Carnations - no matter which species it is - are real beginners' flowers in terms of their propagation. Actually, all you have to do is spread the seeds directly outdoors and then wait. However, you need a little patience, because the mostly biennial perennials usually only bloom in the following year.
Carnations are sown in summer
The right time for sowing
Many of the biennial summer flowers, which eventually includes carnations, are typically sown between June and early September. The young plants only flower in their second year, which means that even earlier sowing - for example in early spring - does not change anything. If sown early, the young carnation only develops a rosette of leaves, but no flowers yet. On the other hand, you should refrain from sowing in late autumn, as the plants will not have time for their necessary development until the onset of winter.
Sow carnations directly
Sowing carnations is a very simple matter: First, you dig up the garden area in question thoroughly and, if necessary, work in some compost and/or lime - depending on the type and variety. Then the bed is raked smooth and you draw furrows about two centimeters deep. Place the seeds in there at regular intervals and then cover them with soil. Keep the substrate slightly moist. The seedlings will germinate within a short time, so you should separate them after a few weeks. The young carnations can safely be left outside over the winter as they are frost hardy.
If you already have carnations in the garden, you don't need to do anything with regard to their propagation. All types of carnation self-seed very reliably and form dense mats in this way.
Grow cloves for the balcony
Sowing the carnations in the pot works in a similar way to the garden. First fill any planter with a mixture of finely crumbled potting soil, sand and some compost. Sow the seeds in there at a depth of about two centimeters and keep the substrate slightly moist. These young carnations can also stay outside over the winter, but - in contrast to the planted specimens - need some protection. So place the pot on a Styrofoam base and cover the young carnations with a few spruce branches.
tips
The propagation of cuttings also works excellently with many carnation species. To do this, cut half-ripe cuttings from non-flowering shoots in summer, which can also be planted on the spot.