Sweet William diseases and pests to avoid. Buy Dianthus barbatus 'Electron Mix' from Sarah Raven: An exceptional Sweet William which behaves like a perennial, now flowering for it’s third year with excellent tall, straight stems. Excellent as a cut flower. Spray the seeds with water from a spray bottle and cover the trays with plastic wrap. Discover (and save!) Sweet William has been successfully wintersown in my zone - to see if it has been done in your zone. I don’t see any sprouts yet but it has only been 5 days…patience is not one of my virtues.. WE LIVE ON THE FOOT OF THE MTN, WE OWN ]ART OF ! Gardening Channel. barbatus is native to Southern Europe. THIS WAS A GREAT LEARNING TOOL & I WILL USE THE APP ALOT !! Cover the starting mix with a thin layer of small gravel. Bright, bold flowers bloom the first year. A lot of gardeners allow their plants to go to seed so that they will reseed in the garden. May 25, 2017 - How to grow Sweet william (Dianthus), plant pictures and planting care instructions supplied by real gardeners. Rake the soil to a fine tilth and make some drills 5mm deep. The worms will do that for you for free and disturb the soil less than if you did it. I love heirloom flowers. Keep your plants moist, about 1 inch of water per week. Thin your seedlings to 6 inches apart. Copyright © 2020. Sweet William grows slowly, but eventually can grow 3 feet high and 2 feet wide. Space them at least 6 inches apart. Young seedlings will transplant well into their permanent home. You actually can grow Sweet William as a short lived perennial for 2 or 3 years. Caren White is a Master Gardener and instructor at Home Gardeners School. The plant grows for two years, blooming in the second year. My plants are "old" (originally planted at least 20 years ago) and I've noticed that they do not perform as well as they once did. Sweet William punnet. Hi Linda, I am a no-till gardener so I don't ever advocate tilling, double digging or anything else that disturbs the soil structure and the organisms that live in it. You can also start your seed indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last frost. Keep soil moderately moist during germination. Sprinkle the Sweet William seeds on top of the gravel, but dont cover them with soil. Sweet William is sown at the end of spring or in summer for it to bloom in the following year. Description Description. Its white, pink, red or purple blooms are popular in ornamental gardens, borders, and window boxes from early spring into summer. Most of my seedlings have grown to 3-4inch with 3-4 pairs of leaves but very spindly. These seedlings can be less vigorous and more prone to flopping over and failing to thrive. It will flower from May. Linda Lum from Washington State, USA on January 29, 2020: I love Sweet Williams and happily they are one of the few flowers in my garden that the deer and rabbits don't nibble on. In areas of the country with very hot summers, it appreciates some shade in the afternoon. This is a mixed pack of flowering Sweet William which will bloom from early Spring through to late Autumn. You can direct sow your seeds in your garden after your last frost. After all, this short-lived perennial self-sows prolifically under normal garden conditions and will continually regenerate itself from year to year. They will remain dormant in the soil, then grow new plants in the spring. Sweet William is prized for its variety of color. When seedlings are large enough to handle transplant to trays and grow on or if planted … The three best Sweet William’s for cutting are ‘ Auricula Eyed’, ‘ Nigricans ‘ and ‘ Alba ‘. Sweet William plants, which look very similar to carnations, can be grown from seeds, cuttings or plant divisions. Again, continue to monitor soil moisture levels and water to keep the gravel slightly moist. Bloom time is late spring to early summer. Sweet William … Sweet William are grown from seeds. Cut them down to the soil level and remove them from your garden so that harmful insects cannot use the plant debris to hibernate in over the winter. Whenever possible most plants do better outside rather than inside a building, but it depends on the climate of course. Usually plants are spindly because they are reaching to find the light. SO I HAVE FOUND THAT IF I STICK WITH] ERRI,IALS I KNOW HOW TO TAKE CARE OF THEM AND IT MAKES THEM EASIER FOR ME, AND I THROW IN SOME ANNAUALS THAT CATCH MY EYE !! My father grew it in our garden when I was a child. The young seedlings generally transplant well and can be set outdoors after the last frost. Linda Crampton from British Columbia, Canada on January 29, 2020: I love sweet william. May 25, 2017 - How to grow Sweet william (Dianthus), plant pictures and planting care instructions supplied by real gardeners. Sweet william seeds can be sown straight in to the ground where they are going to grow, so make sure the space you are going to sow is weed-free by using a trowel to remove the weeds. Peggy Woods from Houston, Texas on January 28, 2020: I have grown the type of sweet williams featured above in your first photo, and have only grown them as annuals. Remove … This often happens with flowers. if you prefer to start seedlings of Sweet Williams off indoors then they should be started about 8 weeks before they are transplanted into the garden in autumn (or late spring). Sweet William seedlings. I’ve been growing them for the last three years,again memories of my mother’s garden, very easy to grow from seed, I bring them on in pots then plant them out. Moistening the soil before you plant the seeds is critical when the seeds are at such a shallow depth. My suggestion would be to leave the plants alone and spread compost in that area in the spring and the fall. sweet william seedling The reason I grow ‘Auricula-Eyed’ for the cut flower patch is because it gets to a good height…about 60cm…has very wonderful fragrant flowers on strong stems. If you wait until after your plant the seeds to water the soil, the seeds will just float away and may even float out of the container if any water runs over the side of the container. cromar Posts: 4. The gravel should be about the size of BB pellets. Germination should occur in 1 to 2 weeks. She’s written hundreds of gardening articles for the Gardening Channel, Garden Guides and San Francisco Gate, as well as several e-books. Greek botanist Theophrastus gave these flowers the genus name Dianthus, which means "divine flower." As the plants grow, you may have to thin them again. Sow seeds sparingly in trays or directly outdoors from late spring to autumn for blooms the following year. I put mine on top of the fridge and they seem to be doing just fine. Don’t allow it to dry out while seeds are germinating. The European sweet william are hardy in USDA growing zones 3 – 9. Caren White (author) on January 30, 2020: Hi Rida, you're welcome. Sweet william loves to grow in rich, well-drained loamy soil in full sun. I also allow mine to go to seed and they have leaped over the path through the middle of our garden to the other side. When she’s not writing about gardening, food and canning, Julie Christensen enjoys spending time in her gardens, which includes perennials, vegetables and fruit trees. Before you plant Sweet William seeds, find the ideal location for them. Cut them back if they become unruly or cut the fragrant blooms and bring them indoors. Amend these soils with compost or choose another spot. A faster option is to plant Sweet William indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost. Leggy seedlings are those that become spindly, stretched and delicate instead of full and strong. In the 16th century, sweet William was introduced to northern Europe and later to North America. May 4, 2013 - Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished. This midsized strain produces a mound of dark green leaves, bearing big clusters of bright magenta-purple flowers for weeks on end. In areas of the country with very hot summers, it appreciates some shade in the afternoon. I have just potted up a batch of self-set seedlings from this years Sweet Williams and will over-winter them in my polytunnel. The flowers look like carnations, but instead of appearing singly on stalks, they grow in large clusters known as umbels. Sweet William plants needs plenty of air circulation so don’t overcrowd them. Sweet William is an old-fashioned cottage garden plant that usually grows as a self seeding biennial. Add to cart. Sweet William plants, which look very similar to carnations, can be grown from seeds, cuttings or plant divisions. Now (and up to early summer), is an excellent time to sow seeds of sweet William (Dianthus barbatus), and also wallflowers. They like loose, rich soil that drains well so don’t press them in too firmly. This will add nutrients to the soil and improve its texture. Caren White (author) on January 29, 2020: Peggy, I agree! When they stand 3-4 inches high, it’s time to move them outdoors, either into pots or into your garden. Sweet william flowers will last 7 to 10 days in a vase. Cutting back the old flower stems at the end of each year, will keep the plants strong. If planting seeds, plan on starting them indoors six to eight weeks before the last frost for spring blooms. Required fields are marked *. Most gardeners don’t mind but I grow sweet william for both its flowers and its scent so there are no fancy double flowers in my garden. They are about 5cm in height. Sweet william was introduced into northern Europe in the 16th century. The gravel should be about the size of BB pellets. Once the seeds germinate and stand 3 inches tall, thin them to at 12 inches apart. The rows should be spaced about 30cm apart. Your email address will not be published. The origin of the common name Sweet William has been debated, though one interesting theory states that the "William… Spray the seeds with water from a spray bottle and cover the trays with plastic wrap. DG has a very warm circle of wintersowers in … Sweet William (Dianthus) Seedlings quantity. Dianthus barbatus. Sprouting usually occurs about 1 week after sowing. Keep your plants moist, about 1 inch of water per week. Don’t give up on them though. It is well worth remembering when cutting back, to leave on just a few of the old flower-heads for the plant to self seed itself. They are native to two areas of the world. Article by Laurana Wong. 5. One of the few selections known to bloom in the first year. For spring blooms, start indoors six to eight weeks before the last frost. Come next spring, you’ll have prolific blooms. In hot, Southern climates, plant Sweet William in a place with light shade. The older cultivars have a clove like scent while the newer hybrids do not. Sweet William (Dianthus barbatus) belongs to the Dianthus flower family, which also includes pinks and carnations. Sweet William plants attract butterflies, bees and hummingbirds, making them a welcome addition to any perennial bed. Article from myfolia.com. Check them daily to make sure the gravel is slightly moist and water as needed. Sweet william loves to grow in rich, well-drained loamy soil in full sun. Don’t want to wait a year for blooms? Dianthus barbatus dy-ANN-thus bar-BAT-us Audio These short-lived perennials or biennials are charming plants, and are worth their weight in gold in the cottage border. Any plant that can self-seed in the garden is a shoe-in for seed starting success. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Sweet William are related to carnations. Don’t add a cover of soil, just a firmly step on them to make sure there is good contact with the soil. Keep the soil evenly moist. When flowers have finished, remove and feed with a liquid fertiliser, as this will encourage another flush of blooms to appear. After flowering, the attractive foliage holds the space well. Filed Under: Sweet William Tagged With: grow dianthus, grow sweet william from seed, how to grow sweet william, Sweet William, sweet william seeds. Our range of Sweet William Seeds are perfect for garden borders, patio pots and containers. Prolific, warm-loving soft-perennial with green leaves and dainty flowers. If planting seeds, plan on starting them indoors six to eight weeks before the last frost for spring blooms. One of my favorites is sweet william. It can grow in partial shade but won’t flower as well. Check them daily to make sure the gravel is slightl… A thick layer of mulch will help keep the soil moist and prevent weeds from growing in your garden. Cover with 1-2mm soil and firm down. If they don’t grow again in the spring, then you can remove the roots that have died. Once the seeds germinate, take off the plastic wrap and set the tray in full sun. Sweet William can be … The best time to transplant sweet William is in September and October from nursery rows or cold frames to the area where you want them to bloom the following summer. Forgot about them behind the shed, but they still grew on strong. Dianthus barbatus . Plant the seeds in containers filled with pre-moistened soil 1/16 inches deep. 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