special means that can be found in stores.
Decorate the landscape
Often, the planting of Chinese carnations is done precisely for the purpose of decorating a garden plot or park area. This is quite logical, since the plant blooms for a long time, it is easy to care for it, and it goes well with many flowers in the flower bed. Carnations also look great in a private house, where the owners strive to create coziness and comfort. They are often used to decorate Alpine slide. Lawns in parks and flower beds in squares are also full of variety in the color of this miracle. In general, the benefits of the flower make it one of the most attractive options that landscape designers use.
We each have our favorite flowers. It is a thankless task to say which flower is better, which is worse. All of them are good and all are unique. But the Chinese carnation really has features due to which it can be recommended to everyone. Her bright flowers all colors and shades are able to decorate a flower bed, border, balcony, facade, whatever! She has a long and abundant flowering. She is easy to care for. If you do not yet have Chinese carnations in your garden, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the features of its cultivation and the variety of varieties. Without a doubt, this flower will become one of the most desirable for you.
Name etymology
This plant is called carnation in Russia. In Latin, his name is Dianthus, which means "divine flower." It is believed that Jupiter and Zeus loved cloves. And her appearance in the world is associated with Artemis. The myth tells that scarlet carnations appeared from drops of blood of a shepherd, whom the goddess of hunting, in the heat of her anger, punished for singing. The whole history of the rise of carnations to the Olympus of popularity is somehow connected with wrestling. French revolution, our October, World War II - this proud beautiful flower invariably became their symbol.
Chinese carnation is a more peaceful representative in the clove family. As the name implies, it came to Europe from China, although Korea and Mongolia are also considered its homeland. First hallmark of this kind were burgundy strokes on the petals, but for more than 300 years of active breeding, many varieties with monochromatic petals have appeared. There have been changes with its life cycle. At home, it is a perennial. We also grow Chinese cloves as a biennial or annual.
Description
Chinese carnation is a bushes from 10 to 50 cm high, which form thin green stems. Some varieties have characteristic nodules on them. Carnation leaves are elongated, thin, pointed at the ends. There are species with slightly twisted leaves. There are varieties with more small leaves and with wider ones. There is a simple, terry and semi-double Chinese carnation. The photo below shows a Grans Favourite terry carnation.
In an ordinary corolla, it consists of 5 petals, which have a fringe or notches at the ends. In terry species, the entire flower is a group of petals. Their color is white, pink, red, purple, burgundy, lilac and even blue. There are many species with two-color petals (light or, conversely, dark edges or middle). The size of the flowers depends on the variety and varies from 1 to 4 cm in diameter. Chinese clove seeds are slightly elongated and can be damaged by careless handling.
Growing features
Chinese carnation, as mentioned above, was originally a perennial. In the first year after sowing, such plants, as a rule, do not bloom, but only form a healthy strong bush. Breeders have bred many varieties of annuals that bloom in the first year, within a few weeks after germination, and delight in flowering until frost. Growing Chinese cloves is not difficult, but it requires attention. This flower is somewhat capricious in the choice of soil. You can't stick it anywhere.
In order for the plant to please the eye, it needs to provide soil with good drainage, without stagnant water. In addition, regular feeding is required throughout the summer. Without them, the carnation will also bloom, but poor. You can plant it in the sun or in partial shade, it will bloom magnificently there and there. In the shade, the plant will also not die and may even throw out a couple of buds in a season, but it will not have a look. The root of Chinese carnation has time to grow over the summer. Therefore, so that the plants do not interfere with each other, they should be planted at a distance closer than 20 cm. Another scourge of dense plantings is poor air access. Carnations are propagated by seeds (all types) and by dividing the bush (perennials).
Reproduction by seeds in open ground
Chinese carnation care is not too complicated. However, you need to try so that they generally begin to grow on the site. In conditions temperate climate more commonly used are annual Chinese carnations. Grow them from seeds. The complexity of the process lies in the observance temperature regime And proper watering. It is difficult to achieve this in the open field, therefore, cloves are rarely sown immediately on the garden bed. If it so happened that there is no other way out, we can recommend the following: before sowing, soak the seeds for 20 minutes in a solution of succinic acid (dilute according to the instructions), let them dry a little, but do not dry completely. You can blot them with a paper towel. In the garden, select all the roots of weeds, loosen, you can add a little lime. Make rows no deeper than 1-2 cm.
Mix prepared seeds with agrovermiculite and carefully sift in rows. Sprinkle a little agrovermiculite on top. Moisturize. The soil should be exactly moist, and not flooded with water. For seed germination, the soil temperature should be +15 ... +18 degrees. The air temperature is about +20. To avoid daily temperature fluctuations, cover the rows at night with a film or build a greenhouse over them. Seedlings should appear in 3 weeks. When they grow a little and get stronger (a couple of true leaves appear), they must be carefully thinned out by picking and planting at the right distance from each other. By the way, in regions with moderately cold winters, self-seeding of cloves is possible, which usually gives good germination.
Chinese carnation. Landing and care. Photo when propagating seedlings
To avoid all these difficulties, it is wiser to grow Chinese cloves from seeds at home, and then plant them in open ground. They do this in March, although some authors advise sowing seeds as early as January. Containers are prepared (ordinary bowls can be used) in this way: any drainage is placed on the bottom and the container is filled with soil (garden soil with sand, vermiculite can be added). Clove seeds are placed on the ground, sprinkled with vermiculite (it promotes seed germination). The bowls are placed on the window, where it is light, but not hot. The air temperature must be maintained up to +20. The soil in the bowls must be moist at all times. In the house, the seeds can not be covered. When sprouts appear, the bowls must be transferred to a room with a temperature of +15 ... +17 degrees, so that the seedlings do not stretch upwards much. The grown seedlings dive into separate containers, where they continue to grow (see photo) and can even throw out the color before planting in open ground. Carnations are planted in a flower bed when there are no more return frosts.
Reproduction by cuttings
If a Chinese perennial carnation fell into your hands, it can be propagated by cuttings. It is very easy. Shoots without buds are used, on which there are from 3 to 4 leaf nodes. The stalk is cut off, stepping back from the lower node to 1 cm, the leaves are removed from it and a couple of longitudinal cuts are made on the node. The remaining leaves are also removed, and the topmost ones are shortened. The prepared stalk is placed in calcined (cooled) sand, watered and covered with a film (you can use a jar). The humidity of the air below it should be constant. Sand also should not dry out. Roots are formed already in the third week. If the carnation is high (50 cm), you can not cut off the cuttings, but bend them to the ground, having previously made cuts on the knot. It is necessary to pin such a layer with something and sprinkle it with earth. Water.
Reproduction by dividing the bush
This easy way makes it possible to obtain a new plant with the preservation of all the properties of the mother (terryness, color of the petals), but is suitable for a small part of the species, since flowers (Chinese carnation reproduces easily, but growing from seeds is still a priority) most often have a taproot that cannot be divided . If the species forms good rhizomes, you can try to get a new plant by dividing the roots. Optimal time for this - spring, before flowering. The plant is carefully dug out of the ground, the rhizome is divided so that at least 3 live buds (sprouts) are obtained on each site and planted in prepared holes.
Further care
Seeds sprouted safely, seedlings are dived into separate containers and grow up. What to do next? What should be in order to become a lush Chinese carnation, planting and care? The photo below shows one of the options for the correct fit.
In order for the carnation bushes to begin to bush, even at the seedling stage, they pinch the tops of the stems. Young plants are planted in the sun or in partial shade. Watering is provided very moderate. Only in extreme heat it is increased, but moisture stagnation is not allowed. Like everyone cultivated plant, the carnation needs weeding. For more lush flowering she needs to be fed. Do this 2-3 times per season (some gardeners recommend up to 3 times a month). Mainly use potash fertilizers or complex for carnations. For long flowering, faded buds are cut from the bushes. By August tall varieties You can prune a little to rejuvenate the bushes. For the winter, biennial and perennial carnations cut off the green part, leaving stems up to 10 cm. severe frosts they need to be covered.
Diseases and pests
Usually, Chinese carnation grows without problems, planting and caring for which are carried out correctly. These flowers have few pests. Waterlogging, dense plantings, overfeeding with fertilizers, potassium deficiency and an excess of nitrogen in the soil contribute to the appearance of diseases. Carnations, together with tulips, are affected by the same fungal diseases, so it is better not to plant them nearby. It is also not recommended to grow carnations for more than 5 years in one place, or the beds should be treated with fungicides in the fall. When red or dry spots appear on the carnations, as well as when the bushes wither, regardless of watering, diseased plants must be destroyed, and the place should be treated with antifungal drugs. spider mite and other pests to destroy insecticides.
landscape design
For its pomp and multicolor, Chinese carnation has become popular. The photo above shows how it looks along the track. Low varieties are often used to decorate such living borders, as well as to border flower beds, to give picturesque facades. They are also grown on alpine hills, but in this case one should not forget about top dressing and soil fertility. Just among the stones or in the sand, the carnation will not grow. This flower is ideal for decorating balconies. Carnations are also planted in flowerpots. This "place of residence" is especially convenient for perennials. In order not to turn a perennial carnation into an annual in climatic zones with harsh winters, it is recommended to cover it in the fall, before frosts. To do this, spruce branches are laid on the stems remaining after trimming, and a film is placed on top. And then the whole structure is covered with earth.
Species diversity
There are about 300 species in the genus of carnations, and in almost each of them there are dozens of varieties. Even just listing them all in one article is impossible. Breeders are actively inventing something new. In relation to the Chinese carnation, there is truly no limit to fantasy! Varieties with simple flowers, and Chinese terry carnation. She is cared for by general rules. Growing it from seeds can upset the production of non-double inflorescences, but in general it does not cause difficulties, and it pleases with flowering a little longer than varieties with simple five-petal corollas.
Chinese cloves can be easily grown at home, on the windowsill or on the balcony. But it will perfectly decorate flower beds in the garden. With comfortable weather conditions carnations can tolerate overwintering but are usually grown every year. In conditions middle lane It is better to grow with seedlings.
Cultivation of Chinese cloves
Seeds should be sown in loose, well-drained soil. To the surface ready ground spread the seeds, and cover them with vermiculite on top. It is not necessary to cover the seeds with film or glass, since the Chinese carnation is a frost-resistant plant. Growing from seeds should be done in February or March. A container with crops is placed in a bright place and sprayed from a spray bottle.
After the seedlings germinate, they must be transplanted into separate pots. In order for the sprouts to be strong and healthy, they should be kept in a lit, but not very warm place. Also, sudden changes in temperature should not be allowed, so at night they make sure that the temperature is not lower than 18 degrees Celsius. After the formation of sprouts, the temperature can be reduced to 15 degrees. This is necessary in order to prevent the plant from stretching as a result of heat.
After the appearance of 4-6 true leaves, you need to pinch the tops of the carnation to side shoots formed faster. By the end of April, hardening of seedlings begins. It is gradually brought to open air. Seedlings cannot be taken out immediately for a whole day, otherwise the plants will weaken and get sick. They can be planted in open ground in mid-May. Between plants leave a distance of about 20-30 cm and water abundantly.
When the carnation takes root in the open field and begins to germinate, it is fed complex fertilizers. In April, you can sow the seeds again for seedlings or in greenhouses to stimulate the flowering of carnations at different times.
For growing seeds Chinese carnations in April, you need to lay drainage on the bottom of the container and fill it with moistened soil. The substrate is ordinary garden soil, vermiculite and sand. Seeds are laid out on the surface of the soil and sprinkled with vermiculite.
Landings are covered with a film and placed in a bright place at a temperature of 18-20 degrees. Seedlings will begin to appear 3-4 days after sowing. Then the film can be removed.
A sharp change in temperature negatively affects young shoots. The soil must be moistened with a spray bottle, but overflow should not be allowed. Otherwise, the carnation may be damaged by the black leg. In cloudy weather and in the evenings, it is desirable to create a backlight with lamps. When 2-3 true leaves appear, the plants dive into separate pots.
A month after the germination of seedlings, the night temperature is reduced from 18 to 12-15 degrees. For this, the plants are brought to covered balcony where at night they will be cool, and during the day they will be warm and under sunlight.
To form a lush flowering bush Chinese carnations, you need to pinch over the third pair of leaves. If the transplantation of seedlings was carried out in plastic glasses, then it will be easy to determine how the roots formed an earthen ball. With a strong formation, the plant is transferred to a larger container.
Chinese clove care
It is worth remembering that the soil should have time to dry out between waterings, so you should not carry out frequent watering carnations. But it is also impossible to allow the earth to dry out.
Feed the plant in moderation. When growing cloves at home, top dressing is applied once every 1-2 weeks. If the carnation grows in open ground, then calcium fertilizers are added from the age of two years.
It's hard to imagine today garden plot where Chinese carnation would not grow. She is a real decoration of any flower bed, rabatka, alpine hill, curb, balcony. And this is not the whole list of applications of this flower.
Chinese carnation was brought to Europe at the beginning of the 18th century from China. That is why it is called "Chinese". However, its original homeland is Korea and Mongolia. Initially, this flower was distinguished by the peculiarity of the petals, on which burgundy strokes were clearly drawn. At present, thanks to breeders, new types of Chinese carnations with monophonic petals have appeared. In addition, it has changed life cycle. If in the wild Chinese carnation is perennial plant, the one as ornamental plant it is grown as a biennial.
Description of Chinese carnation
Chinese carnation - the plant is not tall. It is formed by bushes with a height of 10 cm to half a meter. The stems of the Carnation are thin, green. Small nodules can be seen on the stems of some varieties. The leaves are usually long, narrow, pointed at the ends, but there are leaves slightly twisted, small and wide. It all depends on the type of flower.
The inflorescences of the Chinese Carnation can be simple - five-petalled, serrated at the ends, as well as double and semi-double. The variety of shades of inflorescences is surprising: white, pink, red, purple, burgundy, lilac and even blue. The size of the inflorescences is from 1 cm to 4 cm in diameter.
Agrotechnics of cultivation
Since Chinese carnation is biennial plant, as a rule, it does not bloom in the first year. During this time, it only forms the green part of the bush. True, modern breeders have bred new varieties annual Carnation Chinese, the seeds of which have fast germination. Such seedlings grow and develop quickly, the plant manages to bloom in time and delight with its beauty and aroma of flowers right up to the frost.
Growing Carnation Chinese is not particularly difficult, but since it is not only elegant, but also capricious, it is necessary to adhere to some rules.
Firstly, Special attention should be given to the ground. It must have drainage, otherwise excessive moisture will destroy the flower. You can add some lime to the soil.
Secondly, throughout the summer, Carnation bushes must be fed with various fertilizers. This will promote abundant flowering.
Thirdly, it is better to choose a site sunny, protected from drafts, although the plant feels comfortable in partial shade.
Another requirement is to observe a gap between the bushes of about 25 cm. This need is due to the fact that root system Chinese Carnation has a powerful, branched, and if the flowers are planted close, they will interfere with each other.
Growing Chinese Carnation Seeds at Home
Chinese carnation can be propagated by seeds at home, by sowing both directly in open ground and seedlings. The second option is more reliable, but if you sow the seeds directly on the garden, you will have to tinker a little. In addition, as a rule, the seeds of the annual Carnation are sown in open ground. In order for the germination to be higher, it is recommended to place them in a solution of succinic acid for 20 minutes.
After that, the seeds are dried a little at home, mixed with agrovermiculite and applied to the soil. The bed by this time should already be prepared: dug up, loosened, freed from weeds, containing lime, slightly moistened, with a drainage system.
Optimum temperature soil for sowing seeds is from +15°С to +18°С, and the air temperature is at least +20°С. It is advisable to cover the bed with a film at night. Shoots will appear in about 20-25 days. When they have 3 leaves, the seedlings should be discharged by transplanting the sprouts to a new place.
Seedling cultivation
To grow Chinese carnation using seedlings, sowing seeds at home should be done in early March, although some flower growers say that seeds can be sown as early as mid-January.
The containers are filled with soil consisting of garden soil along with sand. Before the containers are filled with soil, any drainage is placed on the bottom, for example, crushed stone or expanded clay. Seeds are placed on top of the soil, sprinkled with vermiculite, which will speed up the process of seed germination. Containers are placed on the windowsill, but provided that there are no drafts. The optimum temperature is + 20 ° C, when shoots appear at home, transfer to a cool place with a temperature of + 17 ° C. The grown seedlings will need to dive, transplanted into separate containers. They can be transplanted into open ground only when stable warm days and nights come.
Diseases and pests that threaten Chinese cloves
Surprisingly, the Chinese Carnation is practically not threatened by any diseases, especially if it is properly looked after. The only thing that can be harmful is waterlogging the soil, frequent fertilizing with fertilizers.
Attention! It is impossible to plant Chinese carnations together with tulips, which can infect it with fungal diseases.
On one site, Chinese carnation is grown for no more than 5 years.
