Cultivation Methods and Planting Techniques for Dianthus caryophyllus 'Jintuan'

Dianthus caryophyllus 'Jintuan' is an annual or biennial herbaceous flower of the Caryophyllaceae family. It loves light and tolerates cold but not intense heat, and grows poorly in summer. The inflorescences are clustered, the flower colors are brilliant, the height is about 70 cm, and the cut flower quality is excellent.

1. Sowing: Both spring and autumn sowing are possible, but autumn-sown seedlings grow better than spring-sown seedlings. Sow in an open-field seedbed in September, cover with a thin layer of soil after sowing, and keep the soil moist. Under conditions of 20°C to 25°C, germination occurs in about 7 days, with a germination rate above 80%.

2. Cultivation management: Transplant when the seedlings have grown 4 pairs of leaves. For cut flower cultivation, they can be directly transplanted into the nursery field at a row spacing of 15 to 20 cm. Dianthus is prone to waterlogging, so the nursery field should be made into high beds as much as possible to ensure smooth drainage. Before transplanting, an appropriate amount of decomposed cake fertilizer can be applied as a base fertilizer. A compound fertilizer with a nitrogen:phosphorus:potassium ratio of 1:1:1 can also be used. After transplanting, water thoroughly. After the young seedlings survive, apply a nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium compound liquid fertilizer once every 7 to 10 days, and spray a 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate aqueous solution once about every 10 days. During the period when the plants overwinter in the open field, do not fertilize and water sparingly. When the temperature rises again the following spring, gradually increase the amount of watering, and apply a compound liquid fertilizer once about every 10 days. During the growth process, pinch the growing tips twice to promote tillering and increase flower yield. Flowers can be harvested and marketed in April and May.