Giant Flower Carnations 
Field- Grown ... Hardy Rugged Plants 
Cultural Directions for Carnations 
Easy to Grow if These Simple Rules are Followed 
PREPARATION OF SOIL 
Select a sunny spot in your garden and be sure that your 
soil is well drained, yet not too light and sandy. The novice 
will find a medium heavy loam in raised or banked bed as 
ideal. To this soil, a liberal amount of bone meal is spaded 
in before plants are set out. To counteract extreme acidity, 
which is unfavorable for healthy carnation growth, apply 
dehydrated lime or wood ashes lightly. 
TREATMENT OF PURCHASED PLANTS 
In order to reduce to a minimum, if not to eliminate com- 
pletely, any loss of plants sustained by our customers after 
the plants are received, our Garden will ship pre-hardened 
established plants in bands. These plants were first rooted 
in sand, then removed to individual bands of soil. Then, 
they were kept for a minimum period of 3 weeks in open 
air allowing them to sufficiently harden and establish 
themselves for long distance shipments before sending out. 
When received, remove the band and set out rather 
shallow with original soil of the band intact. The plants 
should be watered thoroughly after planting but no further 
watering is required until surface shows signs of getting dry. 
STOPPING AND DISBUDDING 
Plants should be spaced sufficiently apart so that they will 
have ample air circulation between the plants when they 
have formed the bushes. They are first stopped when 3 or 4 
inches high. The object of this is to encourage the young 
plant to build up bushy plant, which in turn will produce 
more flowers. The best method is to pull the center out; do 
not break it off: When the stem is broken off, only 2 or 3 
new growths will appear but when pulled off, several stems 
will rise from this first operation. The center of these new 
growths are further topped occasionally until far into July, 
when winter flowers are preferred. Then the plants are 
allowed to form their flower stems. When the buds develop 
sufficiently large, all side buds are removed thus leaving 
single bud to a stem. 
FEEDING AND WATERING 
Very wet or very dry soil conditions are both detrimental 
to support a vigorous, healthy growth of carnations. Although 
in winter, they will stand being kept fairly dry much better 
than on the wet side, especially since we have most of 
our rainfall at that time here in Southern California. 
As carnation is almost an ever-blooming flower, feeding 
should be made almost the year around after the final 
topping in July. Nitrogen content stimulates a rapid leaf and 
stem growth; phosphoric acid and potash build up steady, 
firm growth of plant with large flower, good substance and 
good color. For these reasons, complete fertilizers which 
are in the market today, such as “Gaviota,” ‘Gro-rite,” 
“Vigoro,” etc., are recommended in cooler months. These 
fertilizers may be applied dry and watered into the soil. 
When the days become longer and hot days approach, a 
mulching of cow manure will largely assist in retaining the 
moisture within the soil. The feeding roots of carnations are 
very close to the surface and should not be cultivated very 
near the plant, and weeds appearing near the plant should 
be pulled out rather than hoed out. 
DISEASES AND INSECT PESTS 
Carnations, like other cultivated plants, are susceptible to 
fungus diseases and insect pests but fortunately, these are 
all easily controllable. Fungus disease or disease caused by 
other organisms such as blight, spot, rust and wilt can be 
controlled and prevented with the use of bordeaux mixture. 
A soap spreader is used with this mixture to insure complete 
coverage of the foliage. 
Our worst insect pests are aphids, thrips, and red spiders. 
The former two are easily controlled with either nicotine, 
rotonone, or phyrethrum sprays, but the latter is little more 
difficult to destroy. Up to date, ‘“Loro’’ with soap spreader 
or ‘“Hi-tox” are the best known sprays to destroy the red 
spiders after infestations. Overhead watering or occasional 
bathing of plants with strong pressure hose in clear warm 
days will help removing the spiders and aphids when plants 
are young. 

_ GIANT FLOWERING CARNATIONS 
in plant bands 
Rate: 
S5 .centsyeachs. a2e ahs et Ee ata eo. pert doz. 
50h cents’ ech ign oe ee ee ee $5.00 per doz. 
(Only when purchased in dozen of one name) 
BARBARA BRIGHAM. A sport of Golden Wonder. A 
beautiful light apricot with pink pencilings. 50 cents each. 
eae 
