Dianthus is an amazing plant that will really wake up any landscape. They bloom heavily in the spring, on into the summer and if you deadhead them (remove the spent flowers after blooming) they are likely to bloom again even into the fall.
They love full sun and do well in zones 4 through 9. Make sure you read the tag when you buy them because each variety is a little different, especially regarding zone hardiness.
Small Plants Like this Sell Like Crazy and in Many Cases You Can Find Buyers all over the Country that Will Buy from You. Just Put them in a Box and Send them Off. Nobody Coming to Your Home Ever.
People are always asking me for plants that are hardy in zone 4, so this is one for sure. At least a number of varieties are.
Dianthus is easy to care for, just plant, water as needed, remove the spent flowers after they bloom and enjoy them. Come fall they take care of themselves.
The ones in the photo I did nothing with last fall and they came back beautifully this spring. Just so you know, I’m in what used to be zone 5, now they tell me I’m in zone 6. The USDA Changed the zone map.
How do you propagate Dianthus?
Propagating Dianthus or Sweet William is really quite easy. The ideal time is probably June in most areas, May in warmer climates. You can take tip cuttings or remove a complete slip.
A slip is kinda like a whole branch. These new growth shoots appear on the side of the plant, all around the plant. Just reach down and break one off.
Chances are once you’ve removed this slip from the plant you can probably tear it into several smaller slips, leaving a little heel on the torn end. A heel is just a piece of frayed tissue from where you removed the slip from the plant.
In the rooting process, plants tend to make new roots when and where they are wounded. Wounding is usually part of the propagation process.
In most case, additional or intentional wounding isn’t necessary, especially when working with softwood cuttings.
A softwood cutting is a cutting that is taken during the growing season, usually about six weeks after the plants start growing in the spring. The new growth is soft and tender and roots easily.
As the growing season progresses, plants start to prepare themselves for winter and the new growth hardens off, making the plant much more durable to stand up to the harsh winter conditions.
Once you take the slips off your Dianthus, remove all the leaves from about 1/2″ to 1″ of the bottom of the cutting, dip the cuttings in a rooting compound like Dip n Grow.
But all rooting compounds are good, it makes no difference whether you use a powder, a liquid or a gel.
Stick the cuttings in a flat filled with potting soil or seed starting mix that drains well and place the flat in the shade. Make sure the flat that you use has holes in the bottom for drainage. Mist your cuttings as often as you can with a spray bottle.
Are there easy ways than misting my Dianthus cuttings everyday?
Yep, there sure are. On this Homemade Plant Propagation System Page you will discover all kinds of techniques that we use here in the nursery. Shhhhhh! This is secret stuff, don’t tell anybody.
Is there a market for Dianthus rooted cuttings or small plants?
Are you kidding me? Look at those photos! These things sell like hotcakes. If you could see me right now you’d see this big fat frown on my face because I have zero of them in my nursery.
But I’m fixin to fix that. We just had two plant sales, two weekends in a row moved about $10,638 worth of plants, and now we are in plant making, plant buying mode.
If you had 500 Dianthus liners rooted and ready to go right now I’d buy them from you in a heartbeat. Seriously I would. And I’m going to.
As soon as we tie up some loose ends I’m going on a plant buying spree and I intend to spend thousands of dollars to fill up and overfill the nursery. Once I have them we’ll start rooting them like crazy. But right now, I don’t have any to get cuttings from.
That’s what most people don’t understand. Most nurseries sell so many plants, so quickly in the spring, that they end up spending thousands or tens of thousands of dollars on small plants to get their nursery back up to speed.
In many cases, their propagation departments just can’t keep up. In other cases, some nurseries have completely closed their plant propagation departments and buy everything they need from other growers. That’s a post for another day. Remind me.
Small Plants Like this Sell Like Crazy and in Many Cases You Can Find Buyers all over the Country that Will Buy from You. Just Put them in a Box and Send them Off. Nobody Coming to Your Home Ever.
Questions? Comments? Just want to say; “Hey Mike, how are you?” Or maybe something mean to say?
Thank you! I can’t wait to divide mine! They are brilliant right now!
Thank you! I took cuttings from the side shoots and I will do as you suggested to divide them.
We have these in our landscaping, just wonderful. Ours will be trimmed and in propagation first week of June. Im down the road in Ohio as well. About and hour south .How long do your cuttings take for rooting ? Do you think the June cutting could be rooted and selling in August? This is our first go with Dianthus .
Ian,
Yes, they should root in 4 to 6 weeks.
Hi all, I received the most striking dianthus flowers for mothers day I a vase. Just the stems with flowers. Can I propagate them?
Mike, I just bought a beautiful Dianthus and want to get some cuttings from it or as you say just remove the slip then I would start selling them by mail when you put them in a box do you have to wrap them in something moist in the box and is this Dianthus a whole grown plant or the slip cutting ou mentioned in your article my Dianthus variety is Dianthus Hybrid and do these make good clone plants I would apprecite your input into this query and thanyou for any help you can give.
Darrell,
Your question really needs a conversation to properly address because I questions as to what you’d like to do. Shipping plants or parts of plants is tricky and must be done properly and at the right time of the year. If you seriously want to do this I highly urge you test drive our members area, http://backyardgrowers.com/join, when it opens again. Inside of there you will find a sea of people who can truly help you be successful with this.
Hi Mike,
I have a very pretty plant – Indian Carpet Sweet William – that I didn’t realize was a perennial. It has individual ‘Sweet William’ blossoms, grown very low and drapes out of the planter. The blooms are almost identical to wild pinks. I cover the planter for the winter just to keep it protected and it looked like the plant had died/rotted off while under the plastic bag. I removed all the dead ‘stuff’ and it has come back nicely. Just wondered if you were familiar with this type of ‘pink’.
Dottie, no I am not. Sounds interesting.
Hello Mike,
Here it is from England, on the RHS web-site – looks a cracker:
https://www.rhsplants.co.uk/plants/_/sweet-william-indian-carpet/classid.2000023151/
All best wishes from sunny Oxfordshire,
Nick Clapton
Hi Mike: Our family is in the process of thinning out a ton of plants at a property in Raleigh, NC. On the back porch, there were flower boxes on top of the porch railing; I want to say three of them each 6′ long. They are packed (probably root bound) with Dianthus. I am just coming into this project to help the family but I am absolutely overwhelmed with how the former family member turned the front and back yards into a plant nursery in the middle of a typical community neighborhood. The entire front yard was dug to 16″ (not an easy feat considering the Raleigh hard as a rock clay soil) and 16″ of mulch replaced the grass, etc. The plants are growing like weeds (incl the weeds!). Anyway, back to the Dianthus. I am sure the only watering since the family member passed away has been mother nature’s rain, The Dianthus in the window/porch railing boxes are looking rather brown right now, but I am wondering if there is any hope for what I know ‘was’ a tightly packed root system. The family wanted to just pitch them but I am going to ask if I can have them, dig a hole in my yard (nice soil, not clay) and see what happens with a little TLC. Should I even try this?
Nancy,
I guess that depends on what you want to do with them. Sell them? That would be a problem because of Are the cuttings that you have to stick “Rant Compliant”.
Honestly, this is the most important thing I can teach new members.
http://freeplants.com/rant.htm
You’re own use? That would okay.
Mike I have had 1 dianthus plant for many many years. I potted it in a large pot and have dragged that thing from house to house moving around every so many years. It’s been in every kind of weather imaginable and it comes back beautifully every single year. The way you are telling us to root it, I do without the root gel. I just pull it out of the pile and plant it in different spots around the same pot. It always comes in nicely.
Love your rant! It is so hard to decide on what to plant, for that reason. Sizes of trees when I want a smaller one, then here in Northern California-they grow twice the size indicated!
Hi…. Just thought I could share some info on Dianthus.
The one person that said they died out after 1 season is probably growing D. Telstar (annual)
D. barbatus = Sweet Williams biennial 18″, blooms second season
D. allwoodii
D caryophyllus, carnation type
D. deltoides, ground cover and spreads by dropping seed, spring bloom
D. gratianopolitanous, one of my favs. Bath Pink or Cheddar pinks, VF (cloves), spring, can reseed but rarely .
D. knappii, Yellow, lt spring – summer
D. X Loveliness, available in red, pink(s), white some with a green eye, lavender, and deep purple 18″, blooms all season if deadheaded,, deeply cut flower petals, just recently available on the US market in the past few years, absolutely the best smelling of all the Dianthus
Dianthus don’t divide as they are single stemmed plant, even D. grationopolitanous which at maturity can reach up to 30-36″ wide, most are 4-8″ in width and height varies from ground cover to 24″, (except the greenhouse varieties which can grow to 36″)..
Mike when I get back into this I would love to send you a few D. X Loveliness, the fragrance is different than most of the Dianthus and oh so fabulous. Right now I have a tray with hundreds of babies but haven’t had time to pot them yet as am just about to finish up on remodeling my home and garage and my little greenhouse which just got new windows.
Somewhere in the earlier post someone asked about growing indoors. I have done so for more than 20 years. My seed starting stand is 48″ long X 72″ tall X 36″ wide. homemade and has 6 shelves.. Shop lights fit perfectly and I use 2 per shelf. I’ve also grown Orchids, Geraniums, rooted cuttings and a few other house plants but primarily used as a seed starting station. Not a big footprint but sure can pump out the plants. Now that I have an unheated greenhouse I will try starting some plants in there this winter and have a place to put all the early babies in winter For years I used a horse stall that I had placed plastic sheeting on. . The first to always go out were my Dianthus in Jan or Feb. and other things that could handle the cold (usually spring bloomers). I never thought to take cuttings and try to root them. Guess I’ll be busy with plants soon and will try, especially D barbatus which is a biennial,, would save a whole year from doing it from seed.
Sounds good Kathy, thank you!
Thanks for the info
Mike what kind of mulch should I use around my raspberry plants?
Also I haven’t had any luck with my asparagus plants. I planted three about 3 or 4 years ago and two came back with just a couple asparagus.They were older plants when I purchased them.
Thanks,
I love all your information.
MaryAnn,
Any bark mulch would be fine around the raspberries. Give the asparagus time, they will multiply.
Back to the dianthus: I have several boxes of ‘grenadin’ and they don’t sell all that great. Probably I could divide them and make many more boxes… The main reason I suspect is that the flowers are on a tall stem and no matter I sell these at the market or at a local nursery they snap easily. That said I would stick to varieties which are compact in shape. And I grew them from seed.
I can’t sell too much of the same plant, for me variety is important.
Fire Witch Dianthus sells like hot cakes for me. Other varieties, not so much I am discontinuing them.
Dianthus is one I plant everywhere in my Straw Bale Vegetable Garden, they are a great deer Deterent
Wow! Now I’m excited! I walk the aisles in my local nurseries and think ‘deer food’. I may have more deer coming to my house than plants to feed them. I think it’s time to find some Dianthus.
HELP! I can’t get on the growers page. I paid up on the last enrollment April . Dianthus sounds like the plant for me to start with. I have 14 acres of rock but am determined to make it work. Love your individual plant profiles, would never have thought of dianthus. Is there a genetic plant profile where you can get a positive I.D. On an unknown plant. AKC does dogs for less than $100.
Barbara, contact Duston in the office your full name etc. and he’ll help you with your login in. [email protected]
And no, you cannot get a positive I.D. on a plant, it’s virtually impossible and if anybody offered to do it for you I would be highly suspect of what they say. See this For years and years and years this has been my rant;
http://freeplants.com/rant.htm
Did u know how to plant bamboo seeds.
Sourav, google seed starting database to find out exactly how to do the bamboo.
Mike
Can”t you grow the dianthus from seed ?
Greg,
Yes you can, we just had a discussion about this in our members area.
Is it possible to propagate a black eyed susan or cone flower from cuttings?
If so, pls explain the process. Tks.
Kelly,
It more than likely is. Just treat them like any other softwood cutting, but as soon as rooted get them planted out so they have time to get rooted in before winter.
Thanks Mike, I’ll let you know how it goes.
I thought black eye susan’s were biannuals, am I missing something?
Diane,
Blackeyed susan are perennials.
you could be thinking of the Gloriosa Daisy. (hardy annual) They are gorgeous and if you leave the seedheads they will rebloom every year.
In our area, Rudbeckia (R. hirta) grows as a biennial. I understand that in some areas it grows as an annual and in others it’s considered a perennial!
Deb,
Rudebeckia is a perennial here in zone 5 and it gets pretty cold here.
You get a piece of root from a BES,or coneflower & stick it in the ground & keep it watered,& for me,they’ve thrived.I’ve been giving plants away for 8-9 years now.Same thing with daisy’s.I’m in Campbell Ohio,nean Youngstown.
I started my Sweet Williams from seed last spring (2015). They bloomed this spring and were gorgeous. I’m not a pro at gardening at all. When the tops died off I cut them off. I let them completely dry out and kept the seeds. When some of the leaves on the stems started turning brown I would pull them off. As the days went on I seen new growths come about where I pulled the leaves off. So as curious as I was I started pulling leaves off some of the stems to see what happened.
Before I knew it I had new growth of flowers covering the whole stem and they are blooming. So I went through and purposely pulled leaves off all of them.
Now I have blooms all over each stem. They don’t get as big as they did this spring but I have blooms covered everywhere. My question is can I do anything to help them get fuller and bigger blooms ?
Melissa,
You can fertilize with a high phosphorous fertilizer, they sell bloom maker fertilizers.
my dianthus never comes back
read somewhere dianthus does not like mulch touching it
Jeff,
I don’t buy that, we grow our dianthus in soil that is pretty much 100% rotted mulch. Maybe the variety. I have firewitch and vampire deltoid and they both over winter really well for me.
I gardened in NE Wisconsin for 21 years. These ‘mini carnations’ and the regular dianthus or pinks or Sweet Williams (all the same plant) returned year after year! As I have moved south, now in Missouri, they don’t seem to like our much warmer weather! The Sweet William don’t grow over 4″ tall, and my mini carnations don’t winter over either!
I am an avide Gardner. I have read and looked at all demestrations. You have solved many questions. You have a way of teaching gardening to make gardening seem so simple.
Thanks Martha, I appreciate your comments.
Pity he can’t teach you grammar.
?????????????? not sure who this is directed at.
Her grammar is fine,but the meanie was in too much of a hurry to be unkind,he didn’t realize it was the spelling that was off. We’re grown ups. Who makes fun of people’s grammar & spelling?Jeeze-someone needs to get in the garden & relieve some stress-LoL!
Good post, MaryJayne!
Not teaching grammar. This is about gardening. Good grammar is nice but this is the place to learn about plants! Thanks, Mike!
You may think you are a grammar expert, but, you are actually just RUDE.
You can still understand what was said grammars not so important lol
OMG, that is too funny coming from JOSE
What do you mean Denise?
Grow up Jose.
Mike,
Do you have a propagation calendar/schedule for Tennessee?
Thanks a bunch!
Lori
Here you go Lori,
You should apply this to your season.
https://mikesbackyardnursery.com/2015/06/plant-propagation-calendar-what-you-should-be-doing-now/
I am still working at this. I do have about 300 pinks in. After reading your article I went on a hunt. I did find my jackpot at timber reek. I will put another couple hundred in this weekend. I tend to be a little impatient. Do you happen to know how long for the pinks to root?
Kelly
Valles mines MO
Kelly,
They should root in a matter of weeks, but probably more like four weeks, not two.
Hi Mike, Could I start this from a one bedroom apartment?
Linda Jackson
Linda,
A one bedroom apartment is hardy the ideal location to start growing and selling small plants for profit, but here’s my question to you; How bad do you want it? How bad do you want to be successful at something like this? If you want it bad enough then you’ll find a way to make it work for you right now. I don’t suggest that you grow plants in a rented apartment or on the grounds of an apartment complex. But there are small plots of land all over town that are just sitting. Think about businesses. A bar, a hardware store, a dry cleaner, a restaurant. There is always room behind the building where a person could have a little garden. Work a deal with the owner of the business where you do yard work in exchange for use of a small space. https://mikesbackyardnursery.com/2013/03/how-to-make-65%C2%A2-per-square-inch-in-your-backyard/
Mike, I like you, came here for hints in pinks but have added you to my regular reads.
Thanks Lisa!
Linda, Mike always has he best advice. I’ve learned over the years to listen and do exactly what he says 😀 I just wanted to add a few more ideas. We have tons of co op and neighborhood gardens around us. I also saw a guy on youtube who used his neighbors yards. If you have family nearby or even a gardening friend with a yard, you could team up. Just make sure you have time enough to check on your plants throughout the day, even if only to water. One thing you actually could do in your apartment are microgreens. I’ve been thinking about this for a few years because I’d love to add another income stream, but eventually decide against it because I just have no interest in growing vegetables. If you’re really itching to start something, look it up on youtube. But again, do as Mike says and try to find a space. There’s nothing like being outside in the fresh air and sunshine.
hey Mike how do you winter over jap maples have a bunch of small ones would like to keep acouple years
Nancy,
If the Japanese maples are in the ground they’ll over winter just fine. In pots? I’d bury the pots in the ground.
I have been following you for years. Enjoy what you write. I keep trying to work up the ambition to try growing starts in boxes on tables. (I can’t get down to the ground)
Ginger Olsen
Hey Mike,
I doubt that you will read this but I have 5 different colors of dianthus and you just can’t kill those little guys. I don’t have to deadhead or anything and they bloom all summer long. I thought they were annuals but they came back after this last winter snow, one lived in a pot on the porch and was green all winter. I had no idea you could propagate them so easily either, thanks for the tip!
Misty,
You’re wrong, I did read it! Thanks for sharing.
I LOVE your story, Misty! The same thing happened to me. I’ve always loved them for the spicey aroma. But found slugs cutting them off at the ground. So, oh, I picked up one plant, as I choose my annuals, thinking of I got to smell it for a week I could die happy! Lo, and behold, that little guy took off. The foliage turned a dark ever green color. It began to take over my tiny bed. Oklahoma, of all places! Ridiculous cold winter we had, yet occasionally, I’d see a purple head poking up through the snow. It’s been thriving for 3 years now, and he/she deserves a strong name.
Mike ,and Misty, ya’ll got a big giggle from me today! Love this page that I surfed in to. Sincerely, Angela Brumley from tornado alley : )
Angela, I’m glad you surfed in! Thank you for your comments.
Hi Mike, I have about 200 Cymbidium(type of orchids) growing in back yard, I want to sell. They all different colors, but I dont’ have their names in the pots. can you help me
Hi Mike,
I’m in Canada. What can. you tell me about shipping plants cross border?
Thanks
Tara
Hi There Mike,
Could you please tell me what plants grow well in MY area… I live in 34748 zip code (LEESBURG, FL.) I moved to a new location & have a very sunny front & side yard BUT a VERY SHADY back yard. I am not familiar with the plants in Florida AND I have seen some BEAUTIFUL ones..
Can you help me select some & which ones will be good ones to sell when I get started. THANKS MIKE
Angel,
In my system I discuss not only the best selling plants to start with, but I also show you how to figure exactly which ones would be best in your area. Florida is a great plants to grow and sell because plants grow much quicker in Florida than they do in the north. https://mikesbackyardnursery.com/2013/03/how-to-make-65%C2%A2-per-square-inch-in-your-backyard/
Hey mike,
I completely adore your posts. You have inspired me to start composting and stop using liquid fertilizer! My garden is quickly becoming ‘au natural’ and it is taking off like never before! I live on the edge of some woods though and now my yard is home to moles and rabbits. I was completely distraught about this until this spring when the cicadas swarmed. My Nieghbors have them by the thousands! I however have only seen a few. I soon realized that’s because of my moles! My moles have single handedly saved an entire crop of Japanese maples!!! I have been forced to plant my veggies in raised boxes to keep the bunnies out but this is great for my elderly father in law, drainage, and the free lawn fertilizer the bunnies drop all over the place! The moles also aerate the lawn. I keep them fenced in with rows of marigolds (which the bunnies love to eat). I’m really digging this new way of gardening! I’ve even started a worm farm! I was wondering what your thoughts and experience are with these garden critters? Also the cicadas? I would love to see more posts from you on these topics? Thanks mike! You are such an inspiration!
Hi Mike,
Too bad you don’t live closer, I’d let you have all the pink dianthus you wanted since mine are growing over my bed out into the yard, getting caught in the mower. My beds are older and most of my plants have spread much more than I’d like, but I have all the flower beds I want (4)so I even resorted to digging up some roaming iris’s and moving them to the side of my unmowed driveway where they can grow and flourish uninhibited by borders.
Btw, I live out in the country, so trying to sell anything would be extremely difficult, but I do keep it in the back of my mind.
I do have a quick question for you though. I see so many homes with peonies blooming and they are more like shrubs while mine are tall and gangly and have to be staked once all the buds bloom out. It does seem like the ones I see shrub-like are white, and mine are the dark pink, so maybe that’s the difference, but I hate staking and would love to know if there’s a secret to getting them to be more shrub-like. I’ve also read you have to divide the root to get more. Is that the only way or can you propagate them as well? Sorry…that was 2 questions!! 🙂
Dividing the roots is a method of propagation.
hello Cheri, I’m interested in your DIANTHUS. can you please tell me where your located so I can see if we can meet up to exchange them? ty, John
Maybe the ‘bush’ peonies are grown up through the round growning rings with legs. The rings have a cross hatch pattern (about 12″ above the ground) through which the peonies grow and this ring helps support them. I have white peonies and pink peonies and both lean toward the ground once the blooms open. They still smell nice and are still pretty and I didn’t have to buy any rings for them.
Hi Mike. I walk around my small town with my dogs all the time, and see many different interesting plantings. I could ask about cuttings, or seed collection if you would like. I don’t do or ship cuttings myself, so info would be helpful.
hey Mike,
So if I buy some cut Carnations at the florist, would I be able to root them?
Hi Cindy!
I have successfully propagated a rose this way….. But
1) that flower is sucking the life out of the stem
2) the florist puts harsh chemicals in the water to keep it alive (usually sugar, bleach, and vinegar)
3) who knows how long ago that plant was cut and put in the fridge?!
So to answer your question, yes anything is possible but it certainly isn’t the ideal way to go about it! Just do what I do, go for a walk around the Nieghborhood with a pair of clippers and a bucket. If you see something you want to propogate knock on the door and ask for some cuttings! If they seem hesitant I offer them a free rooted cutting or seedling. I can’t even get the words ‘Japanese maple’ or ‘weeping cherry’ out of my mouth before they are begging me to trade!
I’ve done that myself with carnations I bought at the supermarket. I didn’t root the flowering tips, but most of the flowering stems has little leafy stems coming off them that had no flowers. I broke them off the flowering stems (which I put in a vase), and then rooted the other bits like Mike describes. Worked just fine and I ended up with lots of rooted carnations.
If you’re going to buy the flowers anyway, you might as well try it.
Hi Mike,
Love your newsletter, and have wanted to join for many years, but my husband always says no… now we are losing our house… The thing that upsets me is that I know your plan could have made a difference! Now we don’t know where we will be going, or if there will be any room to do the plant propagation. So I asked a question on one of these posts asking if this would work with houseplants… but now I can’t find the page… could you please reply so I can decide if I should “go over” my husbands head and purchase the system with an eye to doing this with houseplants in the event we end up in an apartment with no land… or if I should just enjoy the dream that maybe one day we will have a house with some space where we will be able to try this with landscape plants.
Your reply is greatly appreciated!
I am not going to close this tab until I get your response, that way I will know where the page is!
Thanks for all you do!
Jan Vafa, Redmond WA
those are beautiful plants!! Our climate is over 1oo in the summer, so I doubt they’d grow here. We are in zone 7-9. But it seems I’ve seen them over on the cost of Fort Bragg, Calif. Everything grows over there year around. Linda
Linda, are you in Ukiah? I lived there a couple of years before I moved to Central, Oklahoma. I’d still be there, if the cost of living wasn’t so high there.
Oklahoma also gets very hot in the summer, and I’ve had some Sweet Williams that’ve survived the heat, and some that didn’t. I have one on the north side of the house in an area that gets shade most of the day that’s probably ten years old. They’re inexpensive, like annuals, so it’s worth trying.
DIANTHUS, I like. Think I will scout the neighbor yards with my nips and see what I can find.
This year I had about a half of a aquarium going with Japanese Maples, doing great till left for an afternoon. The sun came out hot and because I wasn’t there to move things they got cooked. I think i now have two or three rooted cutting. i will be more attentive from now on…
Like your websight, Curtis
Thanks Curtis, I appreciate that.
Hi Mike,
I always enjoy your newsletter. There is new info in it every time, no repeats at all. Two questions 1)Can yarrow be propagated the same as the dianthus? 2)I do woodturning and have a lot of woodchips. Can they be used as mulch in my flower beds? The chips contain no walnut. I know they can kill your plants.
Thanks,
Greg
Greg,
The yarrow should root just fine if you do it the same way. The wood chips? They can be used of mulch but around small plants they will pull nitrogen from the plants as they decompose. Wood chips themselves do very little to improve the soil, but they can be used as a mulch around larger plants.
I planted yarrow once, never again. It was like a spreading weed, unable to pull it all out of the ground.
My first dianthus was purcased for 50 cents on the “half-dead” rack at K-Mart. Several years later, and numerous times thinning out and relocating, these plants are bushy and beautiful. I have noticed, however, that they don’t bloom profusely “every” year, so I kind of figured they are a “semi-annual” plant. Also, I will “dead head” for the first time and see if I get another burst of blooms. This is their year to bloom proficiently and they are a sight to see.
hello mike
i never knew what those were called they prettyan i am
going to see if i can find some around here sure like
your news an views keep the good work.
Edit: into the ground- then water….
Hi Mike,
My friend just got one for Mother’s Day and it is in full bloom. I will have to see if I can get a few slips off hers to start some of my own.
I have (many times) just taken a piece in spring- softwood cutting- and just put about 4 inches into the ground water- as long as it is in at least a semi-moist spot- roots every time! Sometimes I put a rock next to it -between it and the sun. Mulch would help- in lieu of rock. Have cut plants in half with a ‘gardening knife’ in the fall- and plant. That works as well- and is helpful when the plant gets way too happy.
Hi Mike I’m in TN and have 2 Big Dianthus in my side yard. If you would like one to make more from (they are red) email me and we’ll see what we can do. Would send pics if someone would be so kind to tell me how to do it. They are in a folder but I don’t know how to get them to you. Any help would be appreciated. I love your articles and have learned so much.
Keep on growing
Claudia B.
Brian…what is BYG group?
nevermind!! lol….
Ellen and others,
People who have my “Small Plants, Big Profits from Home” system know all about the BYG group. It’s a closed group of plant enthusiasts.
Hi Mike.
So wish we lived closer to you guys …I’d be helping you out with a few carnation plants! It’s one of the first plants I ever propagated in sharp sand under mist.
They were my mothers favourite flowers and hold many fond memories.
Best wishes Mike from someone in the UK that invested in your system and has never looked back!
Still loving the content Mike.
Tania,
It’s great to hear from you all the way from the UK. When I first got online back in 1999 I had no idea that I’d have an impact on people around the world. To this day I still have a difficult time getting my head around that, but I sure do love hearing from folks around the world that are doing this successfully.
Take care and keep up the great work. Make the UK even prettier than it is!
The scent of the Sweet William is exquisite. I wish I could buy some.
Hi Mike
Nice i love that plat i got one at the home de so i no want you are saying there love all get u do and i will be buying your dill about september i just got ssi so i need some thing ant can help me make a little more money thiks for being there
Dwayne,
Wishing you incredible success in all you do. I’ll be here when you are ready.
Hey Dwayne, where do you live, I’m disabled and on SSI also.. I’ve been reading Mike’s posts for a few years now and love all the great ideas and information about plants. Wondering if you’re close enough to me, maybe we could do gardening together ? SSI isn’t enough to live on so making extra money is needed to survive.. I’m thinking of getting Mike’s system.. Just can’t do all the work myself.. Looking for a gardening partner if you wanna call it that.. I’m in South Jersey.. Is anyone out there close to me ?
Can some one tell me how to take the pics from my card and get them to print in an email? Please help I want to show Mike what I have.
Claudia,
It’s best not to send me pics. Primarily because I don’t see incoming Email. We get so much Amber is the one that gets to pour through the Email and respond to customer service etc. Best way to communicate with me is right here on the blog. Usually when I send out a newsletter I run out the door as soon as I send it. Don’t particular like sitting in front of the computer. Just long enough to do the blog post, post the photos, and write the article. And of course send the Email which really takes almost a half hour. If only people knew how much I put into each of these articles, posts and Emails.
Hi Mike, I just planted some dianthus here in Southwest Florida. I used to love planting them when I lived in PA, and now I’m going to see how they do here in some sandier soil! These here I bought for half price because no one bothered to dead head them, but I took care of that and now they are re-blooming again. Glad to see that someone else rescues the unloved plants, Gwen!!
Hey Mike guess what I have at the bottom of my back steps, growing in pots. Yep, red ones at that. Didn’t know what they were until this article. Do you want one of the pots? I will try to download one of the pics for you to see. If you want one, shoot me an email and I’ll see what I can do to help you out. You always have such interesting and informational emails. Thank You Claudia. Don’t know how to separate them like you said, or I would offer them to more people. BTW I’m in TN by the Smokey Mtns.
Claudia,
I love the Smokey Mountains! I need to make that trip again.
Mike, thanks for all of the good info. Can Lilacs be started from the shoots that come up all around the bush?
Norman,
They can. Sometimes you can dig up the suckers and get a piece of root. The big question is whether or not those shoots are coming from the plant itself or just from the root stock. Many lilacs are grafted onto a root stock and not grown on their own roots.
Walmart has these 12″ long 3″ wide pans they are selling for $9.97 each. 4 plants per tray so that is $2.64 per plant (would be nice for a 3″ or 4″ pot). I’ve started two varieties here in Mid Michigan.
Thanks Mike! Another beauty I’d love to have in our yard and garden – but I’m worried about our zone out here in Hawaii. USDA changed our zone (anywhere from 10 to 12 in some areas).
I’m on the island of Oahu (Honolulu)…how do you think Dianthus will hold up for us? I’m looking for some until I hear back from you.
Thanks for all you do!
dave
Dave,
You get to live in Hawaii, the rest of us might freeze to the ground if we held still for long! I’m guess it’s too warm where you are for Dianthus. If your local garden stores don’t carry it, that’s a pretty good indication that it’s not going to do well for you.
At 73 and with laser back surgery I am needing another source of income, and am considering your promise of substancial returns of raising small plants and seedlings on a ” raised beds ” which could be done to save my back in working at better level. Your propositions sound promising, as I have always loved seeing things grow, and the care of a gardener who enjoys the results for effort.
Maybe we can talk, as we get serious about how to go foeward with the initial set up.
Robert
Robert,
I do believe you can get a substantial return on investment of both time and money growing small plants at home, but I will not make pie in the sky promises about substantial amounts of income. Sure, anything is possible and I’ve seen it happen many times, but I like to be very realistic with folks. You get back what you’re willing to put in.
Getting me on the phone is impossible. When I hear a phone ring I run the other way. Seriously, only a handful of people in the world have my phone number and the only one that really dials that number is my wife. In short, I spend no time in the office and I don’t do phones.
Some people find that hard to believe, but I really don’t take or return phone calls. Amber handles our customer service and does an incredible job. So people do get the help they need with an order, but not from me. I’m outside! https://mikesbackyardnursery.com/2013/03/how-to-make-65%C2%A2-per-square-inch-in-your-backyard/
Mike,
I have just discovered your web sight and absolutely love it. I have so many cuttings, rootings and seed available that you are really firing me up about plant sales since both my husband and I are retired. (ages 72 and 78).
I have a question for you. I have not seen a picture of a green house on your property. Do you have one or what do you do with the plants in the winter?
I am in the process of converting a space that was an above ground pool into a prayer garden. I have bought some plants, but have asked my family to give me something from their yard. Someone told me that is a friendship garden, but this would be a kinship garden. No matter, I told my husband (of 54 years May 28)that this was my physical, mental, and spiritual therapy. It is looking good, especially since I have soyzia (spell)grass all around the outside of the pool area.
I don’t have the finances that it would take to build a greenhouse and just wondered if you had some kind of secret for winter plant care. I don’t have a basement either.
Blessings,
Margie Murdock
Margie,
You are very observant. No, I do not have a greenhouse, I don’t propagate plants in a greenhouse and I don’t store plants in a greenhouse. I’m in zone 6 and it get’s might cold up here next to Lake Erie. My plants do just fine outside with very little winter protection. Of course there are some guidelines and I cover that in my system, but no greenhouse is needed or recommended.
Hi Mike
I have some pin Dianthus and some white ones. I will deffinetly try to propogage some of these. I didn’t realize the simplicity.
Thanks mike!
I just moved my dianthus 2 months ago (zone 7) because they were being choked out by the candy tuft. I planted them with some carnations I found in the dumpster at lowes… Both are doing quite well now in the side of my yard that gets really harsh afternoon sun… And I thought I could only grow daylillies there! I’ve been so focused on rooting the candy tuft for my envious Nieghbors that I had completely dismissed the glorious fuchsia blooms of my dianthus. Now that they are being spotlighted by the contrast of the yellow daylillies my Nieghbors want those too! I will be potting my cuttings this weekend and as soon as my boxes are empty I will be filling them with carnation and dianthus! Thanks for the inspiration! Though I think you should add candy tuft and creeping phlox to this list of small plants that sell like crazy!
I Learned a lot from all the info.
Thanks everyone.
will try out Dianthus
Thanks Gwen, I’m sure you’re right, I probably need to add a lot of plants to that list. It seems everything is a work in progress.
Mike,
I’ve enjoyed reading your various columns for the past couple of years. Keep them coming!
I’ve noticed you discussed various trees and flowering plants both annuals and perennials, but I don’t recall seeing anything about ferns. Do you work with them? They are a great plant for shade, or partial shade with different colors of foliage offering a nice backdrop to shade loving flowers.
Thanks,
Barry
Barry,
You caught me! I probably have never written anything about ferns because I’ve never worked with them and know little about them. But thanks for the suggestion, I need to get up to speed on ferns!
When we moved to our most recent CT home in 1987—-(3 miles from our last one) there were several ferns in the back garden (southeast side of house) and we have let them ‘do their thing’. It’s interesting to watch them go through their life cycles. There are a few varieties and they never cease to be beautiful. I call it my ‘jungle’ garden since it’s under a cedar tree and backed by a piece of stockade fence. They grow to 3 or 4 feet. I have Japanese Lantern flowers growing there as well. Recently I added Foxglove,and a peony. It’s basically shady most of the day. Caladium would do well there. A couple of fern plants have come up in out front gardens (1 in each) and these gardens are on the west side of the house. I don’t think they have a preference – just moist soil.
Hi Mike. I have a friend who uses “honey” for a rooting compound. What do you think of that? thanks for your info. You (and Pam) are “great and giving”..
Josephine,
What do I think about honey as a rooting compound? Not much really. You can use all kinds of things but that doesn’t mean it’s doing any good. Plants will root without a rooting compound so you really don’t know for sure what worked and what didn’t. I use rooting compounds because I know from scientific tests that have been performed on side by side batches of cuttings that number in the hundreds of thousands of cuttings that commercial rooting compounds increase success on most plants. They certainly don’t do any harm.
I have dianthus and it generally just regenerates all by itself. It is pretty (deep rose color) and makes a nice border. Deadheading does help it return after the first flush. Mums! When I cut them back, I use Root Tone for a root starter. It’s how I keep my mums going. Too many to count. When I get lazy, I just cut them back til the beginning of July, and let them lay. Just put compost dirt on them and water. While this is not the correct way, it sometimes works. Three beds of mums. One more to cut back. Have a plastic pie container (both sides) in the garage waiting to be put back in the garden. Have about a pound of muscari ready to go in the trash. Some plants just don’t stop. Thanks Mike for the info.
Mike I have rooted with Honey and Cinnamon and have great success This year I am rooting Euoymous without Honey and cinnamon and they are not looking so great the few leaves I leave on them when putting them in sand are turning brown
What type of plants are you looking for?
Sherrie,
I buy a lot of plants from some of the bigger commercial nurseries and I also buy a lot of plants from my customers. But I won’t buy via Email, we have a place where folks post plants for sale and I only shop in that area if shopping online.
Hi Mike,
I have a small plant I got about 2 yrs ago, it is not getting any larger, I have it near the foundation of my house on the north side, it gets morning sun but shade all afternoon. Could you tell me what I might do to get it to grow?
Thanks,
lori
Lori,
It’s possible that it is need of being divided, late fall divide it if you think that’s the problem. And of course that much shade will slow down most anything.
Mike.. I have several varieties of Dianthus in my gardens..and they ‘self seed’ themselves every year. With all the different colors I have, once in awhile, a ‘New Color’ will appear too ! Also, to the group..these are one of the few plants I have found that will grow ‘very well’ under a problem ‘Colorado Blue Spruce’ tree ! In the Fall, after they have gone to seed, I just use the ‘Ol Weed Whacker’ to clean them up..and the next year, they have spread even more ! When the first blooms start going to seed ‘whack’ and they bloom again ! I give them a ‘haircut’ a few times a year..and they just keep getting better each time !
Thanks Jerry, great information!
Mike.. this is a ‘front planter’ the wife and I tried ‘numerous flowers’ just to see ‘who likes the Hot Sun’ in the morning ! Around the ‘Blue Spruce..All that Pink is Dianthus ‘Cheddar Pinks’..the ‘tough spots’ in the lawn that the Spruce is affecting..the green showing up (where it should be grass..is also ‘Cheddar Pinks’ ! Some caution, as they can become invasive by the looks in my yard..but they will ‘grow where No Grass Will’..so that can be a good thing as well !
Try the link again.. need to add the other stuff perhaps! photoshare.shaw.ca/view/13545312352-1370282143-99760/
Sorry.. I guess you just have to ‘click on my name’ for the link ! Never tried on before ! Just like Gardening.. always a learning thing ! ;o)
Jerry
I love getting your messages…..I grew up in a farming community and you remind me of my father and his friends. You have inspired me….I am building a greenhouse to do some of the tips you have sent me. Thanks!
Peg,
I’m happy to have had an effect on you. Greenhouse? They are nice, lots of people enjoy them, but you certainly don’t need one do any of the things I teach because I don’t have a greenhouse. I had one a long time ago, but once I had it heated up and full of grafted Japanese maples all I did was worry about the heat going out and losing all of those plants. Now I just relax a little in the winter and my plants rest peacefully outside covered with snow.
I live in an apartment with only access to a very small back yard which is part of the complex’s greenery. The fence area is being taken over by Ivy and anything you plant there gets taken over by it. I wish I had an area where I could begin to grow some plants for sale.
Joan,
It’s possible to find a place in town. A building where nobody is using the space behind the building. Approach the owner and offer to cut the grass and take care of the grounds if he’ll let you garden in the back. If you make this offer to enough people you’ll find a taker.
Hey Joan do u still have that ivy u were talking about? if so get a box and please put some cuttings in it with damp paper towels in it and also in baggies.If the ivy is something u want to get rid of put as much as u want to get rid of. I like any kind of ivy. thank u linda
I appreciate all the info you send. It is always very helpful. I would like very much to get started with small plants like Mike. Send more info. Thanks
Hey Shari Parker, Welcome to PA.
I love the Sweet Williams, an old family name and one of the plants handed down in my family but I have not brought it to PA yet. They are beautiful. Thanks Mike. Judith
Hi, Mike. Are there rules and regs for buying/selling plants in the state of PA where we are moving to from NH? I have bright pink dianthus growing successfully in my dad’s front porch garden which tolerated the weird winter and grew up again very successfully! Can you give me some guidance?
When we move I think I want to do what you are doing once we get settled in there! Thanks for any help you can give me.
Hey Sheri Parker, how are you? The answer to your question is yes.. Every state is alittle different on the rules of buying/selling plants.. Just wondering are you a member on the BYG board? If your not a member and you want to get in to selling plants, then become a member of the BYG!! You can find all the answers to your questions there! Plus you can buy all your plants there cheap to get started… Everyone is really nice and helpful, it’s like one big family! I wished I would have became a member alot sooner!!! Would have saved me a lot of money and time! Anyways I hope this helped., have a great day!! 🙂
Sheri,
Like any business there are rules and guidelines and I cover all of that in my Backyard Growing System. My System is really the gateway into this business and most of what is in that system I don’t share online. It’s all proprietary information that only my customers have access to. But I will tell you this, we have a number of very successful members in Pennsylavania.
Hi Mike,
I have been looking on Rural for Life but have not seen any recent postings yet I see several with this email from you. What am I doing wrong?
What is Rural for Life?
Rural for Life was an old website of Mike’s.
That is a beautiful plant. I’d like to have some of them too.
Hi Chris, not only is it beautiful and tough, but it smells wonderful too!