The genusDianthusis large , but the popular garden peak are delimitation carnations , produce about 2 1/2 ft . marvellous , with finely shape blooms and tranquil - march petal , and pinks in a extensive smorgasbord of shapes , sizes and heights .
They need a gay , well - drained position , but are not suited to expanse which have dangerous winters . Any soil suits them , so long as it is not very acerb , and they are very tolerant of lime tree . They can be engraft during near weather condition in the declination or leaping , set them firmly but not profoundly , burying the roots but not the stem , securing to a 6 - in . stake if necessary . Planting distance for border Dianthus caryophyllus is about 12 in . and for pink about to in .
To improve filth before planting , comprehend compost or well - rotted manure below the first spitting , and hoe bonemeal at 4 oz . per sq . yd . into the top spit . In leaping a side - dressing of sulphate of potash at 2 oz . , or at 8 oz . , per sq . yd . is prod , but potash fertilizers should not be given in the fall as they make the stems brittle in wintertime . Plants in their 2d and subsequent year should have a side binding of a balanced fertilizer .
Border gillyflower require staking with a 3 - foot . cane , and they should be disbud to leave one bud on the key shank and one on each side root word , removing the others when about the size of a modest pea . Pinks are not disbudded , and seldom require staking .
Border Dianthus caryophyllus peak in July and August , and old - fashioned pinks in June , and asunder from snapping off the old flower halt no extra discourse is take . Most forward-looking pinks flower a 2d prison term , and should be thoroughly watered and then give a dressing of complete fertiliser .
Border carnations are diffuse by layering in July and August . Select a skilful side base and strip off all the leaves from the low part , leave five fully developed distich at the top . advertise a sparse - bladed knife into the stem just below the gloomy joint with leaves on . bring down downwards through the reefer below and turn the knife away from the center of the plant so as to bring it out just below the marijuana cigarette . This go forth a tongue which opens out as the fore is bent down to the ground . If the stem is too stiff to flex down without snapping , hurt it between the join with the thumbnail or a pair of thin pliers . Push the opened tongue into the ground and plug it in position with a loop of wire . Prepare the solid ground beforehand by wreak in a mixture of adequate region of sharp sand and peatmoss .
After enough layers are put down , they are watered in and not allowed to become juiceless while root , which takes about six weeks . They are then skip by from the parent and left another week when they can be purloin . They can be embed out directly or potted up for two weeks before planting .
pinko can be propagated in the same way , but ordinarily cutting are take from late June to former August . Select warm side shoot for cuttings , and leave four or five fully developed pairs of leaves at the steer . peel off the pair of leave below this with a down pull , exposing the joint . curve just below the joint with a sharp knife or razor brand . The cutting is inserted in sandy soil up to but not above the next joint , in a pot in a cold figure , exposed to the sky but not the sun , water and maintain in a close ambiance for three to four calendar week , when top ontogeny shows that it has rooted . The cuttings are then inure off and pot up before planting .
Modern pink sometimes send up the central fore to flower before proper side growth has been made , and if so they must be stopped . This is done when the plants have made ten to twelve joints . Hold the 7th or eighth joint in one hand , and bend the top sharply sideways when it should rupture off , or geld it off cleanly just above the articulation .
borderline carnations should never be blockade , and block off may delay the flowering of honest-to-goodness - fashioned pinks for a season . However , a garden pink should never be allowed to flower unless it has good side increase .
Recommended Varieties of Carnations and PinksThe follow varieties are easy to grow . All the pinko listed are perfumed ; the scented border Dianthus caryophyllus are stigmatise Sc .
Border Carnations:‘Robin Thain ’ , Sc . white;‘Merlin Clove ’ , Sc . white , strike out purple;‘Mendip Hills ’ , pink , flaked red;‘Catherine Glover ’ , ‘ Thomas Lee ’ , yellowish , score red;‘Leslie Rennison ’ , Sc . , rosy mauve;‘Harmony ’ , gray , flaked red;‘Alice Forbes ’ , white-hot , mark pink;‘Fair Maiden ’ , white with red picotee edge;‘Marvel Clove ’ , Sc . , violet;‘Gipsy Clove ’ , Sc . , crimson;‘Salmon Clove ’ , Sc . , salmon pink;‘Lavender Clove ’ , Sc . , lavender;‘Beauty of Cambridge ’ , ‘ Mary Murray ’ , yellow .
Modern Pinks:(A laced pinko is one in which a dark centre of attention zone or eye is extended to constitute a loop of color near the sharpness of the petal . ) ‘ Cherryripe ’ , brilliant pink;‘Doris ’ , salmon - pink , red eye;‘Constance ’ , smart pink , paler edge;‘Laced Joy ’ , pink , laced crimson;‘London Poppet ’ , palest garden pink , enlace ruby red;‘Timothy ’ , ‘ Freckles ’ , pinkish with reddened flecks;‘Show Aristocrat ’ , wan garden pink , buff eye;‘Prudence ’ , pallid garden pink , laceddark red;‘Swanlake ’ , white;‘Show Portrait ’ , crimson;‘Show Beauty ’ , deeply pink , maroon eye;‘Winsome ’ , deeply pink .
Old - fashioned Pinks:‘Whiteladies ’ , bloodless , well now than ‘ Mrs Sinkins’;‘Excelsior ’ , pinkish with darkeye , often called ‘ Pink Mrs Sinkins’;‘Inchmery ’ , pale pink;‘Dad ’s Favourite ’ , clean , tied purple .
