Feathers belong to the undemanding plants and enchant with a magnificent flower picture. With the right location, everyone can refresh themselves in the sea of flowers.
The Dianthus plumarius, better known as the spring carnation, is a perennial and drives out a beautiful flower pattern that is reminiscent of a pillow. The flowering period extends from early April into July and the plant maintains its green foliage even in the winter months.
It is considered quite undemanding and easy to care for. Nevertheless, the feather carnation only shines in the most magnificent colors if you offer it a suitable location.
Choosing the right location
The feather carnation loves the sun. The location cannot be sunny enough, even direct sunlight is considered ideal. If you plant the Dianthus plumarius in a flower pot, you can easily place it by the window. In the garden, the flower bed attracts with the most hours of sunshine.
Don't worry too much about the quality of the soil. Calcareous soils promote the growth of the carnation species. The soil should be permeable, not too moist and well aerated. The spring carnation even thrives in rock gardens. It is so undemanding that you can use it to green flat roofs or beautify walls. If you only have the balcony at your disposal, the spring carnation also appreciates a sunny spot in the flower box.
In summary, the choice of location requires:
- Permeable soils
- moderate humidity
- sunny location
- suitable for tubs, rockeries, roofs and walls
Insert spring carnation
Once you have found the location, the feather carnations can be planted in the ground from March. For this it is necessary that you loosen the soil well and free it from weeds. Then dig a large planting hole and place the plant in it so far that the upper root ball is only a little below the actual ground level. Finally, press the soil down a little and water the freshly planted neke.
Caring for spring carnations
You don't need to follow too many care instructions for spring carnations. ThatFoliage retains water without losing it in sunlight. In addition, the spring carnation is excellently adapted to the environment due to its origin, that it can even tolerate relative drought.
Once planted in the garden, on the roof or against a wall, it draws the moisture it needs from the soil and does well with local rainfall. You should only use a watering can during very long dry and hot periods.
Feathers are perennial
Once planted, you can enjoy the feather carnations year after year. The plants easily tolerate high sub-zero temperatures in the garden. It is not necessary to cover the perennials in autumn or provide additional protection with fleece.
The situation is different with spring carnations in planters or flower boxes. As water absorption is made more difficult in the frozen soil, you should raise the boxes a little before the winter. It is enough to place a styrofoam plate under the bucket. You can protect flower boxes over the winter with fir branches. In this way, the feather carnations do not come into direct contact with the winter air. In addition, the fir branches serve as an attractive decoration at Christmas time.
» Reading tip: Overwintering potted plants - tips and hints