Propagate and sow carnations

Propagate and sow carnations

and obtain, every year, a profusion of flowers

Contents

Modified the Tuesday, 5 August 2025  by Virginie T. 1 min.

If the pinks or Dianthus grow relatively quickly, their lifespan is often limited to a few years. This is not a major issue as propagating and sowing pinks is easy.

Propagation by cuttings allows you to produce new plants, true to the colour of the mother plant, each year and ensure the continuation of this short-lived perennial. You can also sow the seeds of your pinks… Discover our tips to multiply and easily perpetuate pinks in the garden!

→ Also read our tutorial: How to propagate pinks?

Winter, Summer, Autumn Difficulty

Sow them

Carnation is a perennial that is easy to propagate by sowing. The seeds germinate in 1 to 3 months. Depending on the species, sowing occurs at different times of the year. Annual species are sown in February-March. Perennial, dwarf, and alpine species are sown from October to March under a frame. Finally, biennial species are sown in place in autumn or under cover in March-April.

  • Sow in trays on the surface of light, moist compost
  • Do not cover the seeds as they need light to germinate
  • Keep your sowing at a temperature between 15-20 °C and in light
  • Maintain this substrate moist but not waterlogged; germination, which is very variable depending on the varieties, takes from 7 days to 1 month
  • Transplant the plants into buckets when the seedlings have two or three leaves
  • Transplant them in May, into the open ground when the root system is sufficiently developed and frosts are no longer a risk

Taking cuttings

Propagation by cuttings is a simple and effective method for faithfully reproducing pinks. Moreover, this method offers a very good success rate.

  • In summer, take a non-floriferous stem of a few centimetres by cutting just below a node. Remove the leaves from the base
  • Plant two-thirds of the stem in a bucket in a light substrate made up of garden soil, sand, and potting soil
  • Regularly moisten the cuttings and keep them sheltered
  • After about 2 months, repot the cuttings into pots
  • Plant out the following spring, in April-May when all risk of frost has passed

 

Discover other Dianthus - Pinks

To learn more about propagation by cuttings

Discover our advice sheet: “Propagation by cuttings, everything you need to know about the different techniques and our tips for successful cuttings”

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