Dianthus - can I move them while in flower?

MaisieM

I bought some dianthus as plug plants, shoved them straight into a stretch of the veg patch, under mini poly tunnels - had planned to move them after a couple of weeks. As usual, my gardening hopes were dashed & they remain in their original position. Looking lovely but a bit cramped. Can I dig some of them up & plant elsewhere just now or would that stop them from flowering further or to die? Thanks

Fairygirl

Yes 
Just do the usual steps - water well first, get as decent a rootball as possible and move to the new position. Water in well, and keep watered until established. You can take flowers off so that they concentrate on making a good root system. 

Not sure why you have them in a polytunnel though. They'd be better outside unless there's a reason - are they very small?  They're extremely hardy plants  though 
 

Nanny Beach

Try some,pinch the flowers off first, personally I have done this with some plants,and let's be honest you often buy plants in bloom,what I do,is pot them up,leave them on the shade,make sure they are well watered,for a week,then re plant,and have always found it works

MaisieM

Thanks both! Sorry Fairygirl, I don't explain things well - I just had them under those mini polytunnel/cloche things for the first couple of weeks, as they came as plug plants. They must be hardy as they've survived my neglect

Fairygirl

  
I have a shocking pink one which has survived all sorts of abuse - most notably, builders trampling over it when I had the gable end of the house re surfaced. It spreads like mad too - a very good value plant!

Tough little plants. I love them. Hope they do well for you. 

philippasmith2

Agree with @Fairygirl I've had some for years and despite the neglect over a couple of years ( due to house move rather than being mean ), they do come back given a bit of sun and rain

Janie B

Are all varieties perennials? I have grown some 'chabaud' ones from seed, they are all looking nice and healthy in the borders (full of buds, but no flowers just yet). Anything I need to do to help them overwinter in situ? 

Fairygirl

This is what mine looked like after the builders [ early February]


End of June - it had recovered fairly well 

philippasmith2

Janie B said:

Are all varieties perennials? I have grown some 'chabaud' ones from seed, they are all looking nice and healthy in the borders (full of buds, but no flowers just yet). Anything I need to do to help them overwinter in situ? 

I've got a feeling that Chabaud are more Carnation than Dianthus - bigger plant but given the right conditions, they should be starting to flower now.  If you have buds and the weather picks up, they should flower soon.  Mine are flowering intermittently.