Carnation has long been a symbol of love and passion. Its red variety is considered a symbol of victory in the Great Patriotic War and is traditionally assigned to the graves of soldiers who have laid down their heads to defend their homeland. In ancient Greece, this beautiful plant was called the flower of Zeus, which shows how much the Greeks respected cloves. Modern gardeners also love and appreciate these unpretentious, but charming flowers, decorate them with flower beds and summer cottages. Even a sophisticated gardener will get a lot of useful experience from exploring cloves, because there are more than 300 species of this amazing plant. In such an amazing variety of shapes and colors, everyone will find what they need for themselves. Moreover, they vary greatly. Also, cloves can be either annual or perennial. The most common species are Chinese, Turkish and garden. They are most often found in flowerbeds and gardens.
Cloves
This type of clove is sometimes called Dutch, because it was thanks to the efforts of florists from the Netherlands that this variety spread throughout Europe. This is a perennial plant that we most often plant as an annual plant. Because of this, cloves begin to bloom in the first year of their lives, delighting impatient gardeners with their beautiful flowers. The height of this variety is usually 50-60 cm, although some species may be lower.
The most popular clove is Shabo. Growing this variety is interesting in that it can bloom repeatedly. Despite the fact that this variety should be perennial, flower growers prefer to grow it as an annual plant. The most popular is the red clove Shabo.
Grenadine
Cloves of the Grenadine variety are distinguished by a high stem, which can reach 70 cm. Her leaves are narrow, and the flowers are found in a wide variety of colors. A flower of this variety can be both terry and ordinary. There are plants with beautiful notches on the petals. Grenadine blooms in the second year after planting, as the first year goes to the formation of a powerful root system. But then beautiful flowers appear, pleasing people with their pleasant aroma. Grade Grenadine is unpretentious and resistant to cold. Even our cold winters, this flower can wait in the open ground without any harm to itself.
Chinese carnation
This is a perennial plant, which we decided to grow as an annual. It is distinguished from other species by its small size - from 20 to 40 cm. Chinese cloves can be both terry and ordinary, one-color varieties with a wide variety of shades are found, as well as two-tone varieties that delight the eye with beautiful color combinations. Light and the absence of stagnant water - these are the two main requirements that the Chinese carnation makes for the grower. Seeds begin to ripen in boxes in August. You can store them for up to three years.
You need to sow the seeds in April, preferably in the greenhouse, since the temperature that they need for optimal development is about 15 degrees. A young plant needs to be transplanted to a permanent place of residence around mid-May, when the possibility of unexpected frosts will be minimized. If your heart was conquered by a carnation flower, then the Chinese variety may be a good choice for planting in the apartment, since it is small in size. The main thing in this case is to provide it with the necessary amount of light and put the plant in a cool place. At temperatures above 20 degrees, leaves rather than flowers will develop very actively.
Bearded Carnation
This species is also known as Turkish clove. It has a length of 30 to 60 cm and is a two-year-old plant. Unlike other species, this species blooms only in the second year of life. But this plant is very unpretentious - it loves light, but can easily grow in the shade. At the same time, Turkish carnation does not like strong watering, preferring a moderate amount of moisture. This flower grows well in open ground. It can be sown both in winter and in spring. Seedlings grown in a greenhouse are best planted in mid-May to avoid unexpected frosts. Bearded cloves are distinguished by bright saturated shades, two-tone varieties are found.
Landing place
Planting cloves is a simple matter, if you understand what this beautiful plant needs. Although some species may grow in shaded areas, for most of them the presence of abundant sunlight is critical. Therefore, the place where the carnations will be planted should be in an open area where the sun's rays can easily reach the goal. Carnation flower is very fond of mineral and organic fertilizers. Therefore, before planting, it is necessary to introduce potash fertilizers into the soil. Also, all the necessary minerals must be introduced into the soil.
In principle, it is not so difficult to create the conditions in which cloves will flourish. Caring for it includes moderate watering. A delicate flower does not like stagnation of water, and also negatively perceives too intense moisture. If the clove is poured, then it may even die. There are special requirements for the soil. It should be well loosened, as the flower does not like heavy soil and may refuse to bloom if planted there. Manure can bring a lot of benefits to the plant, but it must be rotted, as fresh is harmful to the root system of the “Zeus flower”.
Pests
Pests dangerous to cloves are the same as for other garden plants. One of them is a bear. These insidious creatures can damage the root system of the plant if you do not get rid of them in time. Flowers and young shoots can become food for the earwig, if not to interfere with its harmful activities. And the leaves can be damaged by a spider mite. The main thing here is to remember that this indestructible pest does not tolerate moisture. Therefore, light spraying of the plant can be a good prevention of its appearance. If you need to protect your cloves from the bear and earwigs, then loosening the soil in late autumn is good. Then in winter, cold eradicates these little parasites.
Clove planting
So, you want wonderful clove flowers to decorate your garden. Growing these incredible flowers is not the easiest process, but everyone can do it. You can sow clove seeds, or you can plant using seedlings. There is someone like it, but some varieties refuse to bloom if they were immediately sown in the ground. Sow seeds in the ground after the last spring cold, that is, not earlier than May. The distance between the seeds should be at least a centimeter, and between the rows at least 10 cm. If you did everything right, but the capricious plant still does not want to bloom, then a different way of planting will come to the rescue.
Carnation seedlings
Seedlings - the most reliable way to get the desired flower. Cloves are best taken with this method of planting. You need to start in early March. For planting you will need a tank and a mixture of sand, earth and peat. Land and peat are taken in a ratio of 1 to 1, but you need to take a little less sand. The resulting mixture must be placed in a container and pour water. Then seeds are put there, which are a little sprinkled with sand, after which all this is covered with a film. The optimum temperature for germination is 18 degrees. After the first seedlings are shot up, the temperature needs to be lowered to about 12 degrees and lighting added.
When the young cloves acquire two leaves, they will need to be transplanted into a new container. The soil in it should be the same as in the previous one, and the distance between plants should not be less than 4 cm. Around the beginning of April, plants will need to be transplanted in separate pots, and in the middle of the month you need to slowly begin hardening of cloves. Growing this flower is very problematic if it is not hardened. Therefore, take the plants out into the fresh air for a while. The main thing is that the place of hardening is not blown by the wind. At the end of May, you can safely plant cloves in open ground. The distance between plants should be at least 30 cm.
Breeding
There are different ways of propagating cloves. If you need to plant an annual variety, it is best to just sow the seeds. Collect seed boxes in the fall, when they are completely dry. Sowing itself takes place in March-April and is carried out by growing seedlings with subsequent planting on the street. Do not plant seeds immediately on the flowerbed, as they require quite a lot of time for growth. In this case, the probability of death of seedlings from weeds or parasites increases many times.
Another method for propagating cloves is layering. So you can successfully propagate species of flowers that have impressive vegetative shoots. To do this, you need to make a vertical cut on the internodes, about a third of the depth of the stem. Then this place leans against the ground and is covered with sand. With abundant watering, the roots will not take long to wait, and new sprouts will hatch from the internode. At this stage, you need to separate the new plant from the main bush and transplant it into a separate place.
Cuttings
The carnation flower reproduces well with cuttings, if it is not an annual plant, with which there is absolutely no reason to do so. But in general, any perennial variety can be easily cut. The easiest way to distinguish between vegetative shoots and flower stalks in spring. It is at this time that it is best to make cuttings. After a suitable shoot has been selected, it must be carefully cut and the bottom part cleaned of leaves. Then, an incision is made at the bottom to a depth equal to about 1/3 of the thickness of the stem. After this procedure, the stalk must be placed in a nutrient medium and covered with a film. After 2-3 weeks, the roots will appear and the plant will be ready for planting. Cuttings are great for those who want a clean variety. For example, you have grown a delicious white carnation and you want to get a few more flowers that are as similar to it as possible. In this case, the cuttings are best suited.
Cloves as a spice
Of course, many have heard about such a spice as cloves. Her incredible taste conquered many culinary specialists. If properly used cloves, then it will give the dish a bitter, but pleasant aroma. If you go too far with it, then an unpleasant sharp taste will appear that hardly anyone will like. Those who have tried the spice in its pure form will never put a lot of it. However, even though this plant is called a carnation, it has little in common with the flowers growing on the flower beds.
Unusual spice is obtained from ripened clove seeds . This relative of myrtle is grown in many hot countries for food purposes, as well as to obtain healthy oil, which has found widespread use in medicine and aromatherapy. Clove oil seasoned in an aroma lamp will calm the nervous system and clear the airways.
Diversity
Carnation is an excellent plant for decorating a garden or a summer cottage because there is a huge choice between different varieties of this beautiful plant. Every connoisseur of flowers will be able to find a variety to their liking. Someone will like terry cloves, and some will like unusual two-tone varieties. Not only the color differs, but also the size of the plant, as well as the splendor of the bush. In addition, you can choose the variety that best suits the conditions that you have. For some, perennial varieties are ideal, and for others, annual varieties familiar to everyone.
This variety not only allows you to choose a flower to your liking, but also gives you the opportunity to have the right bouquet for any occasion. If you do not know which flower to present at a strict official reception, then a strict red carnation will save the situation. Women will certainly enjoy the vibrant saturated colors that the clove family is so rich in. In some cases, exquisite terry options are ideal.
Flowers are the key to a good mood
It is difficult to get material profit from flowers if you are not going to grow them for sale. But the benefits they bring are unlikely to be worse than money. Seeing a scattering of colorful carnations in your summer cottage, enjoying their amazing look and aroma - this is the true reward for the hardworking grower. If a bad mood is firmly settled in my head and does not want to leave without a fight, then maybe you just need to go out into the yard or onto the balcony, where your favorite white carnation patiently waits for its owner. Sullen thoughts cannot last long if you are surrounded by beautiful flowers. Grow cloves, and it will bring you a lot of positive emotions every day!