Garden

[shellgirl]

Did anyone have luck with the Double Midget Sweet William sold last year?

[gardenman]

I didn't buy or grow that particular dianthus last year, but as a rule they're fairly short lived perennial plants. There are perennials you can't kill no matter how hard you try (daylilies for example) and there are perennials that are nearly impossible to keep alive for long. Sadly dianthus/sweet william tend to fall into the latter category at least around here (Southern New Jersey.) They're beautiful little plants, but you're generally better off treating them as though they were an annual and being pleasantly surprised if they come back the next year.

[JustJazzmom]

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@gardenman wrote:

I didn't buy or grow that particular dianthus last year, but as a rule they're fairly short lived perennial plants. There are perennials you can't kill no matter how hard you try (daylilies for example) and there are perennials that are nearly impossible to keep alive for long. Sadly dianthus/sweet william tend to fall into the latter category at least around here (Southern New Jersey.) They're beautiful little plants, but you're generally better off treating them as though they were an annual and being pleasantly surprised if they come back the next year.

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Actually dianthus like Sweet William, are biennials in which they flower the first year, set seed and die the subsequent year. It takes 2 years to complete their biological cycle. Short lived but in more Southern climates act as perennials provided a person deadheads (removes the flowers) before seed is produced. 

Bath's Pink and Firewitch are of Dianthus gratianopolitanus cheddar pink varieties.

[shellgirl]

Mine didn't bloom and 4 died, have requested replacements.  Thanks for the information.