Growing Cloves

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

In order for the carnation to please with its flowering, it is not enough just to choose the right soil for the plant. It is necessary to feed it in a timely manner, pour it moderately with warm water, protect it from annoying weeds and juice-thirsty pests and infections

Fertilization

To grow strong, healthy and beautiful, the carnation needs regular feeding. As a rule, root dressing is used, watering the plant with solutions of various fertilizers.

For plants of the first year of life, dissolve 25-40 grams of fertilizer in 10 liters of water. Fertilizer consists of two parts of nitrogen and one part of potassium and phosphorus.

In the second year of life, the amount of fertilizer per 10 liters of water is increased to 50-80 grams. The proportions also change: nitrogen and potassium are taken in one part, and phosphorus - one and a half parts.

During the budding period, the dry part is 60-80 grams per 10 liters of water. This takes one part of nitrogen, two parts of potassium and three parts of phosphorus. Ten liters of liquid fertilizer is designed for 3-4 square meters of a flower garden.

Before watering with fertilizer, you need to thoroughly water the soil with water.

Watering

Carnations do not tolerate excessive moisture. It provokes plant diseases, for example, the stems and leaves are affected by rust. Therefore, you should not water your cloves more than once or twice a week.

It is preferable to have a subsoil irrigation system through drainage pipes. But this is not realistic for all summer residents, therefore, of course, watering can be done with a hose or watering can. The younger and more delicate the plants, the finer the watering strainer should be to avoid exposing the plant roots.

Soil mulching

In order for moisture to remain in the soil longer, and the soil is loose, breathable, the surface is not covered with a crust through which air cannot pass, the soil must be mulched. To do this, peat, chopped straw, sawdust are poured between the plants in a layer of up to 5 centimeters. You should not use green grass for mulching, which can become moldy. You can use perforated film or special materials for mulching.

Nipping plants

To create a normal lush bush, more abundant flowering, an increase in the size of flowers, pinching the shoots is done. When the side shoots grow up to 15-20 centimeters, they are pinched. The last pinching is done no later than three months before the flowering of the plant. The pinching is done under the fifth to sixth knot of leaves.

Garter plants

Tall carnations need additional support, since their stem is not strong, and the inflorescences are heavy and can lead to breakage of the stem.

Reproduction of carnation

Propagate cloves by seeds or cuttings. Repaired carnation propagates only by cuttings.

The timing of sowing seeds depends on the type of carnation. For example, the Grenadine carnation is sown in mid-April and summer. Seeds of carnations "Margarita" and "Shabo" are sown in January-February. Before sowing, the seeds are pickled for 1, 5 hours in a weak solution of potassium permanganate.

In open ground, seedlings are planted in April-May. It is advisable to choose cloudy days for transplanting, or plant seedlings in the evening. At the end of planting, the soil is watered and mulched.

Pests and diseases

Cloves are subject to fungal diseases such as:

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Fusarium - affects all parts of the plant. In this case, the leaves turn yellow, and the stems and roots rot.

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Spotting - brown spots appear on the leaves and stems. The buds may not open.

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Rust - affects leaves and stems. First, brown pustules appear on them, leading to drying out of the leaves and oppression of the entire plant.

Control measures: prevent excess moisture, loosening the soil, treating the soil with a formalin solution, adding a mixture of quicklime and copper sulfate to the base of the stem.

Pests: thrips, scoops, aphids, spider mites, nematodes.