Sweet Williams (Dianthus barbatus) are famously hardy little plants. For the most part, they’re pretty low-maintenance when winter rolls around. However, there are a few situations where you’ll want to give them a little extra TLC to make sure they bounce back strong in the spring.
Pot-Grown Sweet Williams
If you’re growing your Sweet Williams in containers, you need to be a bit more careful. Unlike plants in the ground, potted roots are much more exposed to those freezing temps. To keep them cozy, I recommend wrapping your pots starting in late fall. You can use just about anything insulating you have lying around—old blankets, garden fleece, or burlap sacks work like a charm.
Protecting the Youngsters
The best time for sowing Sweet William seeds is usually between late April and late May. This gives them plenty of time to establish themselves before the first frost. But, if you got a late start on your planting, those young seedlings are going to be a bit more sensitive. To help them survive their first winter, give them a nice “blanket” of organic material. Good options include:
- Dried leaves
- Evergreen brush or twigs
- Bark mulch
The cool thing about using these materials is that as they break down, they actually feed the soil and give your plants a little nutrient boost!
Understanding the Two-Year Cycle
Keep in mind that Sweet Williams are typically biennials, meaning they usually only live for two years. They spend the first year growing leaves and then put on their big floral show in the second year. That said, sometimes these plants surprise you and come back for a third year!
My advice? Don’t pull them out of the garden in the fall. Wait and see if they sprout again in the spring. Plus, if you leave them alone, they’ll have a chance to drop their seeds, which means you might get a whole new generation of “volunteers” popping up in your garden naturally!
