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Hydroponic Carnation Gardening – A Full Guide

A step by step guide to hydroponic carnation

You want to grow carnations in water or without soil? here is the information of hydroponic carnation growing. Carnations are among the best flowers for indoor hydroponics, most admired cut flowers; they are pleasant to the eye and if grown in a reasonable volume can also offer a cash crop like a benefit. Its petals are also said to be edible and pleasantly sweet with a perfumed essence. Carnations instantly add colour to any place where they are grown be it a garden. Whether you use them in a flowerbed, in containers or as a border, the various available colour varieties will add ornamental worth both indoors and out. There are roughly 300 species of Carnations; they come in a numerous of assorted colours. They also have annual, biennial and perennial varieties. Carnations remain the most famed cut flower and many people want to know how to grow carnation flowers.

Few flower gardeners believe hydroponics gardening as a serious alternative to conventional gardens that easily grow in containers or in the ground and with the success of hydroponics for flowers, this has been proved true. Hydroponics system is something that was earlier shown as a model in science exhibitions; that time curiosities were about tubing with unknown chemicals piped throughout the system. Hydroponics at present has expanded its offerings and made it easy for the novice to get involved in their gardening hobby or at commercial level hydroponic cut flower production.

Hydroponic Carnations.
Hydroponic Carnations.

Propagation of hydroponic carnation

In the soil they take 2 to 3 weeks to germinate from seed, in an appropriately maintained hydroponic garden accelerates this process slightly. In addition to seed, they can also be raised from cuttings which is the most admired method used by commercial growers.

Suitable care of carnations begins even before you plant your seeds. Growing carnations will be much simpler if you want to plant the seeds choose an area that gets a minimum of four to five hours of uninterrupted sun every day. Six to eight weeks previous to the day when your area will be frost-free, you can commence germinating your carnation seeds indoors. Learning how to grow carnation flowers this way is simple and will encourage flowering in the first year so that you can enjoy the fruits of your labour by taking proper care of carnations. Growing carnation seeds once can result in years of beautiful and fragrant flowers. A growing temperature in the range of 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit should be maintained after sowing carnation seeds in growing media starter plugs. When the seedlings reach 4 to 5 inches tall height, transplant them to the hydroponic system. Oasis cubes are sterile and lightweight and they have good air to water ratio. Rock-wool is also well-liked for seed starting. Rock-wool requires more carefulness as it is alkaline. Maintaining watering and nutrients with a more acidic pH level can easily rectify this.

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Starting Carnations from Cuttings

Tip cuttings should be harvested from healthy disease-free plants or obtained from a reputable supplier. They should be in between 3 and 5 inches long. If they are too large it will be hard to develop roots. A dry, aged and desiccated cutting does not permit the process of cellular regeneration that takes place in cuttings leading to propagation.

Carnation being flowers that do well in hydroponics can also be propagated by cuttings that are rooted in the hydroponic media as soon as harvested or can also be cold stored first for up to 2 weeks before rooting. Perlite, vermiculite, coconut coir, sphagnum moss will all work as grow media. Use of rooting hormones are simply optional but can be helpful. Cuttings should be inserted to about 1/3 of their height in the grow media. Daily misting of the cuttings is suggested or grow media used should be moistened. Make sure you don’t overwater it and do not allow the media to dry out completely as well at any time in the rooting process.

The nutrient solution requirement for hydroponic carnation

You should not use any nutrient solution for the first 7 to 10 days of growth, after that a very mild nutrient solution, 1/4 strength to start out with gradually increasing it up to full strength when the cuttings have completed rooting. Rooting is usually completed in about 3 weeks. One gets blooming hydroponic nutrient solution easy from online sites dealing with horticultural or hydroponic kits along with the user manual with the detailed procedure.

Light: 5 to 8 hours daily which is not difficult to imitate in a hydroponic setup or you can use basic grow lights for complementation.

Nutrient pH -6.0.         EC 2.0-3.5         PPM 1260-2450

Support – They reach up to 1.5 to 2 feet in height, taller varieties will require support to stop them from toppling over.

Air temperature should be in the range of 55-65°F for day cycle and 40-45°F for the night cycle. Nutrient solution temperature should be within a few degrees of 70°F.

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Hydroponic setup for carnation

A hydroponic system is a self-sustained growing unit that may consist of a growing container, a nutrient reservoir, growing media, and a pump that will recirculate the nutrient –enriched water. These frameworks can be made by DIY or you can also buy them online. Usually, DWC, Dutch bucket system, and Ebb and flow systems are preferred for growing hydroponic carnations for outdoor and indoor conditions both. For commercial flower production like for hydroponic flowers list comprising of hydroponic marigolds, roses hydroponically and petunia hydroponics NFT hydroponic system are also suggested.

Other Practices

Pinching

Pinching is the process of removal of the growing tip of the main shoot to encourage the growth of side shoots. Depending upon the requirement of crop spread and market demand, single, one and a half and double pinches can be given.

Disbudding

Disbudding in carnation refers to the removal of unwanted buds; so that the retained bud receives maximum food for their full development for this usually side buds are removed.

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1 COMMENT

  1. Christians believe that the first carnation bloomed on earth when Mary wept for Jesus as he carried his cross. With this, carnations flowers area meaningful to Christians. And with your tips in growing carnations, a lot of people will definitely have a lovely carnations in their garden. Kudos!

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