dianthus

Hi folks,

I have what some may see as a silly question but I really don't know and therefore am asking ....

I bought a packet of Dianthus plumaris romance mixture seeds. Can anyone tell me will each seed produce 'one flower' or a clump of flowers like this http://www.amazon.co.uk/DIANTHUS-ROMANCE-MIXTURE-PLUMARIUS-PERENNIAL/dp/B00AHAQUU2

Thank you for any help you can give.

 

Every dianthus I know produces multiple flower heads.

I think they're all perennial (could be wrong). I'd do way more than you expect to need and plant them too close together for the first year, moving them about as needed if they grow faster than expected. Otherwise it will look a bit sparse in the first year.

 

Plant them in clumps like you would Lobelia.

 

Hi Clueless .. Good to know

and Sheal ... glad you said that cause I didn't know that either.

I really am a beginner who doesn't know these things. This will be the first full year of having a garden and doing things from the beginning like sowing seeds etc. I've spent the winter buying everything I think I will need, researching and asked a few questions on here during the last few months - all gone in my notebook - and had a test run with the propogator mat. All I need now is the weather and seed compost and we will see what kind of a mess I can make of it all.

 

I used to grow a few that were very similar to this one...............
http://www.thompson-morgan.com/flow...nial-seeds/dianthus-superbus-crimsonia/7188TM
They were brilliant performers. The seeds needed a fair bit of heat to germinate as I recall.

 

Auntpol, we all had to start somewhere, yes, you will win some and lose some but that's what gardening's all about and believe me even experienced gardeners never stop learning. We're here to help, so don't worry about asking questions. Just don't get over eager and start them off to early, that's when disaster strikes either through lack of heat or daylight hours.

Plants grow at different rates throughout the country because of different climatic conditions. Could you put your county or area (eg South-West) below your avatar please as it helps us when discussing growing conditions.

 

Hi Long, I purchased a heat pad which I gave a try out in october so no worries about needing heat.

Hi Sheal, Have added location and soil PH which I am apparantly very lucky with. I have been warned about starting things too early and I needed that reminder cause I am just itching to get my hands in soil again. The weird thing is that I didn't have a garden for over 30 years and it never bothered me but now I have a garden every day indoors feels like I'm in prison.

 

Hi Auntpol, is that pH reading correct? pH7 is strong alkaline. Its enough to do unpleasant things to your skin. Its not implausible but I'd be wondering about the reliability of any test result like that.

How did you test it? Did you use a chemical test kit or an electronic probe type one? If it was an electronic one, the result is almost certainly way off, unless you made sure the prongs were immaculately clean, and the soil was nice and soggy, and the temperature was in the right range, and you waited at least a minute etc.

Also, did you take several samples from different spots? If it was just a single sample, the results could have been skewed by something in the soil at that spot.

 

As soon as the new year turns we've all got the 'itch' Auntpol. I will amuse myself this coming week sorting my seeds into propagation order, so I know which ones to start off first. I hate it when I've missed something and it's to late to get them going for the coming season. Perhaps you can see what you have and there maybe something you can start a week earlier.

 

Hi clueless,
Sorry its taken me so long to answer .... I seem to have missed you post. My meter reading is definately 7 and according to the meter and all my research it is neutral with anything below 7 being alcaline and anything above being acid.

See this from wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soil_pH

 

Yep, I was having a bit of a moment there, 'brain is temporarily unavailable... please try later'

pH 7 is indeed neutral. 4 is strong acid (the strongest we were allowed to handle, under supervision, back in my school days in chemistry).

 

Are all dianthus perennials? I have left some from last summer in containers and wondering whether they will reappear

 

I'm not sure if they are all perennials Gardening Banker. My dianthus stay green all year round, so I suspect you may have lost yours.

 

You caused a bit of a panic there Dave ! It had me diving for my 2nd year chemistry book . I have been adding lime to some flower beds - thought I had turned them into bleach beds