How to Grow Mini Carnations

Growing from Seed

• 1

  Start your seeds in January or February. Fill the mixing bowl with medium, adding water a little at a time and mixing to moisten evenly.

• 2

  Fill the large container to within 1 inch of its lip with medium. Scatter the seeds evenly. Sprinkle more medium over the seeds and mist lightly with the water bottle.

• 3

  Insert the wooden florist's sticks at equal intervals around the container's lip. Drape the clear plastic bag over them. Slide the rubber band around the bag and secure it to the container. This provides the seeds with a humid environment.

• 4

  Remove the container from the plastic bag when you have enough sprouted seedlings. Place it in a sunny spot and water enough to keep the medium moist.

• 5

  Transplant the seedlings to individual 4-inch pots of moist medium when they have three sets of true leaves. Remove enough medium from the new pots to make room for the seedlings.

• 6

  Dig around each seedling with the small trowel. Leave medium around its roots as you lift it from the large container. Immediately insert it into its new pot.

• 7

  Fill in around each re-potted seedling with medium, tamping very gently to remove air pockets. Water around its roots.

• 8

  Return the re-potted seedlings to a sunny location until they stand 4 or more inches high. Then move them outside to a permanent pot or garden spot.

Growing Started Plants

• 9

  Plant started mini carnations in autumn or spring. Choose a sunny site with excellent drainage and a soil pH of 7.0 or higher.

• 10

  Loosen the top 1 foot of the soil with the spade and cultivating fork. Spread a 2- to-4-inch compost layer over the soil and work it in.

• 11

  Space your planting holes 6 inches to 1 foot apart. Dig each of them to the depth of, and double the width of, the started plants' pots.

• 12

  Invert one of the started miniature carnations and slide it gently from its pot. Turn it right side up. Untangle its roots. Position it with the lip of the hole level with the top of the plant's root ball. Refill the hole with the trowel, tamping as you go to eliminate air pockets.

• 13

  Water each newly planted mini carnation with the garden hose. Give spring transplants supplemental summer water when weekly rainfall is less than 1 inch.