How to grow Shabo carnations from seeds at home?

This plant is quite unpretentious, but growing it has its drawbacks. Growing Shabo carnations from seeds is troublesome. The main problem is the long wait for the result, because the plant will bloom only six months after planting.

The lifespan of the Shabo carnation is not limited to one year, however, it does not tolerate the winter cold. You can try to protect the carnation outdoors in winter with a covering material or move it to the greenhouse during the cold weather.

Advice! Usually Shabo carnations are planted using seeds or cuttings. With the seed method of propagation, flowers do not retain species characteristics. Growing an exact copy of the parent specimen requires the use of cuttings.

Seeds for growing Shabo carnations can be purchased at specialty stores. Harvesting your own seeds is very difficult. This is easy to explain: the seeds simply do not have time to ripen completely, because this requires stable favorable weather conditions for a long time (up to two months). The ripening period occurs in late summer and early autumn.

If unripe seeds are planted, they will disappear altogether or give weak shoots the next year.

You can sow seeds directly in open ground or grow seedlings at home. In the first case, the carnation will bloom only in the second year. The seedling method of growing will give you the opportunity to admire the flowers already in the year of planting.

Advice! Sowing seeds for seedlings should be in February or the end of January. There is very little sunlight during this time period, so you will have to take care of additional lighting.

Growing Shabo carnations from seeds

To begin with, the planting material must be prepared: immerse for some time in a light solution of potassium permanganate. Do this for disinfection. Further, all actions are performed according to the following algorithm:

• Preparing the soil for planting seeds. You can use a store-bought mixture for flowering plants or make it yourself. An example of a soil mixture: half a part of sand, two parts of humus, part of peat and two parts of sod land. The finished soil in which the carnation will be grown must be disinfected. To do this, it is watered with potassium permanganate (low concentration) or subjected to preliminary freezing.
• Choosing a convenient seed container. These can be plastic boxes of small depth. It will be convenient for plants in them before the first transplant, because the roots in this period do not yet have time to grow strongly.
• The earth must be moistened and shallow holes made for seeds.
• Spread the seeds and sprinkle them with sand (it must first be warmed up at a high temperature). A substrate for flowers is also suitable, it is also laid out on top with a thin layer (about 3 mm). Compact the cover layer by pressing lightly with your hand.
• Seeds of Shabo carnations are covered with foil or glass and placed in a place where there will be a lot of heat and light.
• Wait for the first shoots. This will happen in about a week. With their first appearance, the seedlings are transferred to a cool place (temperature regime - no higher than 15 degrees).
• Do not remove the film until the last sprout has emerged. However, it is necessary to air the seedlings regularly, opening the film for a short time once a day.
• Eliminate temperature extremes and drafts, do not overmoisten, take care of good lighting of the seeds.
• A month later, the first leaves will appear. The plant is now ready for the first pick.

Picking

To improve the development and growth of carnations, they must be transplanted. They tolerate this procedure quite easily. How to do it correctly?

• For transplant, take a large box or small separate containers.
• The ground will fit the same as when landing. It must be moist before transplanting.
• The seedlings are carefully rolled over without sprinkling the soil from the roots. The soil near the roots must be compacted.
• Individual individuals are planted in a box with a step of 5 cm.

The second pick is carried out at the time of the appearance of three pairs of leaves. Now voluminous and spacious pots are selected so that there is enough space for the development of the root system. After this pick, the plant will be transplanted for the third time into open ground. The whole procedure is no different from the first pick.

Advice! After the second pick, pinch the top of the plants. Then the carnation will start up additional shoots on the side, it will become more magnificent and beautiful.

Planting Shabo carnations in open ground

They are planted in April or May, when the cold weather has passed. At first, it is better to protect the seedlings from accidental night frosts, covering them with a film overnight.

Choose a good spot: it should be bright and sheltered from the wind.

The soil for carnations is moist, not acidic or alkaline. To increase the fertility of the soil, apply fertilizers in the autumn (rotted manure).

The interval between the planted plants should be about 30 cm. They are transplanted by the transfer method. The roots are placed close to the surface.

It is important to monitor the soil moisture during this period so that the plant successfully takes root in a new place.

Advice! Avoid planting Shabo carnations near busy roads. Polluted air will negatively affect the condition of plants.

Carnation rules for Shabo cloves

When caring for seedlings, it is important to follow the rules:

1. Maintain the light regime (if necessary, increase daylight hours artificially) and temperature norms (the room should be cool, no more than 15 degrees).
2. Try not to overfill the seedlings so that the roots do not rot.
3. Seedlings must be hardened, but this should be done gradually, the lowest possible temperature is 12 degrees.

After planting in open soil, the following are recommended:

1. Avoid stagnant water, for this water sparingly.
2. It is necessary to feed the cloves. In the initial stage, flower cultivation requires the introduction of nitrogen fertilizers. Use potash and phosphate fertilizers during the inflorescence period. You can buy ready-made flower formula at the store. Feed regularly (after two weeks) with a small amount.
3. Strengthen the bushes with flowers with pegs, the stem of the Shabo carnation is tender and weak.
4. Do not forget to loosen the soil near the bush.
5. To give a well-groomed look to the Shabo carnation bushes, it is advisable to pinch the shoots growing on the side.

How to protect from disease

If the carnation is sick, the diseased bush must be destroyed. In this case, the entire flower bed must be treated with copper sulfate (water solution).

Do not plant carnations next to tulips. These flowers easily transmit various diseases to each other.

Do not plant a carnation in the same spot for more than two years.

Do not let moisture stagnate; it serves as a good breeding ground for harmful bacteria.

How to propagate by cuttings

For reproduction in this way, do the following:

• In the fall, the best individuals are dug up and transferred to the house.
• After flowering, the stems must be shortened to preserve the plant.
• In early spring, cuttings are cut. To do this, take the middle of the stem.
• The cut must be treated with a root growth stimulator.
• Planting at home is done in moistened sand.
• The stalk is covered with glass or foil.
• Regularly ventilate and water as needed.

Wait for the roots to appear in the third week. A bush is formed from the cuttings, which can be transplanted to a permanent place.

If you are patient and careful in handling carnation seedlings, you can wait for its generous flowering. Don't let the length of time scare you.

The grown Shabo carnation will become a universal decoration of any solemn occasion, be it a holiday or mourning. Carnation bouquets retain their beauty for a long time. Proper care will help maintain long flowering, which can continue in your home with the onset of cold weather.