Is it annual or perennial Ellen? Only a few peren dianthus bloom their first year. If it's annual then I would wait another month to see buds start to form.

T

oh, it's perennial.
I'm going to give them away - I don't have that kind of patience!

thanks.

Neah, keep it! Dianthus are worth the wait ;-)

They are worth the wait, although I didn't have to. I sowed D. deltoides 'Arctic Fire' in my first year of WS (2004) and I'm still dividing them up and moving them around. They've just started to come into bloom in the past week or two.

The seedlings in 2004 came into bloom in July.

The first year bloom was late and sparse:

{{gwi:385901}}

The second year they exploded in early June:

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Absolutely worth the wait. Mine bloomed here and there last year while spreading out a bit. I only planted one clump here. I sowed a LOT more this year. Be patient, woman. Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.

{{gwi:385903}}

Totally worth the wait. :)

These are all second year plants

Sweet Williams (D. barbatus):
{{gwi:385905}}

D. Detoides - "Micro chips"
{{gwi:385907}}

D. plumarius - "Ipswich pinks"
{{gwi:385909}}

You really should keep them and enjoy the show next year. In your zone they will do a tremendous amount of growing over the winter every time there's a little thaw. They will be really nice next year.

Lynda

I wish I could give them to you'all. :)

I'm actually not a fan of diathus - in spite of those beautiful pictures.
I only planted them cuz I wanted to see some green emerge.

but don't worry, they are going to a good home,
I'm going to send their new owner your pics, I really wasn't aware that dianthus were so prolific.