Plan the perfect garden with our interactive tool →

How to Deadhead Carnations

...

Carnations come in a variety of colors and sizes that add brightness to your garden beds, containers and edging. It's possible to keep your carnations blooming all summer depending on the variety and if you remember to deadhead them. Deadheading is the process of removing spent blooms before they go to seed. After a carnation goes to seed, it focuses its energy on developing seeds instead of flowers. Stopping this process encourages the flowers to set new flowers so it can start making seeds again.

Snip off all brown, dead or diseased looking leaves from the flower stems. Snip them off with your garden scissors where the leaf joins the stem.

  • Carnations come in a variety of colors and sizes that add brightness to your garden beds, containers and edging.
  • Snip them off with your garden scissors where the leaf joins the stem.

Study each flower. Snip off those that are spent or are beginning to turn brown and shriveled around the edges. Snip the flower off ¼ inch above the nearest set of leaves.

Look for any seed heads that have begun to form. Snip them off ¼ inch above the nearest leaf set.

Cut off any stems that already have most of their leaves removed due to wilting and browning. Snip the stem off above the last set of healthy leaves. This encourages the carnation to concentrate on putting on a new bloom at that stem instead of growing new leaves.

  • Snip off those that are spent or are beginning to turn brown and shriveled around the edges.
  • Snip the flower off ¼ inch above the nearest set of leaves.

Facts About Carnations

Carnations will grow in sandy, loamy and heavy clay soils, as long as they’re well-draining. They also thrive in very alkaline and saline soils, tolerating a pH range between 6.0 and 8.0. Carnations do not like soggy soils and overwatering will cause carnation foliage to yellow. Carnations also need good air circulation around the roots and stems, so do not need mulching. Symptoms appear as light gray spots on the leaves that later turn brown. Root rot (Rhizoctonia solani) may also cause stem decay and wilting of carnations. An essential oil is also obtained from carnation flowers and used in perfumes and soaps.

  • Carnations will grow in sandy, loamy and heavy clay soils, as long as they’re well-draining.
  • Carnations also need good air circulation around the roots and stems, so do not need mulching.

Tip

Deadhead blooms when they are at their fullest to display indoors while the carnation sets new flowers. Deadhead once weekly during the height of the blooming season.

Warning

Clean your gardening shears before use with soapy water, then rinse and dry well to avoid spreading disease to the carnations. Only use sharp blades to avoid damage to the plant or yourself.

Related Articles

How to Take Care of Carnations
How to Take Care of Carnations
How to Winter Carnations
How to Winter Carnations
How to Get Seeds Out of Carnation Flowers
How to Get Seeds Out of Carnation Flowers
Are Carnations Poisonous to Humans?
Are Carnations Poisonous to Humans?
How to Prune Gerbera Daisies
How to Prune Gerbera Daisies
How to Prune Leggy Carnations
How to Prune Leggy Carnations
Flowers That Bloom All Season
Flowers That Bloom All Season
Care for Potted Gerber Daisies
Care for Potted Gerber Daisies
How to Deadhead Foxgloves
How to Deadhead Foxgloves
How to Refrigerate Flowers
How to Refrigerate Flowers
How to Cut Back an African Violet
How to Cut Back an African Violet
How to Dead-Head Gerbera Daisies
How to Dead-Head Gerbera Daisies
Are Hibiscus Plants Poisonous to People?
Are Hibiscus Plants Poisonous to People?
How to Grow Carnations from Cuttings
How to Grow Carnations from Cuttings
How to Grow Carnations in Pots
How to Grow Carnations in Pots
How to Grow Carnations in a Container
How to Grow Carnations in a Container
Homemade Cut Flower Preservative
Homemade Cut Flower Preservative
How to Dye Hydrangeas
How to Dye Hydrangeas
Garden Guides
×