How to Transplant Mature Carnations
The carnation is one of the oldest flowers known and is a favorite in the garden. The variety of colors available make carnations an excellent addition to landscaping, and the blooms are long-lasting and fragrant. Carnations are easy to grow and are often used in dried arrangements and wedding bouquets. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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How to Transplant Mature Carnations
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Dig the holes into which you will place the carnations. The holes should be twice as long and twice as wide as the roots on the carnations to be transplanted. Space the holes 12 to 18 inches apart. Before planting, mix a cup of all-purpose fertilizer into the soil you have removed from the hole, blending it in well.
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Choose plants from your garden that are 2 to 4 years old. Using a garden spade, dig a circle in the dirt around the carnation. Using a shovel, get the tip underneath the plant to pick up the root, as well as the carnation. Once they are out of the soil, you will divide them at the base of the root. Most mature plants can be divided into two or three smaller plants, depending on their size.
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Add a mixture of potting soil and fertilizer to the hole the mature carnation was in and one of the carnations you separated can go back in this hole. The others will go in the holes you have prepared ahead of time.
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Push the soil back around the plants, but do not tamp it tightly. Water the carnations thoroughly, but not so they are standing in water. If the weather is very hot, water every day, and this will help them to adjust to their new homes. If it is not extremely warm yet, every couple of days will suffice. In just a few weeks, you will be enjoying the blooms on your carnations.
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Tips & Warnings
The color of a carnation can be changed by putting a few drops of food coloring in water and dipping the bloom into this mixture.
Garden varieties of carnations usually grow from a height of 10 inches to 20 inches.
When dividing the carnations, you may need to use pruning shears or a shovel rather than your hands. These can be tough to break apart.
