Cultural Notes For Pinks

s
The World’s finest
breeder and exporter
of English Pinks
We allow about 8 years for the selection process to
be completed before introducing a new plant variety.
During this time it will be tested for its hardiness,
repeat flowering qualities, good vegetative growth,
fragrance, health and vigour. Above all it must meet
your requirements. A long time and much investment
is necessary to deliver the very best plant we can give
you. The certified mother stock is tested twice yearly
and inspected by FERA on a monthly basis.
We listen to what you want and always endeavour
to meet the highest standards of young plant quality.
We are delighted to help with advice and suggestions please don’t hesitate to contact us by phone or email.
We are committed to helping you
achieve the very best results
with your Pinks
5
A special moment ...
In June 2014 we were honoured by a visit from HRH The Countess
of Wessex. She showed a great interest in the plant breeding work
and production facilities here at Whetmans. She spoke with every
member of the Whetman team and discussed their individual
roles within the company. With a leisurely tour of our
glasshouses she was able to enjoy the fragrance and colours of
our range of Pinks.
The day culminated in a presentation to Her Royal Highness of
our new variety ‘The Wessex Pink’, (available on page19), together
with a bouquet of our favourite fragrant Pinks. It was a truly
proud and memorable day for all of us.
Dwarf Pinks
WHE
EB
Y BIR
Evening Star
Fire Star PBR
(WHETMAN)
syn.DEVON XERA
Fizzy PBR
Frilly
syn.WP08 VER03
A super early variety with
wonderful fragrance.
Recommended Best Buy
in Which? Gardening
magazine.
(WHETMAN)
AN
TM PI
EB
RL
DS
DS
Y BIR
PBR
syn.WP08 ULR03
EA
EB
S
NK
(WHETMAN)
AN
TM PI
RL
WHE
Icicle white flowers over a
compact plant and sweetly
fragrant. The early Spring
flowers are shorter than
the second flush in May.
Semi-double sunset pink
The bold orange red double flowers with a maroon eye
flowers are borne on a
borne on a compact plant.
naturally compact plant.
Very hardy.
The colour is a lovely
enhancement to the range.
WHE
(WHETMAN)
AN
TM PI
RL
DS
DS
syn.WP10 SAB06
EA
(WHETMAN)
Y BIR
Cracker PBR
S
NK
EB
EA
8
AN
TM PI
RL
S
NK
PRICES HELD AGAIN
FOR 2015
EA
For further summary and cultural details please
see pages 20 and 25.
syn.DEVON ARCTIC STAR
S
NK
This group of Dwarf Pinks is ideal
for Spring and Autumn planting in
troughs, window boxes, containers or
baskets, planting in the rock garden
or for edging - truly versatile!
All are perfumed but the fragrance
may not be apparent in cold weather.
The Early Bird® range has been
selected for the earliness of flowering
and compact habit.
The natural flowering period is May/
June but they will repeat flower all
summer long if dead headed and
fed regularly.
Arctic Star PBR
WHE
Whetman Stars®
Whetman Early Birds®
Y BIR
Fusilier
(ALLWOOD)
Dark red semi-double
Fully double shocking
flowers borne in profusion
pink with a great perfume. on a neat compact plant.
Very reliable.
orders@whetmanpinks • 01626 863328
(WHETMAN)
Vivid red single flowers
with a crimson eye borne
on a vigorous mound of
neat grey green foliage.
India Star PBR
(WHETMAN)
Delightful bengal rose
with a ruby eye and
prominent anthers, borne
above compact grey
foliage. Very hardy.
Garden Pinks
continued
Haytor
Haytor Rock
Houndspool
Cheryl
Houndspool
Ruby
Pure white fully double
handsome flowers borne
on strong stems.
Ideal cut flower.
A fully double bloom with
scarlet streaks on a pale
pink background. Once
established produces
striking flowers on long
strong stems.
(WHETMAN)
(WHETMAN)
A currant red semi-double
sport of Doris with the
same characteristics and
easy to grow.
A rose-bengal semidouble sport of Doris with
the same characteristics
and easy to grow.
Laced Monarch
Lady in Red PBR
Letitia Wyatt
Lily the Pink PBR
(WYATT)
(ALLWOOD)
Moulin Rouge PBR
18
Double blooms richly
laced with burgundy on a
lavender ground. Excellent
sturdy plants will repeat
flower if deadheaded.
Calyx splits.
(WYATT)
syn.WP04 XANTHE
(WHETMAN)
Semi-double vibrant
vermilion very fragrant
flowers with arching stems
and beautiful blue-grey
foliage.
(WYATT)
Gorgeous soft pink,
double and beautifully
perfumed. Makes both a
wonderful cut flower and
garden plant.
orders@whetmanpinks • 01626 863328
syn.WP05 IDARE
(WHETMAN)
Double lavender pink with
long stems and a spicysweet perfume. A strong
variety, good for both the
garden or cutting.
Cultural Notes
For Pinks
GENERAL
Pinks are perfectly hardy, growing their best in a
neutral to alkaline well drained soil. They prefer
an open sunny situation - avoid planting too close
to other herbaceous or shrubby plants where air
movement might be restricted.
Dwarf Pinks in particular dislike winter wet so
mixing a good handful of sand or gravel with
the soil or compost and placing some around
the base of the plant will help keep the leaves
and roots dry and well drained. All our Pinks are
grown from the finest, disease-free mother stock
ensuring your complete satisfaction provided you
follow these few simple rules.
ON RECEIPT OF YOUR PLANTS
If any have dried out during the shipment then
dip them in a mug of water prior to planting.
Certain varieties may have a flower shoot
developing. If this is so, it has usually been left to
make handling and potting easier for you. However, this shoot is best picked off at the base
of the rooted cutting after potting in order to
encourage more shoots to develop, resulting
in a bushy plant. Certain varieties may have
purple tipping on the leaves which is nothing
to worry about and will disappear as the plant
grows and matures. From mid-April to
September the plug plants can be planted
directly into the border 30cm apart. If you
receive your plants from late September to
early April, pot into a 9cm or 11cm pot using
an all purpose general potting compost and
keep in a cold airy greenhouse or frame until
the Spring. Then plant out as above.
FEED AND WATER
All Pinks will grow and flower at their best if
fed regularly during the growing season with
a rose or tomato 1:1:2 fertiliser. This is
particularly important after the first flush of
blooms has finished in order to encourage
them to flower again. They will tolerate dry
conditions well but will only produce
continuous flowers if you are able to water
regularly, preferably at the base of the plant to
avoid damaging the blooms.
DEADHEADING
When the main stem has finished flowering
pick or cut off the stem at the base of the plant.
This is most important in order to keep the
plant tidy, prevent straggly shoots or
“palm trees” forming and to encourage
repeat flowering.
PROBLEMS
You can get round the problem of clay or acid
soils with great success by planting Pinks in
pots or containers using a proprietary potting
compost. Remember, waterlogged soil can
cause the loss of your plants.
• Stub Rot - yellow leaves, collapse of plant,
(caused by infected wound to plant).
• Aphids - yellowing leaves, visible pest.
• Red Spider - cobwebs, hardly visible,
discolouration of leaves.
• Slugs - Stripped stems
• Caterpillars - Empty flower buds.
• Mice - No flower buds.
• Rabbits - Severely chewed - no plant left!
All the above problems can be controlled by
any acceptable means of your personal choice.
Identifying the cause of damage to your Pinks
may be more difficult than the treatment. If you
are unsure, please get in touch.
Write to our Advisory Department or email:
karla.cable@whetmanpinks.com
PROPAGATION
Select healthy non-flowering shoots any time
from April to early September and insert in a
pot of seed compost. Water in well, cover with a
polythene bag secured round the pot. Place on
a windowsill out of direct sunshine and wait for
approximately four to six weeks, checking from
time to time that they have not dried out. When
rooted, pot on into 7cm pots.
©Whetman Pinks Ltd. 2015
25