- Sunny location preferred
- Proper care for carnations in the pot
- Species particularly suitable for pots
Due to their frugality, the various types of carnations are ideal for cultivation in pots. Only the hibernation could be difficult. Not because the plants are overly sensitive to frost. No, they usually die due to excess moisture. In this article you will learn what you should pay particular attention to when buying pot carnations.
Carnations thrive best in balcony boxes in the sun
Sunny location preferred
All carnation species need a sunny to full sun spot with permeable, moderately moist and neutral to slightly alkaline soil - with one exception: the heather carnation (Dianthus deltoides) is the only species that prefers slightly acidic soil. You can mix the right substrate yourself with sand, potting soil and some clay granules, whereby the latter is to be filled primarily as the first layer on the bottom of the pot. The clay granules (you can also use shards of clay or similar) should drain excess water out of the pot and thus ensure good drainage.
Proper care for carnations in the pot
In general, drainage is immensely important, because carnations love dryness and should never be too damp. Above all, wet winters are fatal to the plant, because in these it often develops waterlogging and thus rotting roots. Apart from that, carnations are very easy to care for, because you should not fertilize the usually one to two year old plants. Pruning is basically not necessary either, unless you want to encourage the carnations to flower a second time. Apart from their sensitivity to moisture, carnations are considered to be very winter and frost hardy.
Species particularly suitable for pots
The rather low-growing species such as the cushion-forming Whitsun carnations (Dianthus gratianopolitanus), spring carnations (Dianthus plumarius) or sand carnations (Dianthus arenarius) survive the winter much more easily. So-called hanging carnations, which usually belong to the Dianthus caryophyllus, the garden or noble carnation, are also available on the market especially for the balcony box.
tips
Carnations are wonderful cut flowers that last a long time in a vase. You can also extend their shelf life even further by changing the water in the vase every two days. If possible, only cut stems with light - but not completely yet! - opened flower buds.