Knowing how to deadhead Dianthus is the first step to making sure that your plant stays productive throughout its flowering season. Dianthus produces beautiful bright pink, red, or lavender flowers during its blooming season making it one of the gardeners’ favorite plants to grow in their gardens. Once the flowers grow, some of the blooms will turn brown and it’s important to remove these spent flowers.
Deadheading is the process of removing spent flowers from a growing plant. The main purpose of this is to encourage the active blooming of the flowering plants before they have a chance to produce seeds. Another reason is that deadheading maintains improves the appearance of the plant because Dianthus that isn’t trimmed tend to appear messy and overgrown.
Deadheading Dianthus Successfully
Some Dianthus plants, depending on the cultivar, may produce bloom all year long, while others may produce little. One of the best ways to make the most out of your plant’s blooming, you can perform deadheading regularly. Because Dianthus may rebloom on each stem, deadheading it may require the gardeners to do it with caution.
Deadheading is usually done midseason. It’s better to perform deadheading when there are already a large number of spent flowers than cutting spent flowers one by one.
Here’s how you can deadhead your Dianthus plant:
Step 1. Check the blooms
When deadheading, inspect the stems first before cutting. Check for buds on the stem because it’s possible that a lot of flowers can grow on one stem. The last thing you want is to cut off the buds and hinder its flowering process.
Step 2. Make sure that your tools are clean
When deadheading, you need to use shears or a pair of scissors to make a clean cut on the stem. But before using the tools, be sure that they’re clean to avoid the spread of disease from one plant to another and avoid bacteria, viruses, and fungus from infecting the stems of the plant. To clean your tools, sterilize it with rubbing alcohol or wipe them with alcohol wipes.
Step 3. Cut the flowers
Check the stems for buds. If buds are present, cut the flowers about a half-inch above the bud in the stem. If there are no buds, cut just below the first set of leaves of the dead Dianthus flower. Repeat the same process on the other stems of the plants.
Step 4. Collect the spent flowers for composting
Once you’ve removed all the spent flowers for your Dianthus, collect them in a bag. Carry them over to the compost pile. It’s important not to leave them in the area where your Dianthus are because they can attract pests and other insects.
Step 5. Clean your tools
Once you’re done with the deadheading, it’s important to clean your tools with rubbing alcohol or alcohol wipes before putting them back in your shed. This way, you can ensure that you’ll be using clean tools the next time you deadhead your Dianthus.
Other Tips for Dianthus Flowers
Caring for Dianthus flowers is extremely easy and the instructions are straightforward. Here’s how you can easily take care of your Dianthus flowers and make sure they survive:
Tip 1. Water them on a regular basis
Water the plants regularly, especially when the soil is dry. Ideally, the plant should be flowered at least one inch every week.
Tip 2. Feed them with fertilizer
Apply a slow-release fertilizer into the soil where you’ve planted your Dianthus. You can also add a shovel-full of compost. This will be enough to feed your Dianthus plants all year.
Tip 3. Don’t forget to deadhead your plants
Deadhead your plants regularly to promote blooming.
Tip 4. Don’t plant them in environments with high humidity levels
Dianthus plants do not like environments with high humidity. Make sure to grow your plant in an area with average air conditions.
Tip 5. Keep in mind that they need to get full sun
These plants love full sun. Place them in a location where they can receive at least 6 hours of sun every day.
Tip 6. Choose the right kind of soil
Dianthus plants need well-draining soil, or otherwise, their stem will rot. The soil should also be alkaline, not acidic.
Growing Dianthus in a Hobby Greenhouse
Dianthus grow best in temperatures between 60°F to 70°F during daytime and between 50°F to 60°F at night. While they can tolerate some frost, it’s better to keep them indoors in the middle of the winter since they won’t be able to survive a deep freeze. That is why many people use hobby greenhouses to grow their Dianthus plants.
Here are some of the benefits of growing Dianthus in a hobby greenhouse:
Extend the dianthus’ growing season
One of the many reasons why a hobby greenhouse is a viable place for planting is that you can grow Dianthus plants in it all year long. You can store your Dianthus plants inside when it’s winter and make sure that it will continue producing flowers.
Protection from destructive bugs
While some Dianthus varieties grown have been modified to resist pest infestations, some types are still susceptible to pests. Carnation flies, for one, is a common Dianthus pest and it can lay its eggs on the foliage of the plant which can cause damage. A hobby greenhouse can also serve as a protective barrier against bugs that can put all of your gardening efforts to waste.
Protection from harsh weather conditions
Inclement weather can easily uproot your tender plants or destroy their structure and integrity. With a hobby greenhouse to provide your plants with a layer of protection against strong winds, heavy rains, snow, sleet, hail, and other harsh weather conditions, you can be sure that their safety is ensured.
Learn How to Deadhead Dianthus the Right Way
It doesn’t matter if you’re planning on selling your dianthus plants or if you’re just growing them as a hobby – you need to learn how to deadhead Dianthus so that they can give you the kind of blooms that you’ve always wanted.