Chabaud Blend Carnation is a classic ornamental flower that brings reliable garden color and cottage-garden charm to zones 6 through 9. This cultivar of Dianthus caryophyllus grows to a compact 18 inches tall, producing the ruffled blooms carnations are beloved for. Start seeds indoors 8 to 10 weeks before your average last frost date, or direct sow about 1 to 2 weeks before, and you'll have flowers that reward your patience with weeks of cutting-garden abundance. The Blend designation suggests a mix of colors within the packet, giving gardeners the pleasure of discovering what emerges as seedlings develop.
Full Sun
Moderate
6-9
18in H x ?in W
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Moderate
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These carnations arrive at maturity in a single, dependable height and thrive in full sun with moderate water, making them straightforward to place in any sunny border. The variety tolerates frost, so it can handle spring's unpredictable swings once established. Seeds germinate quickly in warm soil between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit, and they need barely any covering, just pressed gently onto the surface to make contact. What emerges is the classic frilled carnation form that has charmed gardeners for centuries.
Chabaud Blend Carnations are grown primarily as cut flowers and garden ornamentals. The blooms are prized for fresh arrangements and provide long-lasting color both in the vase and in the garden border. Their compact, uniform height makes them useful for edging beds or filling in the middle layers of a cutting garden where consistent color and form are desired.
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Start seeds indoors 8 to 10 weeks before your average last frost date. Keep the seed-starting medium moist and at temperatures between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit for reliable germination.
Transplant seedlings outdoors after they have developed true leaves and are approximately 1 inch tall. Space plants 12 inches apart. Harden off seedlings gradually over a week before moving them to the garden. Plant after your average last frost date has passed.
Direct sow seeds outdoors 1 to 2 weeks before your average last frost date. This timing allows seedlings to establish before warmer weather arrives.
Cut carnation flowers in the early morning or late evening when blooms are fully open but still fresh. Harvest by cutting stems at a 45-degree angle, leaving at least two sets of leaves on the plant to support regrowth. Flowers last 1 to 2 weeks in a vase when stems are immediately placed in cool water mixed with floral preservative.
Deadhead spent blooms regularly to encourage continued flowering throughout the season. Pinching back young plants when they reach 6 to 8 inches tall can promote bushier growth and more flower stems.
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