Things Needed

With their greyish - gullible leaf and colorful pastel peak , carnations are a familiar old - fashioned favourite . Although they are n’t difficult to grow , carnations , like all perennials , can become crowded over time . Crowding limits air circulation to the carnation ’s ascendant , as the carnation struggles for adequate water and food . Tired , crowded carnations can be rejuvenated by dividing the works and giving them a raw kickoff . To keep carnations at their blooming near , dissever the plants in early spring every two to three years .

Step 1

Prepare a planting spot for the divided up carnations ahead of time . A well - drained position is crucial for carnations , so do n’t select a spot where water puddles for more than four or five hours . prefer a bit where the carnations will be in sunlight for four to five time of day each day . educate the soil to a depth of 8 to 10 inches . murder root and rock-and-roll , and break asunder large stain clods .

Step 2

Dig up the entire clump of carnations that you be after to part . labor a few inch away from the plant life so you do n’t cut into the rootage , then rock the power shovel back and off to loosen the roots before snarf the clump of carnations out of the ground .

Step 3

Discard the old , middle part of the plant if it looks bedraggle , along with any areas that have rotten or soft root . Divide the ball into modest segments with your hands , loosen the ascendent aside cautiously with your finger . Each segment should have at least three shoots and several healthy ascendent .

Step 4

Dig a hole in the prepared sphere for the new separate carnations . Plant the Dianthus caryophyllus so that the top of the roots is degree with the surface of the stain . Never bury the crest of the carnation or any part of the root word .

Step 5

Water the Dianthus caryophyllus thoroughly after planting , and keep the soil dampish for several week so the newly dissever gillyflower can grow a tidy root system of rules . Although the grunge should be moist , do n’t water to the tip that the soil is soggy , because too much water can cause the leafage to move around yellow .

Step 6

Feed carnations every six to eight weeks , using a general purpose water - soluble plant food . Read the package label for specific amounts .

Tip

Although mulch is beneficial for most plant , it is n’t respectable for carnations and should be avoided . Mulch will limit airwave circulation to the root word and top of the root system .

References