How to Cut Back Dianthus

Dianthus, also referred to as pinks, Sweet William and carnations, remain tidy and healthy when cut back regularly. The Dianthus genus of flowers includes a number of easy-to-grow species featuring colorful flowers in pinks and reds. Cutting back the plant encourages full foliage and abundant blooms.

• Most dianthus species are perennial, which means they come back each growing season. However, some species are annuals and grow for only one growing season. Cutting back during the growing season promotes healthy plants with profuse blooms.


• Plant healthy dianthus plants in an area which receives at least five hours of full sun each day. Locate the plants in well-drained soil and use a balanced fertilizer as needed. Overall, dianthus plants perform well with minimal attention.


• Use sharp, clean shears to remove stems and foliage over two inches tall. Cutting too close to the roots removes new blooms that grow close to the base of the plant.


• Cut back plants throughout the growing season with garden shears. Help the plant maintain a neat appearance by snipping ragged or unruly foliage from the plants. Cut off discolored or dead foliage from the plant’s base as needed.


• Remove spent blooms from the plant to encourage new blooms. Use your thumb and forefinger to grasp the flower stem directly below the spent bloom. Pinch the stem to remove the dead flower before it starts to seed.


• After each flush of blooms, usually twice per growing season, cut back all the stems to the same length as the foliage. Cutting back the plant causes the stems to split into two stems, resulting in a greater number of new blooms.


• Regular maintenance of your dianthus plants creates a uniform landscape appearance and produces colorful blooms from summer to fall. Dianthus plants do well in mass groupings and as borders along sidewalks and garden edges.