Updated at: 17-06-2022 - By: Sienna Lewis

There are many people who are curious about learning how to divide dianthus (Dianthus gratianopolitanus). Because this plant’s evergreen leaves and the sweet-spicy aroma of its vibrantly colored blossoms have won over numerous others, the process of dividing them is easy and painless.

Fast Facts About the Perennial Dianthus

It is safe to assume that perennial dianthus will flourish if you live in one of USDA’s hardiness zones 4a to 8a. Dividing the Firewitch (Dianthus gratianopolitanus) is the greatest technique to develop cultivated types, such as in your home or hobby greenhouse.

Dividing Perennial Dianthus, and Starting Them From Cuttings. - YouTube

As long as your dianthus gets full sun and is planted in a wet and well-drained soil that is amended with compost in the fall, they’ll do fine. Keeping the plant’s core alive will keep it from fading out. These plants often display their stunning white, pink, and red flowers around the end of the spring and throughout the summer.

3 Easy Steps to Follow When Dividing Perennial Dianthus

Timing is crucial when it comes to dividing perennial dianthus If the timing is off, don’t expect rapid and healthy growth from your plants. During the early spring, when dianthus plants are actively growing, the best time to propagate them is.

Furthermore, you should not divide your plants until you see new growth at the tips of the foliage. Creating and transplanting divisions in the morning is recommended by experts. Dianthus should not be divided too early or late in the spring, according to these experts.

Divide perennial dianthus in three simple steps to get you started.

Step #1. Dig up the plant

Get your plant out of the ground. Afterwards, make sure that you shake off any excess dirt before you begin to turn the soil over. This is a good starting point, but if the natural divisions aren’t evident, you can use your hands to break apart the roots and divide the plant into as many parts as you like.

Step #2. Replant the pieces

Once you’ve divided your perennial dianthus plant into as many parts as you need, you can transplant them in your garden. Dump a teaspoon of lime into the bottom of the hole you just made, and then start digging a hole about three inches deeper than the plant’s root ball. These plants thrive in alkaline soil, if you’re not already aware.

Before you backfill the hole with soil, you can insert your plant’s root ball. Remember to tamp down tightly around your dianthus.

Step #3. Water and feed it

Finally, you can water your dianthus plant and put roughly 2 layers of compost around it to nourish the soil.

Divide one dianthus plant in Spring, for dozens of dianthus plants flowering in Summer. | Planting flowers, Plants, Gardening tips

Top Reasons Why You Should Grow Your Plants in a Hobby Greenhouse

There is nothing wrong with traditional outdoor gardening, but it would be dishonest of us to say that it wouldn’t be worth your while to experiment with greenhouse gardening. Hobby greenhouses are a popular choice for aspiring green thumbs looking to step up their gardening game for a variety of reasons:

Their plants can grow in a controlled environment

Plants cultivated in greenhouses are not subject to Mother Nature’s whims, unlike those planted in typical outdoor gardens. Hobby greenhouses make it possible for gardeners to customize the growing conditions for their fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowers to meet their exact specifications, such as temperature, humidity, and light intensity.

It protects their plants from destructive insects and harmful animals

As a result of their indoor location, greenhouse plants are more resistant to pest infestations and animal attacks than their outdoor counterparts, which can wipe out all of your gardening efforts.

As you keep the pests at bay, you have the option of bringing beneficial insects into your hobby greenhouse. Ladybugs, ground beetles, minute pirate bugs, green lacewings, aphid midges, damsel bugs, and braconid wasps are all nice bugs that can be introduced to your greenhouse plants.

It shields your plants from harsh weather conditions

An outdoor gardener has to continually keep an eye out for extreme weather conditions since they need to take precautions to preserve their plants from harm. In the absence of a hobby greenhouse, you won’t have to worry about your plants being harmed by strong winds and heavy rain as well as snow and blizzards since they are protected by your greenhouse.

Your greenhouse can function as a storage space

As well as serving as an area for growing plants, your little greenhouse can be used as a place to store all of your gardening supplies, tools, or other equipment. It’s a huge time saver to keep your gardening tools close to where you’ll be utilizing them.

You’ll have control over how your food is grown

There are no toxic chemicals or pesticides used in the production of food grown at home. In addition, you can lengthen the growing season of your plants if you have your own hobby greenhouse.

You’ll save more money on grocery shopping

For many people, having year-round access to their favorite fruits, veggies, and herbs is a major perk of having a hobby greenhouse. This means more money saved on groceries.

Timing Is Everything

It is recommended that perennial dianthus types like as ‘Firewitch,’ which bloom profusely for only a brief time each year, be divided every three to five years by the University of Vermont Extension. The optimal time to propagate perennials like dianthus is in early spring, when the plant is actively growing but not yet blooming. Digging up plants to make divisions isn’t necessary until new growth appears at the tips of the leaf. Creating and transplanting divisions in the morning is ideal since the plant is more hydrated and less susceptible to root damage.

It is best not to divide perennial dianthus until early spring, when the plants are still dormant and require time to establish roots before the hot weather arrives. Don’t divide your plants too early in the season because the roots will be stunted if you put them into chilly soil.

Prepping for Success

Perennial dianthus propagation can be made easier if proper planning and preparation are put in place beforehand. A day or two before digging up the plant, give it a good watering. For 10 to 15 minutes, run a garden hose on low at the base of the plant to saturate the soil. Set up your equipment and pots for planting while the water is soaking in.

When growing perennial dianthus from divisions, time is of the importance. Ensure that each division has at least 12 square inches of space by preparing a planting site with the same growing circumstances as the old plant. Use half a 1-gallon potting soil nursery container for each division you wish to create instead.

In order to ensure the success of your perennial dianthus divisions, it is imperative that you use clean, sharp cutting tools. Sanitize your gardening knife by wiping it down with rubbing alcohol after each use, and always wipe it down after every cut to maintain it sanitary.

Transplanting and Caring for Perennial Dianthus Divisions

At the same depth they were initially grown, divide perennial dianthus. Keep the soil away from the base of the stems and avoid exposing the tops of the roots. At a minimum, leave a 12-inch gap between them. In order to achieve proper root contact, place each division into its planting hole or nursery pot. If you’re planting directly in the garden, be sure to cover each division with a 2-inch layer of lightweight mulch or compost.

When To Transplant Dianthus [And How To] - GardenTabs.com

For optimal results, wait until the perennial dianthus divisions are well established before pruning any buds or blooms. Watch for wilting, which can indicate that the divisions require more frequent watering, and water if the soil seems dry just below the surface. Within four to six weeks, you should see a resurgence of growth.

Final Thoughts on How to Divide Dianthus

Using the easy techniques outlined above to divide dianthus is a surefire way to improve the health and beauty of your favorite perennials. As an added bonus, you can reap the rewards of greenhouse gardening by purchasing a hobby greenhouse.