Carnation cuttings

Everyone knows that carnations multiply very easily by cutting, but not everyone knows the best conditions for cuttings to take root well and give good plants. For this to happen, the cuttings must be well chosen and well prepared, planted in a suitable substrate at the right time of year. The choice of plants to take cuttings from must be made on healthy, free of viruses and other diseases, well vegetated and floriferous. The shoots are generally taken from the base of the flowering stems, which are stronger than those that appear along the stem itself. They are shortened by cutting the base with a very sharp knife, so that they are about 10 cm long and part of the leaves are also removed by cutting them in half. Some gardeners also make a longitudinal cut at the base of the cuttings of about 1 cm, in order to obtain a greater surface of callus suitable for the emission of the roots, but this system does not always give the best results. However, it is absolutely not advisable to crush the cuttings, as we have seen some times; this practice can only cause the plant to rot. The most suitable substrate is sand, pure or even mixed with a bit of peat or common earth. There is no need for fertilisers, organic or mineral, as the cuttings will be transplanted immediately after the first roots have formed. We will then use simple earthenware pots or bowls, covering the cuttings with plastic bags fixed to the edge of the pots with elastic bands. The most suitable time for carnation multiplication is late autumn elsewhere, where it freezes, it can be done all year round, but excluding the months of great heat and cold, as the carnation takes root well at moderate temperatures. In the greenhouse, an environment saturated with humidity and heat, it is possible to obtain well rooted seedlings in a very short time.

Andrea Marinelli

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