How to grow Turkish cloves from seed. Turkish carnation - unpretentious beauty

Turkish carnation is a real find for the gardener! An unpretentious, long-flowering plant with bright inflorescences and a delicate aroma, the carnation does not leave anyone indifferent. How is the cultivation of Turkish cloves from seeds: when to plant and how to care for it?

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Carnation - ornamental plant-biennial with corymbose inflorescences up to 10 cm in diameter. They are formed by flowers no larger than 2 cm. Flowers in inflorescences of simple varieties consist of 5 petals, terry - of 8-10 petals. Depending on the variety, the carnation is divided into undersized (15–20 cm) and tall (40–60 cm).

The popularity of the flower can be easily explained. First, captivating bright and unusual colors. The palette includes all shades from noble burgundy to the most delicate pink tones, but there are also pure white flowers. Often the flowers show borders, stripes or strokes of a contrasting shade, creating a complex interesting color.

Secondly, the plant is cold hardy, so the carnation will begin to please with flowers in the spring and will continue to bloom until the end of July.

Finally, thirdly, clove is not capricious at all. Care for the grown flower is minimal, but the growing process itself will take time and effort. From proper preparation seeds before depends on the density of germination and the health of the flowers.

There are two ways to grow cloves: seeds or seedlings. Planting seeds in the ground is carried out in the winter, while it is important that the land is dry when planting. Otherwise, with the onset of cold weather, the seeds will freeze and will not be able to germinate in the spring. The disadvantage of this method is that when sowing, there is a high probability of distributing the seeds unevenly. Then in the spring part of the sprouts may die from crowding.

For lush, healthy flowers experienced gardeners it is recommended to first grow seedlings, dive them, and closer to autumn, transplant the strengthened sprouts to a permanent place. It is better to start planting seeds in March - early April in order to have time to transplant seedlings before the heat wave. A few steps on how to grow a Turkish carnation:

1. Soil preparation. To speed up the germination of seeds, it is recommended to prepare the soil in advance. To do this, mix in equal proportions garden soil and sand, moisten the soil, spread the mixture in a container and tighten it with a film. After 2-3 days, the soil is loosened, moistened and again left under the film. This procedure must be repeated a couple more times with a break of two days, and after that the soil will be ready for planting.
2. Sowing. The method of planting Turkish carnation seeds is no different from the method of planting any other flower. The prepared soil is loosened, moistened and divided into several furrows (the depth of the groove is not more than 1 cm, the distance between them is about 4 cm). Seeds are placed in each groove in a uniform thin layer and covered with sand. Containers are stored under the film in a warm place, excluding direct sun rays. Watering requires moderate, it is best to spray the soil from a spray bottle with warm settled water.
3. Germination. Sprouts will start to appear very quickly. Usually they hatch already on the 7-10th day, but they can stay up to 2 weeks. At this stage, the seedlings are removed to a cool place with additional lighting. If the conditions were more than favorable, the seeds will sprout too thickly and will have to be thinned out.
4. Pick. When the first leaves appear on the sprouts, Turkish carnation seedlings can be transplanted into separate cups. You can also transplant into one common tub, but then it is worth keeping a distance of 5-8 cm between the seedlings. It is better to transplant in a cool place or do it in the evening. After picking, the sprouts still need to be covered with a film. When the seedlings get stronger and grow up, the protection can be removed.
5. Landing in the ground. In August, seedlings can be planted in open ground to a permanent place. Before planting, the soil is disinfected with a solution of potassium permanganate. Transplantation is carried out carefully so as not to damage root system. A distance of 20–30 cm is left between the sprouts. It is important not to miscalculate over time so that the carnation has time to take root before the first cold weather.

If they allow weather, seedlings can be dived immediately into open ground. The actions are similar: in the evening or on a cool day, the soil must be disinfected, moistened, and seedlings should be planted at a distance of about 10 cm. At night, the sprouts must be covered with a film to avoid hypothermia.

When planning a flower bed, it should be remembered that after sowing, the flower will bloom only in the second year.

There are times when carnations bloom in the first year, but this happens very rarely. More often in the first year, only the formation of a bush occurs, and the next carnation grows to its normal size and blooms by mid-June. A healthy bush lives on average about 5 years.

The carnation does not tolerate the bright sun; shaded places will please her more. It blooms well on fertile soil enriched with humus, ash or mineral fertilizers.

Before wintering, young sprouts are covered with greenhouse material or spruce branches. In particularly cold areas, the soil can be mulched with humus or peat before winter. With the onset of heat, the insulation is removed and, if necessary, shading is arranged.

In care, it is important to follow a few rules:

• Apply high quality fertilizers;
• Loosen and mulch the soil;
• Water regularly.

In the spring and during the growth period, carnations will like organic fertilizers: peat, ash, humus. Before the first flowering, the flower should be fed with a complex fertilizer for flowering plants. You need to repeat the procedure when the buds are set and during flowering. It will also be useful to fertilize before wintering, providing the plant nutrients for the coming cold season.

Carnation is prone to the development of root rot, so it is important to ensure the supply of oxygen to the roots: regularly loosen the ground around the plant, remove weeds and damaged shoots.

You also need to carefully consider the plant after heavy rain: perhaps the plant will be heavily flooded with water or the roots will be washed out. In this case, the soil around the flower must be loosened, sprinkled with new earth if necessary, and the lower shoots should be treated with copper sulphate.

Watering the plant is best done once a week, on hot dry days - once every 5 days. Water should be in moderation, excessive moisture increases the risk of rot. The volume of water is taken at the rate of 12 liters per 1 sq.m. Basically moisten the soil around the flower, the plant itself is best left dry. Closer to autumn, watering is gradually reduced.

The root system usually suffers from bears and mice. The former destroy it by building passages to the nests, the latter feed on the roots during frosts. You can escape from the bear by digging the entire area or setting a trap for them. In the fight against mice, poison bait located near the flowers will help. In winter, to prevent undermining, you can trample the snow around the bush.

In addition to rot, the plant is often affected by fungi. If the leaves begin to turn yellow and wither, and the flowers stop blooming, then the carnation is ill with fusarium. With this disease suffers vascular system flower.

The flower is immediately removed from the flower bed, and as a preventive measure, the rest of the plants are treated with any fungicide.

Other fungal disease- rust - manifests itself with excess moisture. The plant becomes covered with yellow-brown spots, fades and dries. If the disease has only manifested itself, the flower should be treated with "HOM" in accordance with the instructions.

At proper care Turkish carnation will decorate any, even the most gray corner of the garden. Undersized varieties will bring bright colors to the alpine hill, tall ones will become an excellent hedge. Proper care will allow you to enjoy this beauty for many years.

How and when to plant a carnation in more detail on the video:

In the Clove family, there are many both pure species and selection fruits. One of the unconditional achievements of breeders is the Chinese carnation. The ancestor of the species is dianthus. Translated from the Greek language, the name literally means “wonderful flower”. Well, the Chinese carnation is named because it was brought from China to Europe at the very beginning of the 18th century. Chinese carnation is a perennial flower culture but is often grown as an annual.

The plant has a standing stem, narrow lanceolate leaves of dull green color. Valuable in horticulture and landscaping because it can continue flowering for four months - from July to late autumn.

Flowers solitary or arranged in bunches of 2-4 pieces. The colors are extraordinary. In general, the dianthus was not originally rich in color. Red "proletarian", pure white, deep pink. But after the breeders took up this flower, everything changed.

Today you can find Chinese carnations of various colors in gardens in flower beds:

• purple;
• motley;
• white-red;
• cherry;
• white-pink;
• pearl white;
• pink crimson.

Flowers are very beautiful shape. The edges of the petals are finely toothed or deeply dissected. In the selection, semi-double and terry forms, feathery, two-color, striking the imagination with beauty, have been bred.

By the way! In hybrid terry and velvet varieties, flowering is longer, up to five months. But it starts later than the usual non-double varieties, somewhere in mid-July.

Popularity Secret

This plant has such a multi-purpose use that only tagetes and bulbous can compare with it. But the bulbous ones have a significant drawback - they bloom early and fade quickly. Carnation, on the other hand, enters the flowering phase in the middle of summer, and pleases with its flowers two seasons. Therefore, Chinese cloves are used for various purposes.

Chinese carnation is a frequent visitor to summer cottages, front gardens and multi-season flower beds.

She is willingly decorated with city parks, planted in the form of borders, used for decorative floriculture.

Also, this flower is grown in containers on the balcony or in outdoor pots for outdoor decoration of the local area.

A Chinese carnation can comfortably exist on an alpine hill.

The plant, thanks to its bright colors, looks great on the lawn, so it is used for island and bouquet planting.

You can use this flower both for a mono flower bed (single color), and for a multi-color or multi-color flower bed. Carnation is combined with both short and tall plants.

Varieties of Chinese carnation

Scientists from all over the world are closely engaged in the selection of Chinese carnations. The most successful in this Europeans. It was they who brought the famous hybrid and terry varieties which are currently the most popular and high demand at summer residents.

How to grow Chinese cloves from seeds

The Chinese carnation chooses the most modest conditions for development. A well-lit area is suitable for her, but if there is none, she will grow in partial shade.

The soil suits her best with a good drainage component, loose and not at all heavy. But if there is none, it will grow and even bloom on almost any soil.

Important! This plant does not tolerate stagnant water. It is possible to plant on a site where during rain or after watering the water does not leave for a long time, it is possible only with an artificially made drainage layer.

Cloves do not do well in acidic soils. It is possible to stretch the shoots and weak flowering. Before planting, the flower bed is well limed. Dolomite flour is suitable for softening acidity and improving the soil.

The site to choose for Chinese cloves is better warm. She does not like winds and drafts. In a calm, flower buds will be larger.

Before sowing Chinese cloves or planting ready-made seedlings in the ground, fertilizer must be applied. The humus will do. As the flower stalks grow and form, you can continue to feed with mineral fertilizers.

The cultivation of Chinese cloves comes from seeds. On condition perennial cultivation(while saving mother bush), the plant can be divided and cuttings. But the seed method of reproduction is recognized as the most effective, therefore it is the most popular.

Sowing seeds in open soil

Chinese carnation is not afraid of spring frosts, so it can be sown directly into the ground in early May. At the same time, there is no need to make any shelters - frosts down to -5 ° C, even on the soil, the seeds will be transferred calmly. It will even serve as an additional cold stratification for them. Usually sown in an open nursery, followed by transplanting grown seedlings into flower beds.

1. If there is a danger of swamping, remove 25 cm of soil from the future flower bed, put drainage (broken brick, pebbles) and cover with soil. This makeshift drainage layer will be enough to divert excess water from the roots of the plant.
2. Before planting, fertilizers are not applied - this is done either in the fall (humus), or two weeks before sowing (nitrophoska).
3. The soil in the flower bed must be well loosened and moistened.
4. Prepare rows in the ground. Between rows, a distance of at least ten centimeters must be observed.
5. Seeds are sown a centimeter apart. Depth is also one centimeter.
6. Sowing is sprinkled with loose soil. You can cover with a small layer of vermiculite.
7. The crops do not need to be covered, but on the seventh day, when the sprouts should begin to sprout, if the temperature continues to drop at night, they must be covered.

By the way! The optimum temperature for germination of Chinese carnation seeds is +16°C. Too hot weather will make it stretch.

After four pairs of leaves, you can plant in a flower bed, pinching, at the same time, the top pair. So the plants will bush better and form more flower stalks.

Growing carnation seedlings in an apartment

Seedling cultivation is always safer. Although you have to fiddle with seedlings, many prefer Chinese carnation, in order to avoid weather and other surprises, to grow seedlings. Sowing seeds can begin in March.

Video - Picking seedlings

How to care for Chinese carnation

In care, the plant is so unpretentious that even a debutant grower can easily carry it out.

Watering the Chinese carnation is rarely necessary. She does not like excess water - this is worth remembering and never flood the plants. During the dry season - twice a week. During the normal season - once a week, not more often.

Feeding Chinese cloves is a must. If initially the soil was fertile during planting and organic matter was introduced, fertilizing can be started a month after sowing or two weeks after planting seedlings with a regularity of once every 20 days. If the soil is not very fertile, a week after planting, the first top dressing follows, and then 2-3 times a month.

Chinese cloves need to be fed, like the rest flowering plants, alternating organic with mineral components. For successful flowering, an increased potassium content is required. A nitrophoska will do. If you buy compound complexes, make sure that the fertilizer for Chinese cloves does not contain chlorine.

Advice! Always fertilize after watering. The procedure, if the soil under the plants is not mulched, should be accompanied by loosening.

Be sure to remove all stems with faded buds - they can rot and cause disease of the entire bush.

Chinese carnation can suffer from rust, root rot, spotting, fusarium and septoria. Also, young buds and leaves are damaged by aphids and spider mites. Damage is removed, the plant is treated with an insecticide. You can use Bordeaux liquid for prevention.

The perennial Chinese carnation overwinters normally in our climate. In late autumn, all stems should be cut, leaving about 10 cm above the soil. Then spud bushes, mulch with sawdust, foliage or peat, cover with spunbond. In the spring, you can open the carnation as early as April.

Reading: 5 minutes

Some peoples considered Turkish carnation flowers sacred, others - a symbol of motherly love.

The plant is still considered relevant and takes pride of place in the ranking of amateurs and experts in floriculture. In this article we will talk how to grow this bright flower in your area.

Description and features of the plant

The plant got its name because its aroma resembles the smell of a clove tree. There are many varieties of this flower, differing in color and size. Feature flowers - a lot of dots and inclusions on them. The peduncle consists of several flowers combined into a kind of cap.

Beautiful flowers in the flower bed.

There are two main types of an unusually attractive flower:

1. undersized- reaches a height of up to 20 centimeters.
2. Tall- reaches a height of up to 80 centimeters.

Plants are various shades, simple and terry type. The plant is considered perennial, however, experienced flower growers advise growing it for two years, replacing old bushes with new ones.

The flower has earned the love of plant growers for the following qualities:

• cold tolerance;
• unpretentiousness to growth conditions;
• simplicity and ease of care;
• not demanding for frequent watering;
• the possibility of growing in the garden, on the balcony and windowsill;
• ability to reproduce by self-seeding.

Preparatory work

The main method of reproduction of this plant is sowing from seeds. Sowing in an open garden space or growing seedlings is allowed.

When to plant: optimal timing

Sowing the seed into the ground can be done in May, April is suitable for sowing seedlings.

Seed treatment before planting

As mentioned earlier, Turkish cloves are completely unpretentious plant, which can dissipate and take root on its own. Nevertheless, to grow strong good seedlings, it is worth preparing the seeds for planting.

After planting seedlings in open ground.

Seeds should be kept in a warm solution with the addition of drugs that prevent diseases and stimulate growth, and then pour over them. running water, slightly dry and proceed with the direct sowing procedure.

Soil preparation and containers

For sowing, you can use ordinary medium-sized plastic containers. In advance, it is worth preparing the land for sowing. You can, of course, buy a ready-made substrate in the store, however, experienced growers advise preparing the ground yourself. For this you need to mix peat, sod land and sand.

Advice! It is advisable to use river sand to prepare the soil for planting.

Prepared land must be steamed or frozen to get rid of all pests and microbes. Steamed or frozen land should stand for about a week to restore the necessary balance. Before direct sowing, the prepared earth is placed in a prepared container, compacted a little and slightly moistened from a sprinkler.

How to sow?

The process of sowing Turkish cloves is as follows - the seeds are placed in a small groove made in the soil, and lightly sprinkled with earth. After that, it is necessary to create a greenhouse effect for the crops by placing the containers in a bag or covering them with a layer of film.

Turkish clove seeds.

Then the containers are sent to a room with moderate lighting and a temperature of about 18°C. Crops should be moistened periodically. As soon as the seedlings begin to come out and the surface of the ground, the film is removed.

Important! Seedlings do not like direct bright sunlight and excess moisture, so these influences should be avoided as much as possible.

Home Care

Seedlings of the described flower do not cause difficulties in care, everything for fast and proper growth should follow the following rules:

• a room is suitable for seedlings, the temperature in which does not exceed 18 ° C;
• seedlings love partial shade, it is advisable to observe this condition when growing;
• as soon as the loops of seedlings appear (this happens about 10 days after sowing), it is worth transferring the seedlings to a cooler room (14 ° C);
• if necessary, it is worth providing seedlings with additional lighting;
• as soon as 5 true leaves appeared on the plant, it is worth pinching;
• young seedlings need to be hardened, but do it very carefully, avoiding exposure to drafts and frosts.

Feeding and watering

Plants do not like abundant and frequent watering; plants flooded with water can get sick or die. Water the seedlings carefully, try not to splash water on the leaves. The optimal number of waterings per week is two(additional watering can be carried out when the soil around the future flower dries out). Watering small seedlings is best done from a sprayer, grown plants can be watered with a watering can.

Carnation seedlings in cassettes.

Turkish carnation plants do not need frequent feeding, however, it is still sometimes necessary to produce it. The fertilization process is carried out both with the help of solutions prepared independently, and with the help of purchased preparations. On average, it is worth carrying out the feeding procedure three times per season.

Sapling dive

You can dive plants into individual pots as soon as young seedlings have acquired a pair of true leaves. This usually happens about 20 days after sowing. Plan and rules of action when picking:

1. Prepare pots with earth, while moistening it. For these purposes, the same land as used for sowing is suitable.
2. Delicate seedlings are carefully separated from the total mass of plants and planted in a deepening of the earth in a pot.
3. After transplantation, create a greenhouse effect for transplanted seedlings for a while.

Advice! Diving is best done in the evening or on cloudy days.

Disembarkation to a permanent place

For a permanent place of growth of carnations, a medium-lit area with fertile soil is suitable. Transplantation can be done as soon as it is warm outside, and the seedlings gain enough strength. This is usually done in late May - early June.

Burgundy carnation inflorescences.

Reference! The plant will please with a lush color in the second year of life, this point should be taken into account when choosing a planting site.

Preparing bushes for wintering

Despite the fact that the plant is considered cold-resistant, it needs to be warmed for the winter. To do this, you need to cover the plant with spruce (or other coniferous plant) branches or other breathable material. In the spring, as soon as the frosts pass and the snow begins to melt, you must immediately remove the protection from the plant.

Diseases and pests

Even such an unpretentious plant is sometimes attacked by pests, for example, aphids or mites, which can be fought with the help of store-bought preparations or infusion of potato tops. There are no diseases characteristic only for this plant.

Flower in landscape design

Such a flower looks organically in any part of the garden, is able to decorate any flower bed. Flower growers use given plant when creating an alpine slide, creating intricate and original patterns with the help of plants.

Useful video

Turkish carnation flowers are deservedly considered universal view colors. They have great appearance, easy to care for, unpretentious to growing conditions. With the help of them you can decorate even a small modest area. Through abundance colors, you can create a spectacular flower bed from carnations alone.

Turkish carnation is especially popular with gardeners. She fell in love with them for her unpretentiousness, for long flowering, for the unusual, catchy color of flowers. Its cultivation does not require much effort, the main thing is to choose right place for sowing, fertilize in time.

Basic information about Turkish cloves

Turkish carnation - the Latin name Dianthus barbatus belongs to the clove family. Its homeland is the mountainous regions of Southern Europe.

Turkish carnation is grown as a biennial. In the first year, leaves and lush rosettes appear at the flower, and in the second year - colorful flowering.

There are two types of Turkish carnations: undersized - 15-20 cm and tall - up to 60-80 cm. Carnation flowers are monochromatic or variegated, which are collected in dense inflorescences with a diameter of 10-12 cm with a variety of colors: white, burgundy, dark red , pink, as well as two- and three-color colors - this is with eyes, strokes, strokes, etc.

The inflorescences of the carnation are simple, but at the same time unusually wonderful, as well as terry, which are populated with huge caps mainly by high carnation varieties.

You can grow Turkish cloves in flower beds, flower beds. Low-growing carnation varieties are recommended to be planted in the foreground, followed by taller flowers.

Growing turkish cloves from seeds

Growing Turkish cloves from seeds can be done in two ways: sowing seeds for seedlings, as well as in open ground.

When to sow seeds for seedlings?

Sowing seeds in the ground for seedlings should begin in March. Before you start sowing, you need to prepare the soil that is favorable for the rapid germination of seeds. The following composition is recommended: 2 parts sod land+ the same amount of peat + 1 part of river sand. In order to disinfect the soil from all kinds of microbes, it must either be frozen or steamed.

Before pouring soil into containers, it is necessary to prepare drainage, make holes for water to drain. As soon as the containers are ready, the soil must be moistened, seeds sown, sprinkled with sand on top, covered with glass or film. Growing Turkish Cloves from Seeds

Watering should be moderate, optimum temperature for germination - + 18 ° С. After the shoots appear, it is better to remove the containers in a cooler (+ 12 ° C), but always bright place.

When the seedlings have real leaves, it should be dived, that is, it is necessary to transplant the seedlings into separate containers. As soon as the flower reaches the phase of 5 leaves, it must be pinched at the point of growth.

If April is relatively warm, then seedlings can be taken out on Fresh air but be sure to avoid drafts. This will help harden off the plant.

You can plant seedlings in open ground in May, when warm weather sets in. The distance between them should not be less than 30 cm.

Sowing seeds in open ground

Sowing seeds in open ground can be carried out in May - early June. In advance, about 15 days before sowing, it is necessary to prepare the soil. It must be dug up (about 20-25 cm), loosened, covered with a film so that the soil warms up properly.

Turkish carnation grows best in full sun, but it can also bloom well in partial shade. In order for the flower to bloom magnificently and beautifully, the soil must be fertile. Any soil, whether clay or loam, is suitable for Turkish cloves, if only before you start digging, add 6-8 kg of humus or compost, as well as wood ash (200-300 g / 1 sq.m). It is also useful to add mineral fertilizers.

When the time comes for sowing, the film (covering material) is removed from the garden. Further, shallow grooves are made across the beds, about 1.5 cm deep with a distance of 15 cm. The grooves are shed with water, then the seeds are sparsely sown, sprinkled with earth on top, lightly tamped with the palm of the hand. In order for seedlings to sprout faster, the bed should be covered with covering material.

At favorable conditions seedlings appear after 10 days, after 20 days - the seedlings are picked on a new bed. The distance between seedlings is at least 7-10 cm.

Turkish cloves can be sown before winter at the end of October. Here it must be remembered that the sowing of seeds in the fall must be carried out in dry soil (the grooves are not moistened). In addition, the seeds must be dry.

Turkish clove care

So that the carnation pleases with a riot of colors, abundant flowering, it must be weeded from weeds in time, fed and watered in a timely manner.

Watering carnations

The flower has a positive attitude to watering both before flowering and in the flowering phase. It is recommended to water 1-2 times a week, 12 liters of water per 1 sq.m. If the summer is hot, then watering should be monitored more closely. It must be remembered that the flower does not like very damp soil and it is very important not to overdo it with watering. The flower cannot be grown in low-lying places, where, as a rule, high humidity, he dies due to root rot. When watering a plant, you must try to direct the stream of water directly under the root.

In the spring, when the snow cover melts, it is necessary to temporarily shade the plant, for example, with covering material, to protect it from sunburn.

When and what to feed?

Top dressing of cloves is carried out 3 times per season (1 spoon of fertilizer per 10 liters of water):

1st top dressing: when the carnation reaches 12 cm with mineral fertilizers;

2nd top dressing: during flowering with liquid fertilizers;

3rd top dressing: at the end of summer with potash-phosphorus fertilizers.

Protection against pests and fungal diseases

Turkish cloves are dangerous spider mite and aphids. To protect the plant from pests, as well as from fungal diseases, such as rust, fusarium, mottling, it is recommended to treat it with insecticide and fungicide.

Since ancient times, carnation has been a favorite of flower growers in many countries. The smell of a flowering culture is similar to the aroma of the buds of a clove tree - a well-known spice. Hence the name of this flower. But from the Greek language, the name of the plant is translated as "divine flower" or "flower of Zeus."

If you decide to plant a carnation in your flower garden, then you need to know some rules for growing, caring for and propagating this flower in the open field. Numerous photos of these wonderful plants will help you choose a variety.

Medium-sized, but catchy Turkish carnation flowers will look great in any flower bed.

Description of Turkish clove

Turkish cloves are one of the most common types of flower-grown crops. She fell in love with gardeners back in the 16th century for her bright flowering hats. This ornamental plant comes in a variety of colors. There are both monochromatic white and various shades of red, and two- and even three-color with various patterns on the petals of medium-sized (1–1.5 cm in diameter) flowers. The designs range from petal borders to eyes and intricate shapes. Yes, and the petals of the carnation themselves are very diverse. There are also five-petal varieties, and varieties with double flowers. Carnations bloom from the beginning of summer for a month.

Planting a carnation

The most beautiful Turkish carnation grows on fertile soil. It blooms well in open sunny areas, but will grow in partial shade. If fertilizers are added to sandy and loamy soils, then they are quite suitable for Turkish cloves. Before planting, compost or humus, ash, mineral fertilizers are introduced into the soil when digging.

It is not necessary to dig the future bed too deeply, 25-30 cm is enough. Then the bed is leveled and moistened if the soil is dry. The prepared area is covered with a dense cloth for two weeks. When the time has passed, you can start planting flowers.

If the soil is fertile enough - the flowering of the carnation will be long and lush.

Seeds are sown in furrows up to 1.5 cm deep. Between the furrows, the gaps must be at least 15 cm. Seeds are sown in the furrows, watered and sprinkled with earth. The soil needs to be lightly compacted. Watering is no longer needed, you just need to cover the bed with a thick cloth until the first shoots.

You can plant carnations both in spring and autumn. It is performed using the same technology.

Attention. During autumn planting both seeds and furrows must be dry.

Turkish clove care

As already noted, carnations feel best in sunny areas in fertile soils. These flowers are very sensitive to winter temperature fluctuations. This is especially true for young plants. Turkish cloves do not tolerate waterlogging and stagnant water.

Plants most at risk in early spring, when temperature differences are especially large, because during the day the plants heat up in the sun, and at night it freezes. So that the plants do not die during this period, non-frost-resistant varieties should be covered with spruce branches. You can remove the shelter only when the likelihood of returning frosts disappears.

Protect Turkish Cloves from Frost

When the carnation fades, the stems must be cut and fertilized in the soil. Thus, in a month the plant will already grow new stems, and some varieties will bloom again. Turkish carnation, which is grown according to all the rules, lives up to six years, while bad conditions reduce its dwelling time in the flower garden to three years.

Carnations need to be watered once or twice a week. And if the summer is dry, then the amount of watering needs to be increased. Water the plant on the ground, because if drops of water fall on the flower, it can burn out in the sun.

Attention. Carnation does not tolerate waterlogging.

Fertilizer and top dressing

Turkish carnation, planting and caring for which were described above, also needs to be fed. When growing cloves in open ground, the first feeding of the plant is done when it has reached a height of 10 cm. 1 tbsp is used as a fertilizer. l. nitrophoska and 1 tbsp. l. "Agricola Forward", diluted in 10 liters of warm water.

Feed the crop several times per season

When your flowers began to acquire buds, you need to carry out a second top dressing. This time you need to use 1 tbsp. l. potassium sulfate and the same amount of superphosphate, also diluted in 10 liters of water.

The third top dressing is applied directly during the flowering period of the carnation for 10 liters of water, 1 tbsp. l. fertilizer "Agricola for flowering plants".

Attention. Feeding consumption should be 10 liters per 5 square meters. m.

Plant propagation

Reproduction of Turkish cloves is most often carried out by seeds or layering. In order to propagate cloves by layering, you need to follow a simple algorithm of actions:

• in July or August, the shoots must be tilted to the ground, fixed and sprinkled with soil;
• tie the stem to the peg, keeping it upright;
• take care of the shoots that will appear in a few weeks;
• in autumn, new shoots must be cut off and planted in open ground.

Turkish Clove Seeds

Another way to propagate Turkish cloves is cuttings. To do this, I most often use shoots that have not formed inflorescences this year.

You can also use as seedlings bushes that have grown in open ground as a result of self-seeding of cloves. They just need to be transplanted to the place you need. However, it is worth remembering that self-sowing often loses the distinctive features of varieties.

Diseases and pests of Turkish cloves

Turkish carnation is a disease-resistant plant, but occasionally, mainly in the southern regions, it can get sick viral disease which is spread by sucking insects. It manifests itself in the inhibition of flower growth, the appearance of a mosaic color on the leaves with their subsequent deformation. In this case, the diseased plant must be immediately destroyed, preventing infection of other bushes.

spider mite

Also occasionally found in Turkish carnation heterosporiosis. This fungal disease appears on the leaves and stems as small gray spots. Sometimes the spots have a red border. Subsequently, the spots brighten and merge with each other. In this case, the flower becomes fragile in the place of accumulation of spots, the leaves turn yellow and die. The fungus lives on the plant even after it has died, therefore, in case of infection, all remnants of the diseased flower must be carefully removed, and the plants surrounding it must be treated with Bordeaux liquid or copper oxychloride.

Of the pests, Turkish cloves planted in open ground can be attacked spider mites and aphids.

Turkish carnation in a flower bed

The simplest and most reliable means of confronting these pests is considered to be tincture of potato tops. To do this, for 10 liters of water, you need 1 kg of potato tops, infused for a day and a half. Before spraying in the tincture, add 1 tbsp. l. liquid soap.

Advice. Spray cloves in cool mornings or evenings.

Turkish carnation in combination with other plants

In flower beds, carnations are recommended to be planted with the same perennial sunflowers. For example, Turkish carnations will go well with Alpine aster, Carpathian bell and rudbeckia. All of these perennial flowers have the same soil, watering requirements and thrive in open sunny areas.

Turkish carnation in landscape design

In landscape design, Turkish carnation is used quite often. A big role in this is played by the ease of care for this flower, combined with its incredible beauty. Carnations are used to create spectacular borders. Can carnations in landscape design and play the role of a lawn and serve as ground cover plants. Bright hats between pavement tiles, framed by steps, and decorating retaining walls will look great.

Turkish carnation in landscape design

Often this flower is also used to decorate alpine slides. Except colorful flower beds you can diversify landscape design and original monophonic duets, for example, in a combination of red varieties of carnations with blood-red geraniums.

In addition, this flower can be planted in pots and decorate terraces and rooms with small flower beds.

This flower also looks great in cut flowers in bouquets, both as a solo plant and in combination with other flowers.

It all depends on your imagination. And if you lack inspiration - look at the photos with these beautiful flowers maybe they can help determine the best place for carnations in the flower garden.

Turkish carnation is one of the most unpretentious care garden flower, which pleases with its bright rich beauty any, even the most capricious grower.

Turkish carnation care: video

Turkish carnation: photo