Description
Sweet William is a perennial of the pink family (Caryophyllaceae). In Poland it is grown as a biennial. It comes from southern and south-eastern Europe. It forms clumps of broadly lance-shaped leaves, and in the second year of cultivation leafy stems 35–40 cm tall, branched at the top, grow up.
Sweet William flowers from mid-June to August. The flowers are single, less often double, one- or multicoloured, often with an "eye" of another colour, and fragrant, gathered in groups of 8–40 in dense, rounded heads.
In gardens Sweet William is planted in borders and is often used as a cut flower.
Requirements
The plant grows well on sandy-loam soils with a thick layer of humus, in a sunny or partially shaded position.
Propagation
Pinks are propagated from seed sown in May–June in a cold frame or seedbed. When the seedlings have 3–4 pairs of leaves, prick them out 5 x 5 cm apart. At the end of July plant the young plants out in beds at 30 x 30–40 cm.
Care
Before planting, enrich the soil with well-rotted manure or peat. The peat should be limed before use and enriched with balanced fertiliser. During full growth water the plants generously and feed them, ideally with liquid fertiliser.