My current variety, a low-growing variety called Greystone, hasn't self-seeded. They have spread by stems rooting. I did have a plant for a while with tiny very bright pink flowers that did self-seed everywhere if I didn't deadhead, so I think it depends on the type you have.

I grew all my own plants--I have at least a half dozen clumps growing in various beds--from seed. This is their 3rd or 4th year and I haven't noticed that any of them self-seed. Off the top of my head the cultivar names escape me but they were all grown from fairly common Burpee seeds.

Thank you - it looks like I'll be dead-heading then!

Well, to be contrarian I will chime in to say that my dianthus definitely self-seed. I've lost track of which ones have popped up for me, but many different types have done so. We have pea gravel pathways which are the ideal medium for volunteer plants (and weeds), so maybe that's why I have lots of them appearing.

Mine self seed too, in fact I just took a picture yesterday. I think it's firewitch to the left and then a clump of seedlings to the right, you can see they vary a bit. These were the ones I didn't smother in the mulch this spring, before the new mulch went down this was a hot dry spot that apparently the seeds like (almost gravelly).

Newbie question: if I deadhead these, will they bloom again? Any luck with that yourselves? Thanks!!

kato,

I have firewitch before for 2 yrs then last year, it didn't show up. Today, it's there again. :)

By the way, firewitch plants have a very strong sweet scent! Are you aware of that?

I have dianthus neon star and those keep blooming for a long time when I deadhead.