How to Properly Grow and Care for Your Dianthus 'Pinks' Plants

Dianthus plants are famous for their spicy fragrances and over-the-top pink flowers; thus, they are also known as Pinks; they are a great plant choice if you want to add a new kind of plant to your garden. They will enhance your garden’s aesthetics and overall appeal, and how can we forget about its amazing fragrance? And this is why most people want to add the Dianthus plant to their garden but hesitate because they don’t know how to grow and care for Dianthus pinks and what is Dianthus flowering season.

Are you one of them? If yes, this post is for you because, in this, we’ll discuss everything about Dianthus Plants in great detail, whether it be their types, varieties, how to plant them, care tips, and much more.

So, read this post till the end and light up your garden with Dianthus Pinks and its unforgettable fragrance.

Dianthus Pink Plants

Before we move further, it’s very important to understand the history and varieties of Dianthus because it will help us understand the Dianthus better and increase our knowledge of general horticulture.

History Of Dianthus Pinks

The Dianthus Pinks is not a new plant in the horticulture community, it has been around since ancient times, and it is believed that it is of Greek origin because it was named by a Greek botanist named Theophrastus. The name Dianthus comes from the Greek word Dios which means ‘divine,’ and acanthous, which means ‘flower’. And it is also believed that the name Dianthus translates to ‘God Zeus’s flower.’ Whatever it might be but the Dianthus has been a very popular flower in Europe since the 1500s.

Types of Dianthus Pinks

There are several types of Dianthus plans out there, ranging from Typical annual dianthus, such as Chinese Pinks, to Perennial Dianthus, such as Cheddar Pink, Grass Pinks, etc., and to Biennial Dianthus, such as D. Barbatus, also known as sweet William. There are many more types of Dianthus ranging from all the categories mentioned above. All these categories are defined by their growing cycle, so the one that grows during every Dianthus flowering season is known as Annual Dianthus, the ones that grow from year to year are known are Biennial Dianthus, and the ones which grow for 3 or more years are known as Perennial Dianthus.

How to Plant Dianthus

Now you know the overview of the types of Dianthus and their best season, but now, the question arises about how to plant Dianthus. Planting a Dianthus might seem very difficult, but trust me, Dianthus are very easy to plant, and below we have mentioned everything. So, read carefully.

You can use seeds to plant these or get baby plants from your nearby nursery and directly plant them in your pot. Another way to grow them is to use cuttings of Dianthus, so choose from any of these three ways to cultivate Dianthus.

Then comes the soil, sand, and fertilizer composition; keep 1/3 soil, 1/2 fertilizer, and 1/3 sand. These are mostly seasonal plants. Thus, they don’t require this much fertilizers, and if you don’t have sand available, you can also use cocopeat instead of sand. But if you are using cocopeat, you must water it carefully because it absorbs a great amount of water. Keep the soil moist but don’t overwater; this may damage the plant.

Things to Keep in Mind Before Planting Dainthus.

There’s one thing you must keep in your mind is choosing the right kind of Dianthus according to your need so; if you want to get flowers for many years, then you should go for perennial Dianthus, and if you want to grow it for two years, then go for biennial Dianthus. If you want it for one year, you should plant the typical year dianthus, such as Chinese Pinks.

5 Care Tips for Dianthus

Now that you know all the ways to plant Dianthus and what to keep in mind before choosing the right kind of Dianthus, it’s time to know the ways to take good care of your Dianthus so it keeps your garden flowerful.

1. Keep the Soil Alkaline

Starting with the base of any plant, soil, if you get the right composition and contrast of soil according to your plant, you have won half the battle. There are two types of soil: Acidic and Alkaline; the Dianthus prefers Alkaline soil. And there are many advantages of Alkaline soil when it comes to Dianthus because Alkaline soil has a higher amount of calcium, sodium, and magnesium levels which helps to promote healthy plant growth and makes your plant more resistant to diseases. To make your soil alkaline, use chalk powder, mix it well with water, and give it to your plant once every ten days.

2. Sunlight is the Key

If you want your Dianthus to keep flowering for longer periods, then as the heading says, the sun is the key to constant flowering. You must keep your pot in daylight for at least 7-8 hours; this is a step to follow if you want to get nice blooming flowers and a healthy plant.

3. Water the Base, But Don’t Overwater It

When it comes to growing plants, watering is an important element to understand; thus, here’s the perfect way to water your Dianthus. First, water at the base, don’t water the flower or petals directly, as it will damage the growth second is that when watering your Dianthus check the soil. If it’s moist, don’t wait until that day, as the Dianthus does not require that many wats for growth. Just keep the soil moist, and you are good to go.

4. Use Fertilizers Every 6-8 Weeks

As we have made the soil composition with 1/2 of fertilizer, we don’t have to use fertilizer very often. And another reason for not using too many fertilizers is that Dianthus likes Alkaline soil, and using fertilizers will make the soil more Acidic; thus, it might hamper the growth of Dianthus.

5. Reduce Old Flowers

This tip does not only apply to Dianthus, but it’s a must for every flowering plant in horticulture. You need to do it if you want to keep your plant fresh and want it to flower continuously because old flowers will start to show effects on the rest of the flowers and will make them dead too, and if you remove the old flowers, then new flowers will come from that stems. So, keep your Dianthus fresh by reducing old flowers every three days.

Pot vs Ground: Where to Plant?

Now, you know everything from how to plant Dianthus and take care of your Dianthus, so now the question is where you should grow Dianthus to get better results.

So, if you plant Dianthus in the ground, there are many benefits, such as no potting soil is needed, less watering is required, you don’t need any drainage, they’ll be less susceptible to pests, and they’ll also get more exposure to nutrients. But if you plant them in a pot, it will surely require more effort, but it will be very easy to carry the pot anywhere at any time of the day so you can keep it in the direction of the sun and in the dark when it’s not needed.

The answer to this question is that if you have a ground where there’s exposure to an ample amount of sunlight, plant it there, but if you want a portable option, you must go for the pot.

History of Dianthus Pinks

The Dianthus Pinks are not a new plant in the horticulture community, it has been around since ancient times, and it is believed that it is of Greek origin because it was named by a Greek botanist named Theophrastus. The name Dianthus comes from the Greek word Dios which means ‘divine’, and acanthous, which means ‘flower’. And it is also believed that the name Dianthus translates to ‘God Zeus’s flower’. So whatever it might be but the Dianthus has been a very popular flower in Europe since the 1500s.

Types of Dianthus Pinks

Several types of Dianthus plants are out there, ranging from Typical annual Dianthus, such as Chinese Pinks, to Perennial Dianthus, such as Cheddar Pink, Grass Pinks, etc. and to Biennial Dianthus, such as D. Barbatus, also known as sweet William. In addition, many more types of Dianthus range from all the categories mentioned above. All these categories are defined by their growing cycle, so the one that grows during every Dianthus flowering season is known as Annual Dianthus, the ones that grow from year to year are known are Biennial Dianthus and the ones which grow for three or more years are known as Perennial Dianthus.

The common type and colours in Dianthus are Pinkish Shade, drake pink, and light pink, and there are some which are magenta and red colour dianthus. Thus, these are great if you want to add a pink flowering plant to your garden. These plants are mostly preferred for the winter season because it’s their peak blooming season, but if you want, you can get them for summer too; you’ll have to take care with a different method, all of which are mentioned below.

Conclusion

In the end, planting new plants in your garden is a great way to make a diverse garden, and having Dianthus in your space enhances the beauty of your garden or house, but new plants require effort and are very tough to maintain; thus, you need a plant that’s easy to care for that’s why you should plant Dianthus in your garden. In this post, we have covered everything you need to plant Dianthus, the history of Dianthus, where you should plant it, dianthus flowering season and most importantly, how you can take good care of your Dianthus.

So, practice all the above pointers and get flowering from your Dianthus for longer periods.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Dianthus a Permanent Plant?

It depends on the type of Dianthus you choose; as discussed above, there are various types of Dianthus, such as perennial, annual and biennial. So, the right Dianthus is as per your need; if you want a permanent plant, go for perennial Dianthus.

Does Dianthus Like Sun?

Yes, Dianthus needs a great amount of sunlight to grow the best; try to give them at least 7-8 hours of sun daily, which will help your plant to have a healthy life, and it will also bloom the best flowers. For more, read that sunlight is the key pointer mentioned above.

Is Dianthus an Indoor or An Outdoor Plant?

You can keep Dianthus indoors when it’s in its beginning stage, but after a while, you will have to shift it outdoors to sunlight to get the best results; thus, it’s an outdoor plant.

Is Dianthus a Winter Plant?

Yes, Dianthus is preferable for winter as it has the best life in cold areas but keep in mind that if it’s too cold, it might also damage plants, and perennial Dianthus can give flowers in the summer season too.