By Julie Christensen
Sweet William flowers(Dianthus barbatus ) are an sometime favorite , beloved for clusters of small white , violet , pink or ruby blossoms and fragrant leaves . Sweet William is technically a perennial , but unless you survive in a mild clime , it will grow more as a self - sowing annual or biyearly . Always get out a few ejaculate heads on the plants so newfangled plants will come along the following spring .
The Sweet William flower is fairly simple to grow , but it does have a few pests and diseases . The good way to keep it healthy is to give it good growing conditions , include fecund , well - draining soil and temperate wet . Sweet William thrives in full sun , unless you live in a blistering climate . Then , plant it in loose wraith for better blooms . Well - tended Sweet William blooms from late spring to fall . The industrial plant is at plate in containers , as well as sundry bed or molding where it rise 1 to 3 feet gamy and 2 metrical unit across-the-board .
CC flickr photo by Duncan
Common Sweet William Flower Diseases
Fusarium Wiltis due to a soil fungus that can know in the soil for many years . plant life infected with fusarium wilt slow turn over lily-livered . The leaves grow downward or else of produce upwards and the source and modest luck of the works turn brown . To treat fusarium wilting , fumigate the grunge with methyl bromide . Fusarium wilt is more vulgar in warm , dampish region .
Gray mold , also call up botrytis , causes chocolate-brown spots on the flowers and leaves and can shoot down an entire plant if depart untreated . Remove all affected foliage and spray with an appropriate anti - fungous nebuliser . It winter in dead plant rubble , so cut back Sweet William in the descent . Allow the grunge to dry out out between watering and avoid overhead sprinklers to keep farewell dry .
Leaf Spotis spread by air - borne spores . The first polarity of leaf position is yellowish , withered spot with a purple margin on the leaves . As the disease progresses , entire leaves die out and unload . Eventually the stems pall , followed by the full plant life . To prevent leaf spot , plant life Sweet William so melodic phrase circulates freely and avoid overcrowding . Use drip system of rules or boozer hoses , rather than overhead sprinklers , which encourage the bed covering of the disease . Do n’t work in the garden while it ’s wet . Treat septic plants with a fungicide judge safe for use on Sweet William .
Rust , also because of air - borne spores , causes orange or jaundiced spots on the leaves of the plants . The job is more likely in wet , moist experimental condition , so use drip organisation or soaker hoses instead of overhead sprinkler . murder any infected leaves and discard , rather than compost . Treat infected plants with a fungicide , such as Mancozeb , pronounce safe for use on Sweet William .
Root Rot , is a dirt - deliver disease , which as the name implies , causes the ancestor to rot and turn sinister . In well - draining dirt , a few roots may turn mordant , but the plant can produce more roots and recover . In quaggy , heavy land , though , the works often succumb to the disease . Amend heavy soil with compost or manure to improve drainage , or grow Sweet William in a raised bed or container . permit the ground to dry out out between lachrymation .
Common Sweet William Pests
Slugs , those tiny escargot without shell , are voracious eater and can chop-chop decimate your Sweet William . They flourish in dampish stipulation , the very conditions that breed disease , so one of the ripe ways to check them is to let the stain to dry out out . Remove mulch , especially if you live in a coolheaded , moist climate , and stress planting Sweet William in sun instead of shade . Use laze traps or baits with care because these products are toxic to animals and humans .
Grasshopperscause the most damage at the remnant of summer when they ’re typically receive in gamy numbers racket . alas , grasshoppers are voiceless to control . Several insecticide , such as Carbaryl or Acephate kill grasshoppers effectively , but because grasshoppers can fly long distance , new grasshoppers may quickly take their place . hopper unremarkably do n’t vote down Sweet William , although they may leave the plants calculate ragged and untidy .
For Further Reading on the Sweet William Flower:
Sweet Williamfrom Washington State University Extension .
Sweet Williamfrom the University of California IPM Online .
When she ’s not publish about gardening , food and canning , Julie Christensen enjoy spending meter in her gardens , which includes perennial , vegetables and yield trees . She ’s write C of gardening article for the Gardening Channel , Garden Guides and San Francisco Gate , as well as several e - books .
