Dianthus Sweet Red Rooted Cutting Liner

Grow Dianthus Sweet Red in full sun or bright greenhouse conditions using well-drained soil or media. Keep the pH around 5.8–6.5 and avoid letting the roots stay too wet, since dianthus prefers a clean, airy root zone. Feed with a nitrate or calcium-based fertilizer such as 15-5-15 at 175–225 ppm nitrogen.

You can expect large, very fragrant, and long-lasting red blooms from spring through fall. For the best vase life, we recommend harvesting the stems when approximately 20% to 50% of the florets on the head are open.

Pinching is generally not needed for standard cut-flower production. Sweet Red is usually grown for upright, harvestable stems, and pinching can add extra crop time or make the crop finish less evenly.

Plant 4–6 plants per square foot when growing for cut flowers. This spacing encourages airflow while maintaining production. In landscapes, allow 10–14 inches between plants.

Scout for aphids, thrips, whiteflies, and spider mites. Thrips should be watched closely as the crop comes into flower because they can damage or mark the blooms before harvest.

Common disease concerns include Botrytis, rust, Fusarium, Pythium, Rhizoctonia, and powdery mildew. Good air movement is important, especially once flower clusters begin to form. Avoid watering late in the day, do not keep the crop saturated, and use clean production practices to reduce disease pressure.

For best results, plant one plug in a four inch container or three to five plugs in a ten inch container.