How to Grow and Care for Sweet William Flowers

About Growing Sweet William Plants in Your Home Flower Garden

Sweet William plants are irresistible and colorful. It grows for two years, blooming in the second year. Native to Europe, this colorful, compact plant is grown all over the U.S. Sweet William varieties include perennials and biennials. The perennials are often grown as biennials. Flowers blooms are produced in clusters in the spring. If you are not growing Sweet William yet, what are you waiting for!?

The compact size of Sweet Williams makes them great for containers and pots. Try them on a windowsill or vertical planter. In flower beds, put these small plants at the front of the garden. Despite their small size, they make good-cut flowers. All they need for indoor splendor is a small vase.

The Raging Name Debate– There is much debate over who Sweet William was named for. The list of honorees includes William the Conqueror, Saint William of York, and Prince William Augustus, the Duke of Cumberland.

Flowers Bloom: Spring to Summer.

Flower Colors: Colors include white, red, pink, crimson, scarlet, purple, and bi-colors.

Plant height: 7 to 24 inches tall.

Plant Hardiness Zones: 4 – 9

Biennial, Perennial, Dianthus Barbatus

Annual Sweet William Plant Propagation

Annual Sweet William plants are grown from seeds. They can be directly seeded into your flower garden, or seeded indoors for transplanting later. For spring blooms, start indoors six to eight weeks before the last frost. Young seedlings will transplant well into their permanent home.

Sow seeds early in the season and cover lightly with 1/8″ of fine garden or potting soil. Water thoroughly once.

Transplant Sweet William into your garden after the last frost date for your area. They will tolerate a little crowding. They will look great filling in a flowerbed, or as a border edging.

Sweet William can also be grown from cuttings or plant division.

Note: For indoor starts, we recommend using a heated germination mat, to increase the speed of germination. And, it, results in a higher germination rate.

Final Plant Spacing: Space plants 6 to 8 inches apart.

Days to Germination: Seeds sprout in 10 – 15 days.

About Seed Germination

How to Grow Sweet William Flower Plants

Sweet William plants like full sun. They will tolerate a light shade. They prefer rich, loose soil that drains well. Add a general-purpose fertilizer when planting them, then once a month after that.

Once your plants are established, they should grow well with few problems. Keep the soil moist to slightly dry. Water them during dry periods, once or twice per week. Keep them well weeded. Also, apply a 2-3 inch layer of mulch for a tidy appearance.

Ideal Soil pH: 6.0 – 7.5.

Also, see:

Plant Problems – Identify the causes and find the cures, too.