Welcome to Modern Agriculture!
Miscellaneous ●
Average garden soil with excellent drainage.
Full sun.
Annual dianthus tolerates light frost with ease, but can be damaged by hard freezes. Where winters are mild, dianthus can be grown as a winter annual.
Encourage fast growth by mixing a balanced organic fertilizer into the soil before planting.
Thyme and Portulaca. Dianthus combines well with other cold-tolerant annuals including pansies, dusty miller, and ornamental cabbage and kale.
Single Plants: 11" (30cm) each way (minimum)
Rows: 11" (30cm) with 11" (30cm) row gap (minimum)
Set out stocky seedlings in early spring, or in fall where winters are mild.
Our Garden Planner can produce a personalized calendar of when to sow, plant and harvest for your area.
Dianthus blooms earlier than other annuals, and well-sited plants may persist for two years in climates with mild winters. Colors include pink, red, lavender, white and many bicolors.
Some varieties have stems long enough for cutting. As flowers fade, snip them off with scissors to keep the plants looking neat.
Both rabbits and deer like to nibble dianthus foliage. In summer, spider mites cause occasional problems and can be controlled with insecticidal soap.
