Flower Garden Planting & Maintenance

I live in Kentucky, too. This is what I have done to every one of my flower beds. Keep in mind that the dianthus will come back ever year if taken care.
1. level your ground.
2. Miracle Grow. Slow release or steady release formula, (not exactly sure what the name is).
3.Measure yard fabric and cut it a little bigger than the actual size you need.
4.Lay the plastic down on the level flower bed, (do not use the fabric pegs and this point to secure the yard fabric) place the flowers where you want them leaving enough room for the flowers to grow.
5.After you have the flowers laid out the way that you want then. I cut the holes shaped in an X pattern onto the yard fabric and pull the fabric up dig a hole large enough for the flower and put the miracle grow and the flower into the hole through the yard fabric this way you don’t have to wiggle the fabric over the flower blooms.
6. When you are finished planting all of the flowers, secure the yard fabric into the ground with the fabric pegs.
7. Generously water the flowers
8. Place mulch over the yard fabric and water the first couple of weeks every day.
I hope that this help and the mulch will help keep the moisture in the ground during our hot summers. Enjoy.

use old newspapper instead of plastic is biodegradable and it wiil help keep it moist and help with the weeds then buy a bag of miricle garden soil and bag of cow manure mix it with some of ur soil put on top of news papper plant ur flowers and enjoy

Make sure the soil is fluffy enough to establish the roots of the new plants you want to use - till or ‘garden weasel’ or ‘claw’ your garden using a bag of peat and a bag of composted manure - (not fresh manure) or just compost and water well. This will help retain moisture and feed your plants.
Newspapers, plastic or landscape cloth layed over the soil covering the edges well - you could use an edging around the perimeter to keep the grass from rooting into your bed and avoid future weeding for that. This method helps retain moisture for your roots rather than them drying out too soon and requiring frequent waterings. I recommend the cloth because it aids in oxygen to the soil and roots.
Plant and be sure you are spacing them properly. Use 2 inches of shredded bark or your preferred mulch (nutshells, gravel) over all. Then you’re ready to enjoy the rewards of your labor knowing you did it right the first time.
Dianthus are very interesting plants.
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This is the site page of dianthus at parks seeds that will give you details of growing these beauties - just click on the picture and all the details are there to grow and care for this plant. Your garden should be a work of art with your job well done….gotta love gardeneing!!!!
note* You may consider a spray of ‘invisible fencing’ around the perimeter as well to keep animals from eating your investment!

Dianthus definitely would not benefit from a plastic cover or bark. If your bed is surrounded by lawn, you might put in some kind of border to keep the grass from invading your flower bed. It could be natural rock, a ground level row of bricks, or simple bender-board. After that, you could add some soil amendments (compost being the first choice). However, if your soil is in really good condition already and not too heavy or too sandy, you will get at least mediocre results without adding anything. Dianthus is not especially fussy, so I wouldn’t worry about soil acidity or alkalinity or heavy feeding. If your budget allows, add lots of compost. (I’m assuming you have to purchase it and don’t already have your own compost as a newish gardener.) Dianthus is somewhat drought tolerant so you may have enough natural rainfall in Kentucky.