Carnations are one of the most widespread floral species in Spain, and become an emblematic flower in all kinds of popular or religious festivals, such as Holy Week. It is the flower that adorns the hair of one of the most famous clichés in Spain for foreigners. Likewise, the song sung by the university musical prickly pears, with which they hovered around the girls under their balconies, which, as its name suggests, is starring this fragrant and beautiful flower, is very famous.
The carnation is a flower associated in the world imagination with Spain and whether it is related to it or not, the reality is that the largest production of carnations as cut flowers in all of Europe occurs in the Cadiz town of Chip Iona.
It is a Mediterranean flower already known in Greek antiquity, when it was dedicated to the god Zeus, and there are around 300 species of it, of which the best known are the deltoids, the caryophyllus, the dianthus barbets, or the chinensis.
The carnation is found in all kinds of places, whether in gardens and parks. or in events and celebrations, public and private, such as weddings, religious celebrations, Mother’s Day, conferences and parties, etc., but given their popularity, they are found in many other colors, such as white, yellow, purple, the two-tone, the speckled, always with their typical jagged edges.
Carnations are fair weather flowers as they need a warm temperature. They also need other care and attention, and that is why we are going to explain how to care for carnations with some simple and precise guidelines.
Plant
The carnation, called Dianthus caryophyllus in Latin is a perennial herbaceous plant that flowers almost all year round, with stems that can reach a meter in height. It grows in the Mediterranean arch, although it is cultivated in many parts of the world with a warm climate.
Given its beauty, it is a basic flower in any floral arrangement in all kinds of ornamental compositions, whether in bouquets, wreaths or rings. That is why, for a long time, gardening specialists have carried out all kinds of crosses and grafts, obtaining many varieties that have come in a wide assortment of colors and shapes. Another effect has been that almost all carnations can have a continuous flowering in the appropriate growing conditions, fundamentally being in an environment of temperatures that do not fall below 10 degrees centigrade.
There are varieties that are annual and live only one year, and others are perennial and last for several years. The petals have jagged edges and the leaves are triangular. To grow carnations, the technique of planting cuttings of the plant, or through seeds, is used. These are the most common form thanks to the fact that it offers greater results in flower production.
Types of flowers
This flower comes in three different shapes depending on the size they reach: the standard, or uniform, which is the largest, the mini, or spray, which in Spain is popularly known as carnations, and the smallest, which are the micros.
Planting and reproduction
The planting of carnations depends on each species, mainly if it is annual or perennial. Those that are annuals should be planted indoors, in a nursery, when spring arrives, in March, and when the heat progresses, and the plant already reaches a pencil-like appearance, they should be replanted in pots so that, already in April or May, plant them in their final place in the garden or patio.
Carnations that are perennial must be planted in spring, because summer and its heat will harm them, starting from seeds, although they can also be sown in autumn, leaving a distance of 20 or 25 centimeters between each plant. They can be reproduced from the cuttings from May, being something that does not offer major difficulties.
If you already have a carnation plant that has given you flowers, then you should do some preparation before spring begins, such as pruning the plant, cutting off any branches that look old or are too long.
You can also add some compost to the ground, based on vegetable matter, stirring the soil around the plant well so that the water is absorbed in the right proportion. You can add some compound fertilizer to improve flowering.
If you do this prior care when the carnations are already blooming, you have to be careful that it does not stop or reduce. In this case, you should only prune the longest branches a little and add some fertilizer, and do nothing else.
Take the branches that you have cut that look the best, cut them back to about six inches, and plant them as cuttings in pots or in a corner of the garden that has sun, but not too much and better if it gets in the morning, and has a good continuous watering. If you see that any of the cuttings are dead, remove them.
When the carnations grow, the technique of pinching is used, with which larger flowers are achieved. They should not be made very high, so that the flowers do not come out too weak, so it is appropriate to make two instead of one. One, above the fourth node of the stem, and the other, on the third node, but two months after making the first node.
Remember that the most favorable soil for the good growth of carnations is one that is porous, drains well and is rich in nutrients. But they adapt perfectly to other poorer soils, even calcareous, which you can enrich with various fertilizers.
As for the fertilizer, the carnation is a plant that needs many nutrients, so it is convenient to fertilize it once a week in the hottest months, while in the rest of the year, it will be enough to fertilize it once a month.
Irrigation
The carnation needs to be watered constantly, but moderately, without any flooding, otherwise the stems will rot. It does not have to be daily in the less hot months, although it does when the heat reaches its highest temperatures in summer.
Normally, the carnation will grow in an optimal temperature of between 10 degrees Celsius at night, and 22 to 24 in broad daylight. What must be taken into account is that the carnation cannot be exposed to severe cold weather conditions, such as frost. At 0 degrees, carnations will show warping and spots on the petals.
They will also need daily watering when they are newly planted, so that the rooting is stronger and deeper.
The light
Carnations are born in a plant that needs a lot of light. They should be grown in full sun, not in shade, or partial sun. Light is basic so that when they are in full bloom they give large flowers full of Virgos. In addition, they must grow in much ventilated areas, where the air flows.
Carnations’ need for sun is so great that if they don’t receive it in the right amount and high intensity, the stiffness of the stems will be affected, as well as the number and size of the flowers when they appear.
Flowers
Carnations have a long bloom, depending on the dates they were planted. If they are planted in the fall, the flowers will appear in their entire splendor in the spring months, and if they are planted from March to May, the carnations will be seen throughout the summer and also in the fall.
Once the carnations are in full bloom and you want to cut them for storage and later sale, they are kept in very specific conditions, such as the temperature to keep them oscillates between 0 and 1 degrees, that they be given a pretreatment with a fungicide against botrytis and the aim is for the environment to be completely free of ethylene, to which the carnation is very sensitive because it matures and ages very quickly, spoiling it.
Ethylene is a plant hormone that causes rapid ripening of plants, vegetables and fruits. For example, in the typical case of the rotten apple that spoils the rest of the healthy apples in a basket where they are all together.
The cut flower of the carnation, if it is kept in a cold room and a substance is applied to it, such as silver sulphate, which delays its withering, it can last up to four weeks stored and in a perfect state of good appearance for typical decorative uses.
Diseases and pests
The diseases that carnations can suffer the most are those caused by fungi, such as rust, which causes very unsightly and harmful spots to appear on the leaves and stems. This fungus is favored by heat and humidity, which is why it occurs more in the fall and spring. When signs of rust are seen, it must be treated with an ecological fungicide. Various viruses also attack carnations, such as variegation, and others that must be treated properly.
And there are several pests that fully affect them, such as aphids and red spiders, which devour the plant. They appear more in the summer season, with the most intense heat, but they are easy to treat with various insecticides, preferably organic, which will have fewer side effects on the plant.
Medicinal properties
Carnations have various herbal medicinal uses, and as early as the 18th century there are written references to the effects of carnation flowers, as being excellent for their sudorific effects and for heart care.
Drinking an infusion based on white carnations, canary seed and honey is also recommended to balance blood pressure. The flower is also used to eliminate digestive problems, toothaches, coughs, nerves and a weak heart.
