Growing Zone for Chomley Farran Dianthus

Location

• The carnation hails from Europe, where it commonly grows in limestone soils and in the walls of ruins and old walls. "Chomley Farran" is tolerant of less-than-ideal locations, handling atmospheric pollution and strong winds. To look their best, carnations must have five full hours of direct sunlight a day. In shadier conditions, "Chomley Farran" will produce fewer of its stunning signature blooms, and may have a sparser, more leggy habit.

Culture

• "Chomley Farran" will grow in soil with a pH between 6 and 8, preferring alkaline soils over acidic soils. Overly acidic soils can be made more alkaline by adding lime to the soil. "Chomley Farran" is tolerant of maritime conditions, including salty soil and salty air. Newly planted carnations should be watered sufficiently to keep the soil moist, but not waterlogged or flooded. "Chomley Farran" has good drought tolerance once established.

Features

• The striped flowers of "Chomley Farran" are highly attractive to butterflies and moths, and produce a faint but appealing fragrance. The stiff, green stalks help to make "Chomley Farran" an excellent cut flower. "Chomley Farran" may be propagated by tip cuttings taken in early summer and rooted in a moist, well-drained soil media. The plant may be planted in a container or massed together to create a funhouse-like bed of flowers. Space plants about 12 inches apart to allow air to circulate.

Considerations

• Carnations are susceptible to a wide variety of wilt and blight diseases that cause symptoms such as distorted foliage and flowers, yellowing foliage and rotten lesions. The Penn State Extension recommends preventing carnation diseases by removing weeds and debris that can inhibit air circulation, avoiding overhead irrigation (especially late in the day) and using clean, sterile gardening equipment. Plants infected with bacterial wilt, bortrytis wilt or viruses should be removed and destroyed before they infect healthy plants.