Dianthus Odessa Collection

• Regular deadheading will ensure flowers right up to the first frosts.

Planting Advice:

• For most plug plant collections, the “mini Greenhouse” they are packed in will have a label on the outside, listing the individual varieties inside. We recommend writing your own labels out on receipt!
• Give your plugs a little attention on arrival - unpack them immediately, and either mist them or stand them in water for an hour - they may be slightly dry or yellow after being in a dark box in the post, but they’ll quickly recover.
• If you can’t do this, they can sit in Mini Greenhouses for a week if upright and not too wet.
  We recommend that you leave them to settle for a day somewhere warm, light and airy such as a windowsill or greenhouse.
• When you're ready to pot on, use a good quality, multi-purpose compost, and fill 3-4in pots (7-10cm).
• Make a hole in the compost with a dibber or your finger, then holding each plug by its root ball, place it into the hole and gently firm the compost around it.
• For great results, we recommend using our Windowsill Planters or 9cm pots in Shuttle Trays.
• Give your plants a good water initially, then only when the top compost starts to dry as they don’t like to be left in standing water.
• Grow on either on a bright windowsill or a greenhouse for 3-4 weeks before potting up into containers or into flower beds.
• If planting directly into flower beds when all risk of frost has passed, prepare the ground well, removing weeds and digging in some compost or well-rotted manure if your soil is not already rich.
• Plant approx. 20cm (8in) apart to allow them room to grow.

Aftercare Advice:

• Feed using a high-potash feed such as Blooming Fast Superior Soluble Fertiliser for Flowers & Fruits, to encourage flowering.
• Dead head when flowers fade to encourage more blooms.