In order for your flower garden to be decorated with magnificent dahlias, planting and growing must follow all the rules. Lush bushes are suitable for the center of a flowerbed composition or as a decorative screen between zones summer cottage. Dwarf varieties can be used for borders and for decoration. interior interiors they are grown in pots. Breeders have developed varieties with all sorts of petal shapes and flower structures; it is difficult to list all the shades of dahlias: from snow-white to almost black.

There is one point where the plant shows character: its inflorescences do not want to take on a blue color. Both experienced breeders and amateur gardeners are struggling with this problem, but there is no solution yet. Try to experiment: cross-pollinate, graft, use different varieties of seeds, perhaps you will be able to create an unprecedented color.

Obtaining seed

How to choose the right course in a sea of ​​dahlia sizes, shapes and colors? First of all, think: you want to dig up tubers every fall and store them in the right conditions, what about planting in the spring? Keep in mind that the main work will have to be done at the most difficult time: it’s time to harvest potatoes, cabbage, beets, prepare the beds for the new season - and flower tubers also cannot remain in the ground, the first frosts can destroy them. The warm time has come, when, according to the proverb, one day will feed the whole year - and the roots are already asking to be buried in the ground. Don’t be afraid of difficulties - a perennial variety is at your service. If additional worries are not to your liking, annuals from seeds will help out.

If you want your area to be decorated with annuals, grow flowers from seeds. You can sow grains directly into the ground in the spring, but then the flowerbed will be painted with a flowering carpet by the end of summer, and in Siberia and the northern regions the plants may not have time to bloom. This method is suitable if the lawn contains plants that bloom from May to July. How to plant dahlias so that the colorful composition pleases the eye all summer? Grow flowers through seedlings.

In April, take containers with disinfected sand, pour a bag of seeds onto the surface and cover with a layer of sand. Water well, cover with film or a lid and place in a warm place with a temperature of 25⁰ to 27⁰. In about 2 weeks, shoots will appear. When the third true leaf comes out, pick the seedlings into separate cups and grow them until planting them in the flowerbed.

Tubers of perennial species need to be divided into parts every spring. The rhizomes grow greatly over the season, and many roots can be separated from one bush for planting. When tubers germinate, many lateral shoots appear, which gardeners cut off. They can be rooted and planted in open ground. Therefore, reproduction perennial dahlias ov can be carried out in three ways:

1. From seeds in the same way as annuals.
2. By dividing the rhizome.
3. By cuttings.

Before looking for the answer to the question of how to plant dahlias, choose the right place for planting. These flowers do not tolerate stagnant, damp air; they need to be planted in a ventilated area. Just don’t arrange a flowerbed in a narrow gap between buildings: these flowers will not grow in a draft or in places where the sun rarely reaches. Excellent conditions for them will be on an open, bright lawn or on the south side of the house, where dense bushes hold back strong gusts of wind. It is advisable to change the planting site every season, and only after 3 years will it be possible to return to the previous site.

The soil should have a neutral reaction, a slight deviation in the acidic direction is allowed. Check the pH, if the value is below 5, add lime to the soil, if more than 7, add peat. When digging in autumn, place half a bucket of compost or humus per 1 m2. In the spring you can also add compost and some ash. Do not overdo it with alkaline fertilizers; they can be sprinkled safely only on very acidic soils.

You need to start preparing the tubers for planting in early spring, in April. Inspect the rhizomes, separate diseased, dry and damaged parts, and treat with a disinfectant. Fill the containers with nutritious soil, plant the tubers so that the tops rise slightly above the ground. Place the boxes in a bright, warm place, moisten the soil and watch when the plants bud. Then cut the rhizome so that each part has a nascent shoot.

Bury the planting material again in boxes with soil, and before planting in open ground, leave the central sprouted bud and cut off all the side shoots. If you need many dahlias, stick the cut sprouts into the sand, remove them in the dark and keep the soil in the dark. wet. Once the shoots take root, they are planted on permanent place.

Tubers and seedlings from seeds into open ground middle lane planted in early May. In the Urals, Siberia and northern regions, you need to navigate the weather: the soil should warm up well and the threat of frost should pass. Before planting, prepare holes for planting tubers. They should be 40 cm in both diameter and depth. Cover the bottom with compost or rotted manure, and lightly sprinkle earth on top. Bury the rhizome so that the lower part of the sprouts is buried a few centimeters in the ground. For tall bushes, immediately install stakes for garter. Water the plantings cold water and add a layer of mulch of at least 5 cm.

Flower care

In hot, dry weather, dahlias should not be made to suffer from thirst. You can water infrequently, 2 times a week is enough, but the amount of water should be sufficient to saturate the soil to the planting depth. If the soil is not covered with mulch, hilling will help reduce moisture evaporation. Before watering, rake the mound around the stem and level it with the soil surface. Moisten the soil, and then hill up the flowers again.

For lush flowering, dahlias need good food, before the buds appear, fertilize 2 times a month. First apply complex fertilizer, after 2 weeks water with slurry. When flower buds appear, dilute 30 g of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers in a bucket of water and distribute this amount over 8 plants.

If you want to have a bright flowerbed covered with many inflorescences, dahlias do not need to be pruned. The flowers will be smaller, but in the general mass no one will notice this defect. For bouquets, it is important that each flower is large and even. Select no more than 2 of the largest and highest quality buds on each shoot, remove the rest. Do not let the plants produce lower shoots, which take away the strength of the main stem; cut off the emerging shoots. Flowers that have begun to fade continue to use nutrients that could be used to form new buds. If you notice that the petals are starting to dry out, immediately cut off the inflorescence. Annuals from seeds do not need to be pruned.

Problems when growing dahlias

If you don’t tie up dahlias in time in the spring, the wind or heavy rain may break fragile stems. Do not rush to throw away the fallen appendage; provide it with the same assistance as for a broken bone in animals or humans. Take a strong splinter and bandage it to the stem so that it takes correct position. Tie the plant well to the stake so that the damaged shoot does not sway or bend. With proper and timely garter, the shoot will recover and will soon begin to develop in the same way as undamaged plants.

Succulent stems and leaves attract many pests. Who can attack the flowers?

• earwigs,
• caterpillars,
• thrips,
• ticks,

Advice. If there are not a lot of pests, try to deal with them without chemicals. In the evening, you can spray the bushes with decoctions of bitter herbs: celandine, wormwood. The solution helps against aphids laundry soap.

Wintering tubers

Tubers do not tolerate cold and when wintering in open ground will die. If there is a threat of frost, they need to be dug out of the soil and stored. The first frost is not scary for the rhizomes, but after it the “Indian summer” usually sets in. Plants can mistake temporary warming for the onset of a warm season and begin to produce sprouts. After that on next year you may not wait for a full-fledged flowering bush.

Do not rush to cut off the above-ground part: the cuts are very sensitive, they can rot from dew and rain. Choose a warm, sunny day so the rhizomes can dry out in the fresh air. The juicy stem breaks easily, and if you immediately put the tubers in bags for transportation, half of them will be damaged. In the morning, cut off the entire above-ground part, leaving a part of the stem no more than 10 cm high.

At a distance of 30 cm from the root collar, use a shovel to cut through the top layer of soil around the plant. Cut deep into the soil to cut off long root shoots. Carefully pick up the tubers with a fork and uproot them. Remove large lumps of earth with your hands, and then rinse the rhizomes with a hose. Within a day, the tubers will dry out, become less fragile, and they can be transferred to wintering. In storage, carefully examine each rhizome, remove diseased, rotten and damaged parts, and treat the cuts and root collar with crushed charcoal.

Tubers overwinter well in a ventilated place with a temperature of +5⁰ and a humidity of about 70%. For absorption excess moisture They can be buried in dry peat or sawdust. Inspect the rhizomes periodically, and if they begin to dry out, lightly moisten the peat. It is not always possible to find storage with good ventilation, and without ventilation, dahlias will rot. To save planting material from stagnation of moist air, blow it with a fan for half an hour every other day.

Advice. If there is no suitable storage, dip the rhizomes in melted paraffin and put them in a bag, sprinkled with dry sand. The film will prevent the tubers from drying out or rotting. Before planting, lightly squeeze or rub the tuber to crack the coating.

Conclusion

In order for your site to be decorated with lush dahlias, cultivation and care must be carried out according to all the rules. Annual species grown from seed require less attention than perennials. They are not tall, these flowers do not need support. In the fall, you just need to dig up and destroy the faded plants, and plant new seedlings next spring. These types are well suited for framing flower beds, borders, and small flower beds. Your task is to water and feed the plants in time, and a bright carpet will be provided.

Perennial varieties can also be grown from seeds or cuttings, but the easiest way to propagate flowers is by dividing the rhizomes. Such species are more diverse and beautiful than varieties growing from seeds for one season, but they also require more attention. In winter you need to provide the tubers proper storage, periodically inspect and remove rotten areas. Choose according to your time and capabilities which varieties you will grow, and whether you can provide the necessary care for dahlias. In any case, and dwarf flowering plants, and tall bushes will decorate the summer cottage.

​Similar articles​

​When to take dahlias out of winter storage?​

​If planting material not enough, you can even cut one tuber in half lengthwise. The main thing is that there is also a kidney there. The cut areas are sprinkled with coal or ash.​

As for dahlias stored at home, the time of planting depends on the goals pursued: tubers for cuttings are planted in February and grown at home; Tubers for planting in open ground are planted for bud germination in April.​

​To propagate dahlias by stem cuttings, it is necessary to make a cut directly under the leaf node itself, and the leaves of this node must be removed. This stem cutting (which is still 10-15 cm long) must be immediately planted in a box, greenhouse or even soil, but it must be covered with cellophane film. For the best rooting, it is necessary to maintain high air humidity for the cuttings; you can also simultaneously use phytohormones, which will contribute to better rooting. The rooting of the cutting itself will occur after 2-3 weeks.

​Weeds should not grow on the ground where dahlias are planted; for this reason, weeding must be carried out regularly. Dahlias love moisture very much. Watering these flowers should be daily, especially on dry summer days, but at the end of summer, watering should be reduced. Since dahlias cannot tolerate stagnant moisture in the soil, they should not be planted in lowlands, and care should be taken to ensure that water does not stagnate near the plants.​

​It is worth noting the fact that dahlias are quite demanding of the soil in which they grow. Therefore, you need to choose fertile soil that has a sufficient supply of all nutrients; it must also have a loose structure so that water and air can penetrate there. For this reason, the soil for dahlias is prepared in the fall, namely: it is dug up to an approximate depth of 30 cm, necessary fertilizer, such as manure 3-5 kg ​​and also add bird droppings in proportions per 1 sq. meter 100-120 gr.​

​Planting and caring for dahlias is time that you will spend usefully, because it is not a pity to spend only a couple of hours a week on growing magnificent flowers.​

For planting, the tubers are separated by cutting along the root neck. It is better to divide before germination, so as not to aggravate the roots. You should never strive for small divisions of the tuber: small parts develop disgustingly and do not produce enough inflorescences, and bad ones at that. The stronger the root, that is, it consists of 3-4 tubers, the more you can get full-fledged dahlia inflorescences from it. Such a root has the ability to launch 2-3 stems. If it grows more, the inflorescences will be much smaller.

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Growing dahlias: planting, care, plant types

​Dahlias love warmth very much, so even a slight change in temperature can be dangerous for them. When growing annual varieties of these flowers, it is necessary to dig up the tubers for the winter and store them until spring. In addition to tubers, seeds can be used for planting. When to plant dahlias in open ground and how to do it is useful for beginning gardeners to know.​

At the beginning of April, I remove overwintered tubers from winter storage and begin

Soil for dahlias

When planting cuttings in the ground. necessary. so that the growth buds are necessarily covered with soil.

Treatment before planting

​If a plant sprouts during storage, it is necessary to either create colder conditions for it, or also plant it in closed ground.​

​Dahlias are afraid of diseases: fungal, bacterial and viral. Fungal diseases include blackleg disease, which is most dangerous for young plants. It appears as blackening and thinning of the stem at the base, after which the plant dies. For prevention of this disease It is necessary to sow and plant cuttings in disinfected soil. At the first symptoms of this disease, the planted plant, or rather the soil under it, must be watered with a 1% solution of potassium permanganate.​

​In severe droughts, mulching the soil will help conserve moisture in the soil. Dahlias need to be fed every two weeks during the growing season, alternating organic and mineral fertilizers.​

​In the spring, when planting dahlias in the ground, in each dug hole under the dahlia, you need to put 1 drop of manure mixed with humus. If at autumn preparation fertilizer was not applied to the soil, then in the spring, when planting, 1 kg of manure mixed with ordinary soil should be added to the bottom of each hole. The applied layer of manure with soil is covered with a complete complex fertilizer mixed with soil.​

Dahlias begin to be prepared for planting in April or early May. The tubers are cleaned of small dried roots, the cuts are sprinkled with crushed charcoal and planted in a box with fertile soil. However, the soil can easily be replaced by peat, sawdust, sphagnum moss, foam crumbs and other substrates that retain moisture. It is not recommended to use only sand - it dries out too quickly. The boxes are placed on the lightest windowsill or insulated glazed balcony, with an air temperature in the range of 18-22°C. After 10-15 days, or even earlier, when the buds appear on the tubers, they begin to divide. Carefully, trying not to damage the young roots, cut the tubers with a thin sharp knife so that in each part (division) a part of the root collar with one or two buds remains. Almost the “nest” of the tuber of each plant can be divided into 2-7 parts.​

Choosing a place to plant dahlias

At the end of summer, to preserve the root neck from autumn frosts, the flowers are hilled up to eight to twelve centimeters. From the beginning of autumn, watering and fertilizing must be completed: the tubers are given the opportunity to fully ripen.

​The fewer shoots grow from one stem, the more developed they will be. It is for this reason, and also in order to get beautiful and strong flowers, that we need stepsoning. It needs to be carried out from an early age, when excess - weak and broken stems are removed from the bush, which only draw life-giving juices onto themselves, but do not bring any results. Experts recommend leaving only a few stems in the bush, this perfect option for a plant.​

To obtain a huge number of full-fledged inflorescences, the creation of a dahlia bush is of great importance. Stepchildren that appear in the axils of the leaves must be eliminated with the leaves, and shoots from the 3rd-4th internode can be left as long as they provide inflorescences. They should be planted in a place well lit by the sun. It's good if it's on the south side. Amateur gardeners need to know exactly when to plant dahlias in open ground. This will allow you to grow very beautiful and strong buds of this wonderful flower.​

Planting dahlias

​preparing for planting dahlias in the spring

​After five years, dahlias, when propagated by tubers, degenerate or die. Therefore, it is good to propagate them by cuttings. The tubers prepared in the manner described above are germinated until the sprouts reach about 10 centimeters. They are trimmed with a sharp knife or razor under the lower leaf. They are planted in a light mixture such as peat and sand and covered with jars for the first time. You can simply place the cuttings in water until roots form. Heel cuttings take root faster, breaking off with a sharp downward movement next to the root collar. You can root cuttings not only in spring. but also in summer (June - July)​

​Dahlias are planted in open ground in early June, but with already sprouted tubers. To protect it from unexpected frosts, I cover it with spunbond on a frame. You can use a cardboard box, a bucket without a bottom, or a suitable box. If the buds have not started to grow, plant them earlier, in mid-May, mulching the top. whatever is at hand.​

​If dahlias suddenly begin to turn yellow and wilt, these may be the following diseases: white rot, or dry rot, etc. All these diseases are fungal. Many amateur gardeners, when detecting such diseases, use radical method combating them means destroying diseased plants, disinfecting the soil with bleach, after which all the soil where the flowers grew is carefully dug up.​

It is very good to use mullein tincture 1:10 and bird droppings infusion 1:20 (more precisely, 1 bucket of water is taken for 2 liters of infusion, 1.5 liters are poured under each bush). If there is a lack of nitrogen in the soil, especially during the initial growth of dahlias, ammonium nitrate must be added to the soil, 15 grams per square meter. meter

Caring for dahlias

There are many ways to grow dahlias.

Stepping up dahlias

Before planting in the ground, the cuttings obtained in this way are grown in pots or boxes with cells. When planting, the bases of the sprouts are not covered, they are left close to the surface: only under this condition do new tubers develop on the young roots at the very base of the stem, which to a large extent prevents the degeneration of the variety.​

Garter dahlias

​It is necessary to tie flowers because they break easily in strong gusts of wind. This must be done during the period of growing up, when the sprouts are just beginning to reach for the sun. Agree, it is much easier to install a small peg and organize a garter in advance than later, when the plant becomes mature and blooms, to spoil its root system with mistakes in the garter peg.​

​When planting a dahlia tuber, wedges for gartering the stem must be placed immediately so as not to destroy the roots afterwards.​

Watering and fertilizing

Therefore, planting is very important for dahlias. It should be cared for correctly, following the recommendations outlined in this article.​

​. If March turns out to be warm, I do it earlier. After all, the sooner we start germinating dahlias, the sooner we will get the first flower.​

When propagated by seeds, the characteristics of the variety are not preserved; non-double and other varieties may result. ​Dahlias are heat-loving, so a low location exposed to north winds is not suitable for them. It is better to plant them in an elevated place protected by bushes or buildings. Just not right next to the walls or trunks.​

​Dry rot can affect dahlia tubers even when they are stored in your home during the winter. By the appearance of the tubers, you can notice places that have been affected by dry rot: it is recommended to cut these places to a healthy place, and all sections should be well powdered with a mixture of gold or charcoal and sulfur. Tubers that are severely affected by gray rot are best discarded altogether.​

​Superphosphate and potassium fertilizer begin to be applied at the beginning of dahlia flowering, when fertilizing with manure and nitrogen stops. Every 2 weeks it is necessary to feed young and flowering plants with superphosphate and potassium fertilizer at the rate of 30 grams per 1 bucket of water, this should be enough for 8 bushes.​

All about growing dahlias (video)

Overheat protection

​Growing dahlias​

​Pre-grown dahlia tubers bloom much earlier than those planted directly into the ground.​

​Do not rush to dig up tubers just before the first autumn frosts. If the cold has damaged the stems, then they need to be cut off, leaving a height of eight to ten centimeters. Fifteen to twenty days before digging, the tubers will ripen, as well as become stronger and will withstand winter storage very well later.

Caring for dahlias in autumn

​These flowers adore a moist base; it should not be allowed to dry out, nor to form a crust from rain and watering, which requires mulching with sawdust in a small layer of six to nine centimeters.​

​Flowers of this species are very demanding on soil. It must be fertile with a sufficient supply of essential nutrients, and the soil structure must be loose. This is necessary so that water and air pass well inside and nourish the plant.

​Growing dahlias can be done different ways. But I prefer this method. On the site, in some place unused in the next two to three weeks, I dig a trench with a depth of a shovel bayonet, two bayonets wide. I put the tubers there, separating them by variety. I sprinkle the dahlia tubers with soil and just throw pieces on top polyethylene film so that a kind of greenhouse is formed. The film simply lies on dry cuttings of dahlia trunks, which I leave in the fall when digging up bushes. Their height is about 20 cm.​

Types of dahlias

Grown cuttings are also planted in the garden in early June.

Collared dahlias

The soil for planting should be loose, but moisture-retaining, fertile, slightly acidic or neutral. In this regard, it is better to dig a hole 40 cm deep and the same width in the fall and add 1 bucket of rotted manure. a large handful of superphosphate and, if necessary, lime, half a kilo per square meter. meter

If a white cobwebby coating appears on the dahlias, this indicates infection with powdery mildew. Powdery mildew spreads when the air is very dry, as well as when sudden changes in air temperature occur. As a preventive measure, you can use spraying plants with ground sulfur or colloidal sulfur, which is diluted in water, the solution should be 1%.​

Needle dahlias

​Since dahlias have a full stem, in strong winds and rain the stems of this flower can easily break under the influence of wind and rain. In order to avoid this problem, when planting dahlias, special support pegs are dug in next to the tubers, to which the grown sprouts are tied so that they have support and do not break. If such a problem does happen and the sprout breaks, you can try to cure it, namely, apply a splint from a twig (carefully wrap the twig to the sprout and prop it up a little). This quite often saves the lives of sprouts.​

​from seeds most often occurs when growing border, dwarf species or to develop some new variety. Varietal dahlias are mainly propagated by cuttings or division. If seeds are used as planting material, they must be planted in March.​

Globular dahlias

​Most popular in last years The method of propagating dahlias is cuttings. Moreover, the cuttings are subsequently in no way inferior to bushes grown from tubers, either in flowering power, or in decorativeness, or in disease resistance. They are stored better in winter.​

We present to you with great pleasure the types of dahlias that can be planted in the country. It's very beautiful and original flowers, which will not only become a decoration of the garden, but also your personal pride. So, let's choose best views dahlia and provide them with decent care.​

Peony dahlias

​Garter can occur on several pegs at the same time. It is also possible to organize a circular decorative trellis.​

Anemone dahlias

​Try to do everything before planting begins. Dahlia should be placed in soil that has been prepared in the fall. To do this, you need to dig it up to a depth of 30 centimeters and add fertilizer (manure or bird droppings).​

I sprinkle earth around the edges of the film. In this form, the tuber-roots of dahlias can be left for two to three weeks until green shoots appear. As a rule, watering is not required, since the moisture contained in the soil is sufficient for sprouts to germinate. You just need to make sure that the green sprouts that appear do not burn in sunny weather. Therefore, when they appear, it is advisable to remove the film, covering it only at night or when expecting frost.

All dahlias are water lovers. That’s why I mulch all plantings with mowed grass; moisture is retained under the mulch, its own microclimate is formed and soil microorganisms multiply. If you don’t mulch. you will have to constantly loosen the ground under the bushes.

Dahlias: colorful garden decoration (photo)

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Planting dahlias

Before planting in open ground

I love low dahlias, I prepare 30x30 holes for them, add a glass of ash, humus and a little complete mineral fertilizer in the spring. It is very convenient to plant from a container; the plant suffers slightly.

​If the first signs of powdery mildew appear, you should prepare a soap solution along with copper sulfate: 2 grams copper sulfate, 20 grams 1 liter of water, this solution should be sprayed on the affected flowers, spraying should be repeated after 1 week.​

​So that dahlia flowers do not become smaller and continue to grow and bloom in full force throughout the season, during the period of intensive flower growth it is necessary to remove the lower lateral shoots, as well as shoots growing from the root collar. Only 2-3 shoots should be left near the root collar; all shoots should be left at the upper internodes, since it is they who will create the bulk of the flowers in the future. Stepchildren of dahlias must be removed before buds appear on the plant. Removed shoots can be used further as cuttings. Unnecessary buds should also be removed. According to the rules, approximately 1-2 buds should be left on each peduncle. To prevent inhibition of the development of new buds, old buds that have already bloomed should be regularly removed.​

From one tuber - ten

​The temperature for seed germination must be maintained at least +23 degrees. In this case, you will be able to observe the first shoots 3-4 days after the sprouts have a pair of true leaves; the seedlings must be urgently picked. These sprouts can be planted in the ground after the last threat of frost has passed.​

Tubers intended for propagation are buried in boxes with fertile soil and humus so that their neck is completely open. Tubers that do not have a pronounced neck, with sprouts coming from below, are best cut in half, dry the sections and bury them sideways so that the sprouts are on the surface. Plantings are placed on the lightest windowsill or on a glazed balcony at a temperature of 18-22°C. In the light, they quickly produce strong shoots with shortened internodes and well-developed leaves. It is these sprouts cut from the tuber that become the material for cuttings. The best length of cuttings is 5-8 cm, they can be longer, but no more than 10-12 cm.​

​Dahlias are demanding of systematic and very proper watering. This means that you will need to water the plants often, but little by little. The soil around the plant should be moistened to a depth of only 25-30 cm, this will be quite enough. If you overdo it and create stagnation of moisture around the plant, disease or death of the plant is possible, since root system Can't stand dahlias high humidity.​

​Dahlias are not whimsical and can survive well even in the shade of more large plants, but it should be understood that in this case a loss of flowering quality is possible. Therefore, dahlias are planted in partial shade, for example, near small bushes, hedges, or in places where partial shade is generally possible. Thus, you will not lose the beauty of the bush, but will receive abundant flowering.​

It's time to plant dahlias

​Spring comes the most best time when you can plant dahlias in open ground. To do this, be sure to put one piece of manure in each hole, which should be mixed with humus. If you still haven’t been able to fertilize the soil since the fall, then put one kilogram of manure mixed with soil in the hole.

As soon as the first shoots appear, I begin dividing the dahlias (tubers). I dig them up and wash them under running water. Using a sharp knife, I cut the roots so that the tuber with a neck has one or more sprouts. Depending on the variety, it is possible to obtain from three to ten tubers with sprouts from one bush. Before planting, it is advisable to treat the dahlia roots divided in this way in a pink solution of potassium permanganate.

​During the growing season, I feed it twice with fermented grass, or with a solution of complex fertilizer. I insist a bucket of manure, 1/3 part 100 - liter barrel nettles, dandelions or other herbs in a barrel filled almost to the top for 10 days. It is better to cover the barrel with a lid or film. For watering I dilute 1:3.​

​When the hole is filled with food, we plant the tuber so that the root collar is buried 5-6 centimeters into the soil. Yes. Before planting, the hole is spilled with water.

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Dahlia - Growing Dahlias

​Viral diseases are much more serious, they appear in the form of spots and wrinkles on the leaves, it is impossible to treat these diseases, it is necessary to destroy all affected flowers and all tools, soil along with gardening tools should be disinfected. After a few days, the soil should be dug up.

​For dahlias of low growth, such varieties as pompom, border, cactus, as well as those that are planted singly, side shoots can be left. During the dry season, hilling helps to retain moisture in the soil for dahlias. Dahlias must be thoroughly watered in the evening and hilled up in the morning. Before the next watering, the soil must be raked away from the plant, watered afterwards, and hilled up again in the morning. Hilling is also very useful at the end of summer, since it is this that allows you to save dahlia tubers from frost, which allows them to ripen well.

Soil for dahlias

If the planting material is the dahlia tubers themselves, then they need to be kept in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for about 30 minutes. To plant tubers, it is necessary to prepare holes with a size of 30:30:30, keeping a distance between them of 40-50 cm from each other. Dwarf or medium-sized varieties should be planted at a distance of 60-70 cm, tall varieties - at a distance of 80-90 cm.

​The substrate for rooting sprouts is coarse river sand, clean and moist; it is poured into pots, baking trays or shallow boxes in a layer of 3-5 cm with mandatory drainage. For cuttings at a later date, at the end of April - beginning of May, a layer of fertile soil is poured onto the bottom of the box, and a layer of sand is placed on top. With such planting, the resulting roots immediately grow into the nutrient medium; in a matter of weeks, the cuttings gain strength and do not stretch. Since the air in the living room is too dry, rooting cuttings are covered with transparent plastic bottle with a cut neck or glass jar. In addition, they are regularly sprayed with a spray bottle and covered from direct contact in the first two weeks. sun rays newspaper.​

Methods for growing dahlias

​It is best to apply fertilizers while watering the plants. Very convenient to apply with water wood ash, superphosphate and nitrogen fertilizers, organic fertilizers in the form of compost or manure. It is advisable not to plant flowers in soil where the humidity level can constantly increase, this is very harmful to the root system. Also, when planting, experts recommend working with drainage, making it from expanded clay or broken brick.​

If you decide to plant dahlias from seeds, then dwarf or border varieties are suitable for this.

​Dividing dahlias​

​The first time I feed it two weeks after planting in the ground: the second time - after another two, but sometimes I’m lazy.​

Growing dahlias in open ground

If the plant is tall, it is advisable to drive a stake for garter before planting. Bacterial diseases have a destructive effect on the plant in the form of tuberous growths that destroy the plant. The tubers rot and decompose, infecting the entire surrounding soil with their bacteria. These bacteria can survive in the ground for 5 years. Plants affected by such diseases should be destroyed.​

Preparing dahlia tubers

​Before real frosts set in and the plants have already bloomed (this occurs around October, and in the northern regions earlier), all dahlia shoots must be trimmed so that 15 cm remains from the root, after which the tubers can be dug up, thoroughly shaken and laid for winter storage.​

​Dahlia varieties that develop better should be planted early when planted early varieties potatoes, only if you plant flowers so early, they must be protected from frost using paper or plastic bags, you can also use carton boxes and all that kind of stuff.​

​The so-called “heel” cuttings, cut with part of the root tuber tissue with dormant buds, take root faster than others.

This species has a serious difference from other species and varieties, since it is considered the only owner of original, thin and long petals in flowers.

Caring for dahlias

Varietal dahlias are propagated by cuttings or division. When seeds are used for planting, gardeners need to plant them in the ground in the month of March. Varieties of this type of flower develop quickly and should be planted early, at the same time as the early potato variety.

I consider it a mandatory operation in preparation for landing. Under no circumstances should you plant the entire dahlia bush! There are several reasons for this.​

​Plants bloom especially profusely when the days are short and the nights are already cool - which means closer to autumn. At this time, from mid-July - no nitrogen fertilizing, only phosphorus and potassium, superphosphate, potassium sulfate, potassium monophosphate.​

After planting, I make sure to mulch this place. I use mulching often. because I see that plants like it, and it requires less maintenance.​

​Insect pests such as aphids, thrips and meadow bugs also do not leave dahlias unattended and love to feast on these flowers. You can fight such pests by spraying with a special infusion made from Dalmatian chamomile, as well as a soap solution of laundry soap: 300 grams of soap per 1 liter of water, a tobacco-soap solution also helps well, and much more. Slugs and caterpillars can also damage young dahlia leaves. The dahlia tuber tissue is very fond of the wireworm. A nematode can penetrate into the stems, roots and leaves, which forms swellings in those places.​

In order to preserve dahlia tubers in winter, the following is necessary: ​​before storing, soak the tubers in a manganese solution for about 30 minutes, then dry them thoroughly. The temperature regime for dahlia tubers for the first three weeks should be maintained in the region of +8+10 degrees Celsius, and the room for keeping the tubers should be well ventilated and have an air humidity of about 90%.​

Storing dahlias

​Growing dahlias​

​Various growth stimulants, such as heteroauxin, accelerate the emergence of roots. The tubers are kept in its solution for at least a day. Later, the cuttings are watered weekly with a weak solution of heteroauxin.

Dahlia propagation

​When the dahlias are planted in the ground, their further growth will depend on how well they have sprouted and whether they have produced young shoots. To obtain beautiful flower, constant care for this plant is necessary. To do this, you should fertilize and water the soil in time. The very first preparation for planting dahlia tubers is to remove dry roots. Don't forget to sprinkle the cuts with charcoal. Once you have done this, plant the tubers in a box filled with peat. This box should be kept in a room with a temperature of at least 18 degrees and good lighting. As soon as two weeks have passed, buds will appear on the tubers. After this, they must be cut into pieces so that the bud and root collar remain. This way you can get up to five parts from one tuber. Such separation is necessary for the propagation of this type of flower.

​Firstly, when dividing dahlia tubers, wound reactions occur that sharply increase the protective functions of the plant and contribute to the rejuvenation of the tubers.​

If you do this, then dahlias will be stored much better in winter.

​If we grow plants from cuttings, we get one shoot. If desired, we pinch off the leaves after the third pair of leaves, we get two stems. It's enough. otherwise the flowers will be small.​

Diseases and pests of dahlias

​If you find pests, beetles and their larvae on the site, all must be collected and destroyed, and the site must be disinfected. Also, the area must be kept clean at all times. Places for planting these wonderful flowers must be changed regularly.​

​At the end of these three weeks, the tubers need to be moved to winter storage in basement, where the air temperature is from 3 to 6 degrees, and the air humidity is 50-60%, the main thing is not to allow the air temperature to drop below 0 degrees. In order not to confuse the varieties of your dahlias, when sorting the tubers, they should be sorted into different bags, one variety in one bag, another in another, a third in a third, etc. The bags should be left open to allow the dahlia tubers to ventilate. During the winter, planting material should be cleaned up from time to time to discard diseased or damaged tubers.​

​in open ground it requires a place that is sunny, warm and well protected from the wind. Dahlias should not be planted in low places or where there is waterlogging. Dahlias themselves are not picky. As for the soil, they can easily grow in any soil. The soil that you have prepared for dahlias must be dug up before winter arrives, i.e. in the fall, and with the onset of spring, immediately before planting dahlias, this soil must be dug up again

The time for planting grown tubers and rooted cuttings of dahlias in open ground coincides with planting tomatoes; in the Moscow region this happens in early June, and under film cover in the third decade of May. Ungrown root tubers are planted early - after May 15, but they are immediately lightly hilled, protecting them from possible night frosts.​

​The incredible beauty of dahlias is simply amazing, because each flower is a real work of art with fleshy and rather large petals of a charming shape.​

If the holes were not fertilized during planting of dahlias, then the first application of fertilizers should follow 1-2 weeks after planting. Initially, you should feed the plant with organic matter, and do it correctly. WITH different sides bush, you will need to dig 2-4 holes, shovel bayonet deep, add organic matter there and simply cover it with soil.​

​Planting of dahlia tubers occurs only in spring period when the time for night frosts has passed. If you want to plant flowers in early spring, do not forget to make a cover for the plants that will protect them from the cold.​

Now let's figure out when to plant dahlias in open ground using cuttings. As soon as they grow a little, you can remove the side shoots, which have already grown to a height of 10 centimeters. These shoots (cuttings) should be planted in the ground. After they take root, they should be given a permanent place for planting. Before the onset of winter, the flowers will have time to bloom, and new tubers will appear, which the gardener will plant for the next summer season.​

Secondly, a large number of sprouts wake up on the root, which will simply thicken the future dahlia bush. As a result, the main trunks of the plant will stretch and become thinner, and the growing shoots will simply be thin and fragile.​

Caring for dahlias also involves fighting pests and diseases. I use phytosporin and fitoverm. This is a separate article.​

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​When planting tubers, we leave no more than two of the strongest shoots, and remove the rest as small ones. Big number the left trunks are depleted by the tuber.​

​And one more tip: you can use marigolds to repel pests; they can be planted between rows of dahlias and then the pests will be repelled by their pungent smell.​

​Dahlia tubers can be stored in a city apartment only if they have passed the drying stage at low air temperatures and high humidity. In an apartment, the tubers should be placed in a box and placed in the coolest place available in the apartment. Here it is also necessary to sort out and inspect the tubers from time to time in order to remove diseased tubers. If the tubers dry out, they should be sprayed with water, this is done several times if necessary.

When to plant dahlias as tubers

​Before dahlia tubers are planted in open ground, they must be prepared, since the further germination and flowering of dahlias will depend on this. Since these flowers are considered royal, proper care is necessary for them, consisting of good soil, fertilizers, watering - all this together is the key to the health and real beauty of this flower. You need to start preparing dahlia tubers for planting in April. The first preparation consists of removing and cleaning the tubers from dry roots, after which all cuts must be sprinkled with charcoal.​

​The place for dahlias is chosen to be sunny, protected from winds, especially northern ones. The soil is prepared rich in humus, moisture-intensive and moisture-permeable. It is improved by adding a bucket of compost, 20 g of superphosphate and a handful of ash to each hole (size 30x30x30 cm). Just before planting, a one and a half meter stake is driven into the hole or metal pipe, which will be needed in the future as a support for the bushes. Cuttings of dahlias are planted with two plants in each hole. The distance between plantings is one meter. Subsequently, for normal development, dahlias require regular watering, loosening and at least fertilizing with crystalline, nitrophoska or nitroammophoska - one and a half to two tablespoons of fertilizer per bucket of water or one tablespoon of fertilizer with a liter of a week's infusion of mullein added to the solution.

If fertilizers were applied during planting of dahlias, then the next soil fertilization can be postponed for about a month. During this period, the plant will spend a lot of effort on producing a strong green bush and will require additional feeding.

How to plant dahlias as tubers

The tuber is planted in a specially prepared hole and soil. It is installed in the soil in such a way that the root collar is literally 2-3 cm above the soil level. If you deepen this area of ​​the plant under the soil, some problems with growing are possible, for example, plant rotting.​

​When a gardener wants to know when to plant dahlias in open ground, he should also keep in mind that for them better growth To protect against diseases, flowers need to be replanted annually in a new location. They are allowed to be returned to their original place only after three years.​

Thirdly, division allows you to propagate the variety.

​…The donated dahlias began to bloom quite quickly, and already in mid-June the bushes began to bloom. The coloring was very unusual. The petals looked like they were backlit.​

​If the dahlia bush is tall, remove the stepsons at the bottom of the stem - side shoots on early stage their development. Only the side branches formed under the node with inflorescences are left. The leaves of the lower tier are also removed for better ventilation.​

​I love to learn and buy something new, interesting, and something that will catch my heart for myself and my garden. Sometimes this plant is not attractive to others, but somehow touches the heartstrings.​

Formation of a dahlia bush

​Dahlias can be propagated by seeds, vegetatively, and also by cuttings. Reproduction must be done in April. We discussed the propagation of dahlias by seeds above, but we should talk more about vegetative propagation; there are some features here. Before you start dividing the tubers, they need to be grown a little. This is done like this: the tubers are placed in a box with peat, sawdust or sand, they need to be buried only 1/3, after which the box with the tubers should be placed in a bright, warm place. Tubers require constant moisture. After the growth points on the tubers are clearly visible, the tubers must be carefully removed from the box, after which the nest with the stems located there should be divided so that on each part a part of the root collar remains along with the buds, and at least one should remain tuberous thickening.​

​After this stage of preparation, the tubers must be planted in a box filled with fertile soil or peat. This box with dahlia tubers planted in it must be kept at a temperature of at least +18 degrees in a well-lit place. Two weeks after planting the tubers in the box, buds will begin to appear on them; as soon as this becomes noticeable, the tubers must be carefully cut into pieces so that each part remains with a bud and a root collar.​

In order for buds to form on dahlias in time, no more than two shoots are left on each plant, the rest are broken off immediately after they appear, otherwise they will waste nutrients and delay flowering. These flowers also require the obligatory removal of stepsons - side shoots that appear in the axils of the leaves. And one more technique that promotes the appearance of large flowers. In each inflorescence, the middle bud is removed; usually there are as many as three on the peduncle. And in order for the tubers to ripen and not spoil in winter during storage, in the second half of summer the most lower leaves, covering the root collar from the sun.​

​This species is the proud owner of lush inflorescences with petals of different lengths, which are arranged in several rings, forming a charming dahlia flower.​

To prevent the earth from overheating by the sun, the stem circle of flowers should be covered with roofing felt, an old board or cardboard. On hot days, the bushes are sprayed 2-3 times with heated water. Fading flowers are cut off in a timely manner. Dahlias are very responsive to foliar feeding(fifty to seventy grams diluted with ten liters of water) and from mullein infusion (one to ten).​

How to propagate dahlias

• If you want to plant dahlias and get earlier flowering, the tubers are germinated before planting. To do this, the tubers are placed on sawdust or light soil and covered with a layer of polyethylene. But it is not advisable to hermetically cover future plants, because tubers need fresh air circulation.​

​For planting dahlias, I prepare deep holes: a spade bayonet deep and two bayonets in diameter. I do not give the dimensions in centimeters to make it easier to navigate. The width of the shovel bayonet is usually 20 cm, and the length is 25-28 cm.​

• ​My friend said that these were fireworks in honor of me. Of course, he was late with the flowers. Or maybe not. Next year I will definitely have a big one of them...fireworks!​

• There is no point in pinching dwarf and small-flowered dahlias.

Caring for dahlias in the open ground

​I have always had a somewhat cool attitude towards dahlias, although there are very beautiful varieties, tall and smaller, with different shapes flowers and many color shades! There are more than 11 thousand varieties of dahlias.​

​After the tubers have been separated, all the sections must be allowed to dry, after which they must be sprinkled with crushed coal, and after that, parts of the tuber can be planted in boxes or pots. Seedlings, until they are planted in a permanent place of growth, must be kept at a temperature of at least +15 degrees, and they should be provided with moderate watering. If the seedlings at this stage are kept in a warmer place, then on the sunniest days they need to be walked, namely taken out to Fresh air, so that they harden.​

By dividing a tuber in this way, up to five parts can be obtained from one tuber. Before planting the separated parts of dahlias in open ground, they must be grown in a box. Dahlia tubers are separated in order to propagate them.​

In the second half of September, when the first frosts kill the leaves, the already faded dahlias are dug up, but this must be done in dry weather. The plants are first cut with pruning shears 15-20 cm from the ground and, in order not to damage the tubers, a pitchfork is used when digging. The main thing is not to break the very fragile neck - the junction with the root tuber, which in the future often leads to the death of the plant. Therefore, after digging, the wet soil is not shaken off, but, after drying the tubers in the air for several hours, they are transferred to storage, preferably to a dry basement with good ventilation, a temperature of 3-6 ° C and a humidity not higher than 60%. The tubers are stored in separate boxes with sphagnum moss laid at the bottom. If there is no such basement, they are kept directly in the apartment, but away from the destructive drying effect heating batteries, for example, in a box on the floor near balcony door, wrapped in sphagnum moss or several layers of paper.​

​Dahlias are not fussy and can survive well even in the shade of larger plants. Dahlias can be grown on almost any soil: black soil, sand, as well as clay. However, chernozem and clay, when dry, become very strong and dense, which makes it difficult to form a root system, and when dry, they become covered with cracks and tear off the roots of plants.​

I fill the dug hole with humus or compost. If you have complex fertilizers (nitroammofoska, KOMU, etc.), it’s a good idea to add them at the rate of 50 grams per hole. Then all this is thoroughly mixed together with part of the excavated soil. I plant a separated dahlia tuber with a sprout in the prepared place and sprinkle it with soil so that the place where the sprout attaches to the neck of the tuber is buried at least 5 cm into the soil. The earth is filled up so that a shallow hole remains. If the soil is not too dry, no watering is required. If, at the moment when you plant dahlias, the sprouts on the divided root have managed to throw out leaves, after the operation they may wilt a little. In this case, when planting, you should water the planted tuber a little.

​By the way, I’m writing an article and wondering which is correct: dahlia or dahlia? Turns out. is a word that has parallel forms of masculine and female. Just like a giraffe is a giraffe. However, the word dahlia is mainly used by professional botanists.​

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Dahlias planting. When and how to plant dahlias | Growing flowers in the garden

To increase the size of the flower, pinching the buds is used. The bud on the short stem is removed, and the lateral inflorescences become lush. Faded buds are immediately removed. ​But it turned out that my friend, whom I had not seen for a long time, knowing about my passion for plants, gave me two dahlia seedlings in containers. There were no flowers on them yet, only buds. Since I was touched by the gift and it was said that the height of adult bushes is small, 60 centimeters, I planted dahlias in a prominent place in front of the entrance to the veranda. This was at the beginning of June.​ ​Seedlings should be planted in a place of permanent growth only after all danger of frost has passed. If you decide to plant seedlings earlier, then you should take care of night shelters, since at night it will be too cold for the seedlings. After the dahlias have grown a little, they need to remove the side shoots that have already reached 10 cm in height. Such cut shoots can then be used for cuttings, namely, they need to be planted in a place where there is little light and provide them good watering. Those dahlia cuttings that have taken root must be planted in a permanent place of growth. These young plants manage to bloom before winter comes and even produce their own new tubers, which can be planted for the next summer season. It is known that the dahlia is a plant that loves warmth and the temperature is +1 degree for dahlias already critically low, so dahlias in our area are grown as annual plants. We have accepted winter period Dahlia tubers should be dug up and stored until spring to be planted later; dahlia seeds are also often used for planting. When choosing a place to plant dahlias, you must remember that these flowers love warmth and a lot of light.​ Sprouting dahlias ​Masterpiece flowers are hard to say, even what they resemble. Most likely, this is the creation of certain forces, the existence of which we can only guess. An elegant, beautiful and truly unforgettable flower will become a real decoration of the garden.​ Sprinkling is carried out in the evening or in cloudy weather every ten days 2 times: The first time with urea, and the second time with mullein. This spraying will undoubtedly help against powdery mildew, as well as drooling captive, flower beetle worms and aphids.​ Preparing dahlias for planting in spring A ready-made greenhouse will help with forcing plants, but only if the rules of ventilation and irrigation are followed (tubers must be irrigated periodically). ​In dahlias, the root system develops well in loose soil, so to the clay and also chernozem base, to make it loose, you need to add peat and river sand - 1/6 to the size of the hole in which you want to plant the dahlia tuber (its dimensions are 30X30X30 centimeters). If the soil is sandy, then you need to add one bucket’s worth of soil to 1 hole and quickly shovel it with sand.​ ​When to plant dahlias prepared for planting in this way? As a rule, I plant germinated and divided dahlias in open ground in the first half of May. If frosts occur at the end of May, then you have to make permanent night shelters from plastic bags and old buckets. Five-liter plastic bottles are very suitable for such shelter.​ Digging and storing dahlia tubers In order for dahlias to bloom earlier, you need to move the tubers home in mid-March, treat them with a 0.1% bright pink solution of potassium permanganate and plant them in a container that is placed in a sunny place. The root collar should be open. Water infrequently. In a week, the buds will grow 1.5 centimeters. At this time, the tuber can be divided so that one section contains a root + at least one eye + a piece of the root collar. Do not want. but you still often have to use a knife. All cuttings are placed in a sunny place for germination. Planted in open ground in early June or mid-May with shelter.​ ​If you bought dahlia in a container, planting can be done at any time, even while blooming. Of course, there is no need to delay, since the plant must receive the necessary nutrition from the soil.​ How to plant dahlias? If you propagate dahlias by cuttings, you need to know that any cuttings must be separated from the mother plant directly along with the “heel”. It is best to use lateral shoots for these purposes, which are usually removed when they “grow” 8-10 cm.​ In order for dahlias to grow better and be less susceptible to various diseases, they need to change their planting location annually, and try to ensure that they return to their original place after about three years. It is also worth warning that dahlias should not be planted in places where their predecessors were plants susceptible to fungal diseases, for example, Aster flowers. If it is not possible to change crops, then it is necessary to change the soil directly in the planting holes themselves, and also liming the soil more often. When to plant dahlias? The place for planting dahlias is very bright, usually on the south side of a building. Under no circumstances should dahlias be planted in a place where there is a lot of shade, especially in the shade of trees. If you grow dahlias at home on the balcony, then do not choose the north or northwest side of the house. Dahlias also do not grow well in closed balconies, where there is a lack of air and light.​ Productivity of cucumbers in open ground

Thanks to its incomparable flowers of beautiful colors and variety of shapes, the dahlia genus deserves a prominent place in any garden. It’s rare that a gardener doesn’t admire the magnificence of this plant. The history of the appearance of the dahlia is connected with the legend that the dahlia appeared on the site of the last fire, which died out during the onset of the Ice Age. And the first to germinate after the arrival of warmth, signifying the victory of life over death, and warmth over cold.

Intensive breeding work has led to the creation of a huge number of varieties - now their number is in the tens of thousands. This flower has two official names- Dahlia (most common in England) and Dahlia.

The Aztecs worshiped this plant, considering it an embodiment; warriors depicted it on their shields and clothes, wore it as an amulet, believing that it gave them strength and courage. Aborigines used the tubers for food, and the hollow stems were used in the construction of water pipes. The dahlia is considered a symbol of all-conquering life, perseverance, freedom, inaccessibility, and pride. The Japanese consider it a symbol of greatness. The dahlia is the national flower of Mexico.

The dahlias we admire today were created by crossing the Mexican species Dahlia coccinnta and Dahlia variabilis. These are herbaceous perennial plants, the roots of which have powerful tuberous thickenings with a supply of nutrients. The stems are hollow, branching and bear pinnately divided, opposite, green-blue leaves on elongated petioles. Flowers are collected in inflorescences-baskets, blooming from summer until the first light frosts. Reed flowers are flat, spatulate, ribbon-shaped, rolled into a tube, and vary in color; tubular - yellow or orange.

Depending on the size of the inflorescence, dahlias are divided into giant (diameter more than 25 cm), large (up to 25), medium (20-25), small (10-15) and miniature - up to 10 cm.

Growing dahlias from seeds

Sowing directly into the ground

Considering that these plants are very heat-loving and cannot tolerate even short-term light frosts, they can be sown in the ground only after the 20th of May to be sure that night frost will not destroy the seedlings.

However, there is a significant drawback: in this case, you can see it no earlier than August.

Therefore, many gardeners still set up a mini-greenhouse or greenhouse for these flowers and sow as early as the twentieth of March. You can use old ones window frames or stretch film over the arcs.

• The prepared bed should stand for a couple of days after digging to allow the soil to settle.
• The furrows are filled shallow, at a distance of 60 cm.
• We sow sparsely in the row, the plants need space, dense shoots are then broken through or replanted, leaving a distance between the bushes of at least 60 cm.
• After sowing, the ground is leveled with a rake, filling the furrows.
• We water it well, you can thin layer sprinkle the bed with rotted humus to prevent the formation of an earthen crust.

Often it is not necessary, natural moisture should be enough for several days. But if the weather is hot, make sure that the soil does not dry out.

Growing dahlias for seedlings at home

When planting dahlia seeds directly into the garden bed, flowering will not occur until mid-August. When planting seeds at home for seedlings, an earlier start to flowering is achieved. Growing in this way usually does not cause any trouble to gardeners. The only point that should be taken into account is that dahlia seedlings do not tolerate even mild frosts.

It is convenient to grow dahlias with seeds for decorating borders and ridges. Plants grown from seeds form a small tuber by autumn. Therefore, you can save the specimen you like and plant it next season to admire it next summer. Dahlia seeds ripen well - they can be collected and saved for planting next year.

Annual dahlias are sown for seedlings in April, but if you want to get nodules perennial variety, you need to sow in early March.

• Prepare containers that provide drainage. If you use food packaging, be sure to make holes in the bottom.
• Fill the containers with nutritious loose soil rich in organic matter. Remember, simple garden soil will have a bad effect on the health of seedlings: during care it tends to become very compact. Therefore, it is better to buy a special mixture for flowers. Well, or don’t be lazy by adding garden soil rotted organic matter, peat and sand in equal parts.
• Sowing is done shallow, 1-1.5 cm. It is advisable to sow less often, leaving a distance of 2-3 cm between the seeds.
• When the small dahlias produce 2-3 true leaves, they are carefully dropped into separate cups. You can use a fork, a teaspoon or any other tool convenient for you. The main thing is not to damage the delicate roots and transfer them with a lump of earth.
• Next, simply water and provide sufficient lighting.
• When warm weather arrives, we arrange walks outside for the seedlings: we accustom them to the wind and sun. We gradually increase the time and by the end of the second week of hardening, our seedlings should be outside for a full day. Such hardened seedlings will not hurt after planting and will quickly take root.

When to plant dahlias in open ground

At the end of May, when there is no longer a threat of night frosts, seedlings and tubers are planted in a flower bed. In some regions even earlier, it all depends on the weather. Dahlias bloom 60-90 days after they emerge, depending on the variety.

Planting dahlia seedlings in the ground in spring

Planting dahlia seedlings in the ground- a joyful stage for the gardener. Finally, the flowers will go to the flowerbed. Here I would like to give some advice:

• Try to avoid strict rows; the landing will look unnatural and too stiff. It is better to combine dahlias with rudbeckia bushes or asteriscus, imitating natural randomness.
• Give more space for each bush, the distance to other plants is at least 60 cm.
• The holes are prepared in advance, they are made wider and deeper than the seedling cups, and it is advisable to sprinkle a little humus on the bottom.
• Plant the seedlings, carefully removing the clod of soil so that the soil does not fall off from the roots.
• Place vertically in the hole, trying to maintain the existing level of the root collar.
• Sprinkle with earth and moisten generously.
• It is advisable to mulch the root space with any available material: fresh grass, sawdust, pine needles.

Planting dahlias with tubers in spring

Before planting, dahlia tubers should be prepared: washed from the soil and soaked in a slightly pink solution of potassium permanganate for about half an hour. Then the tubers are placed in boxes with sawdust treated with boiling water and germinated at room temperature before sprouts appear.

After the tubers have sprouted, they should be divided before planting to allow the bushes to develop fully in the new season.

How to divide the tubers before planting, watch the video:

After the tubers are ready for planting, we begin the process itself. Prepare deep holes, approximately 30 cm deep and 40 cm in diameter. Pour humus into the bottom and mix with garden soil. Place one section of tubers in each hole, cover it with earth, the distance from the tuber to the surface of the earth is approximately 5-8 cm.

For more details on planting dahlias with tubers in the spring, watch the video:

Propagation of dahlias by dividing tubers

• Tubers are prepared for planting in advance. First they are placed in damp sawdust or peat.
• After the sprouts appear, they are carefully divided into several parts with a sharp knife, so that each has sprouts.
• The sections are dried and sprinkled with ash or activated carbon. After this, they are again placed in sawdust for rooting.
• Once installed warm weather without, they are planted in pre-prepared holes.
• Add 1/3 of a bucket of humus or compost to each hole.
• The cutting is placed in the hole so that the sprouts are near the surface of the soil.
• Shed well and cover with compost.
• The root collar should be at ground level.

Propagation of dahlias by cuttings

• At the end of February, dahlia roots are treated with a weak solution of potassium permanganate and placed in boxes, half covered with a light nutrient substrate, and watered moderately.
• Cuttings are taken after 3-4 weeks.
• They are treated with root and planted in individual cups.
• To speed up rooting, you can cover the plantings with polyethylene.
• Rooting occurs within two weeks.
• In early June they are planted in groups or rows at a distance of 60 cm.

Growing conditions

• Dahlias prefer sunny areas. They grow excellently in partial shade, but are much taller than plants planted in the sun.
• Deep shade negatively affects development and flowering.
• They like fairly moist soil - for this, the ground under the plantings should be mulched with half-rotted sawdust or mown grass. This will prevent moisture evaporation and eliminate weeding.
• Fertilizing is carried out in cases where no organic components were added to the soil during planting.
• Use liquid complex fertilizer every two weeks.
• A support must be placed under tall varieties - this will protect against stem breakage during bad weather and strong winds.

No more than 3 shoots should be left on each bush. To get more on the central peduncles, you should cut off all the side shoots. It is imperative to remove faded buds to give young ones a chance to develop. The fewer buds, the larger the flowers.

After the first frost has damaged the bushes, they should be dug up. Cut the stem at a height of 15-20 cm from the ground and carefully dig out the root, trying not to damage it in the process. Very often, liquid accumulates inside the hollow stem and this causes the plant to rot during storage. Therefore, the tuber is turned over with the stem down, allowing the liquid to drain out. After this, you can dry the tubers on outdoors throughout the day, weather permitting. They are then transferred to a dry basement for storage.

Diseases and pests

Dahlias are quite resilient, but the soil should not be over-moistened, which contributes to the development of diseases and slug attacks. Against aphids and mites, periodically irrigate your plants with tar water. When infected with viral mosaic, light spots and yellowing along the veins appear on the leaf blades. Such plants should be discarded. If uncharacteristic growths are found on tubers, which indicates bacterial cancer, the infected tubers are destroyed.

Types of dahlias with photos and descriptions

Tree dahlia Dahlia arborea- a species with a powerful woody stem reaching a height of 2 m. It has simple lilac baskets.

Dahlia coccinea— the leaves of this species are pinnate with pointed lobes. The baskets are simple and small.
The species Dahlia juarezii has a stem about 1 m high with deeply cut dark malachite leaves and colorful inflorescences. From it came the cactus-shaped dahlias.

Dahlia variabilis- has simple baskets with red reed and yellow tubular flowers.
All these species, originally from Mexico, laid the basis for the various varieties that our gardeners love so much. They absolutely cannot tolerate even the lightest frosts and in our region they are grown as annual plants. But dahlia tubers overwinter well in dry, cool rooms, like potato tubers. To do this, they are dug up and replanted in the spring.

There is a division of dahlias according to the shape of the inflorescence

Anemoneaceae. A medium-sized group with semi-double inflorescences that look like anemones.

Collar. The tubular petals of this plant are shorter than those of other species. The middle of the inflorescence consists of small tubular petals with a collar of one row of large flat petals of contrasting colors.

Peony-shaped. Externally similar to peonies. The most extensive and colorful view.

Lotus or nymphaeum. All varieties of this species are terry and the largest.

Decorative. The most common variety, including the largest number of varieties.

Ball-shaped and pompom-shaped. Similar to each other and different in size. Both double flowers, resembling a ball consisting of many petals. Pompom-shaped ones whose diameter does not exceed 5 cm. Globular ones - 8-15 cm. Both types are tall.

Cactaceae. The most original variety, their inflorescences consist of long narrow, rolled petals, sometimes dissected at the ends.

Application

The medicinal properties of dahlias allow us to classify them as medicinal plants. Decoctions of these flowers normalize metabolic processes and are useful for of cardio-vascular system. Tincture of rhizomes is used as a prophylactic against diabetes. Fresh leaves are applied to the skin to treat acne. The rhizomes are used in crushed form as a mask for aging facial skin. Powder from the tubers is rubbed into the base of the hair follicles to strengthen the hair.

Low-growing varieties are used for borders, flowerpots, balcony boxes. Most varieties are used in free compositions or group plantings. And especially spectacular, profusely flowering ones - in single plantings. Varieties with long, strong peduncles are used for cutting and stand well in water for more than a week.

Dahlias have always been loved by our flower growers. Some of them have entire collections - their flower beds attract attention with the abundance of blooming dahlias. The abundance of planting material on store shelves, sufficient unpretentiousness, and lush flowering place the dahlia among the most popular plants in our areas.

It’s not for nothing that dahlias have earned the love of flower growers all over the Earth. This amazing embodiment of the sun in plant form, loving warmth and distinguished by a variety of colors, can be planted by everyone on their plot. The main thing is to find appropriate place and comply with all conditions during planting and further proper care.

And nothing complicated

Planting dahlias in open ground in the spring will not be difficult for you. The main point in this case is competent preparation tubers before planting. Dahlias are divided into early, middle and late. Early and medium-sized dahlias can be planted in the ground as early as mid-March. However, this land is in a container, and not on the plot, since it is too early to plant in open ground - it is usually still cold outside at this time, and the dahlia is a heat-loving flower. By the way, the soil for planting will need to be loose and nutritious.

With proper care, dahlias turn the area into a blooming festive meadow

It is thanks to planting in a container that you can count on early flowering, in contrast to direct planting in open ground. Dahlias should be planted here no earlier than May, but even here you need to be guided by the weather. Some middle and late varieties do not need to be sown in containers. They are typically planted directly in open ground - then they will bloom on time. Provided that the disembarkation deadlines are met.

Planting dahlias in spring (video)

It all starts, of course, with preparing the tubers. These tubers are dug up in the fall and stored until spring, and in the spring they are cleaned of rotten parts, after which the entire unit is divided into parts, each of which consists of two tubers with sprouts. This way you can get a plant with a large supply of vitality, which will produce many buds in the future. If the number of nodules is increased, the shoots will become smaller and will interfere with each other during growth, which will affect the result. The sections of the nodules should be sprinkled with charcoal.

E If at least one of the tubers is damaged or rotten, it can be safely disposed of so as not to expose the rest of the tubers to the risk of infection. Such a tuber is separated with a sharp knife, and healthy nodules are immersed in a weak manganese solution for half an hour.

After this procedure, the tubers are left without action so that they can get used to the surrounding temperature and awaken the growth of new buds. This is done if the sprouts have not yet appeared. Fresh loose soil is mixed with sawdust, thoroughly moistened, and the tubers are sprinkled with this mixture. During this period, containers with tubers are kept in or outdoors, avoiding direct sunlight. At night they are taken indoors.

Depending on the variety of dahlia, the time for planting it in open ground also varies.

As soon as the temperature outside is stably maintained within 10-15 degrees, the time will come to plant dahlias in open ground. For planting, you can dig small grooves where the tubers will be planted at an equal distance from each other, or holes. The second option is simpler and more convenient to implement.

The distance between the bushes is selected depending on the expected growth of the plants. So, for short dahlias a distance of 30 cm is suitable, and for the tallest ones – 80 cm.

The hole is made 10cm deep. It is not necessary to bury the sprouted tuber too deeply. If the soil is dry, it must be watered right before planting. The nodule is placed horizontally in the hole - this way the dahlia can develop a good root system.

Spring flower care

If you planted dahlias, give them time to adapt and don’t bother them over trifles. Just periodically remove the weeds that pop up nearby - there is no need for competitors for the flowers. Even simple watering is not required from you now. However, in spring there is still enough moisture in the soil. The only exception in the month of May should be made if the weather is too hot and stable. After watering, loosen the soil above the planted tubers so that they receive enough oxygen and can safely grow greenery.

As soon as the seedlings grow, you will have to leave only two sprouts - the strongest and tallest.

Pruning will have to be carried out regularly until flowering - this contributes to the formation of powerful buds.

In spring, you shouldn’t get carried away with fertilizing flowers - there will be enough greenery to grow, but the flowers will be too small.

Photo gallery of dahlia varieties

Here are just a few of the many varieties available on the gardening market.

Variety "Midnight Moon" - pompom dahlias Variety "Lucky Nambre" ("Lucky Number") - spherical dahlias Variety "Mingus Gregory" - lace dahlias Variety "Musette" - decorative dahlias

Some Important Terms

When choosing a location, it is important to remember that shaded areas should be avoided. Dahlias will certainly grow in the shade, but at the same time they will become quite elongated and will bloom poorly. And the tubers will not receive the necessary supply of nutrients and strength, which will be useful next year.

Dahlias are undemanding to the soil, setting only two conditions - a high nutrient content and well-permeable soil.

Another important rule- Although dahlias are not against water, an excess of it will only do harm, and even more so you can’t plant them in places where the water stagnates.

Dahlias do not like neighbors with a highly developed root system. They are able to take the substances necessary for flowers from the soil, depriving dahlias of the opportunity to fully grow and develop.

The place for the dahlia should be sunny, the water should not stagnate on it

Find a place to plant dahlias in the fall. Dig up the soil and add compost or rotted manure. With the onset of spring, the soil is loosened with a pitchfork, and bone meal is added to it. To protect flowers from pests such as wireworms and onion root mites, apply granular insecticides to the soil.

A solution of copper sulfate, potassium permanganate or formalin can be used if roses or roses grew in this place before the dahlias. fruit crops who have had any illness.

If all conditions are met, dahlias will grow strong, will not waste all their energy on greenery, and will delight you with large buds that will look beautiful both on the site and as a cut. After a successful result, the dahlia will certainly become one of your favorite flowers and will be included in the list of annual plantings.

In the second half of summer, beautiful dahlias begin to bloom in gardens, and planting and caring for them in the open ground has its own characteristics. At the moment, many varieties of this crop have been bred with inflorescences of the most different colors, types and sizes, their photos and main characteristics can be found on specialized resources on the Internet. This varietal diversity allows them to be used as flowerbed plants, when decorating borders, and also as a potted crop.

Description

Dahlias or Dahlia are perennial tuberous plants that do not overwinter in open ground. The height of the stems, depending on the variety, can range from 20 cm to two meters. The above-ground part of these plants dies off annually, but the tubers are preserved. They accumulate nutrients that allow the plant to survive the winter and give life to a new bush in the spring.

Dahlia stems are hollow inside and therefore quite fragile. Their lower parts usually become woody by the end of summer. Leaf color can vary from pale to dark green. The flowers are collected in inflorescences-baskets, their size can be from 5 to 50 cm. Based on the shape of dahlias, the following types of inflorescences are distinguished:

• decorative;
• simple;
• anemone-shaped;
• pompons;
• spherical;
• cactus;
• peony-shaped;
• collar

Currently, varieties have been bred that occupy an intermediate position, since they combine the characteristics of different groups.

Selection and preparation of a site

In order for perennial dahlias to please you with abundant flowering, it is important to choose the right place for growing them. Since this crop is quite thermophilic, the growing area should be sunny and protected from northern winds.

Dahlias are undemanding to soil, but they develop best on fertile soils with a neutral reaction. But good drainage is also required. When dahlias become stagnant in moisture, the tubers rot.

Loamy and heavy soils for planting begin to be prepared in advance. To do this, they are dug up, adding sand or peat. Immediately before planting, humus is added to each hole.

Advice! To reduce the acidity of the soil, it is necessary to add ash or lime to the soil. It is best to do this in the fall.

Planting dahlias in open ground

Planting dahlias with tubers in spring begins in early May. By this time, the earth has already warmed up sufficiently and the plants immediately begin to grow after planting. At this time, it is important to ensure that dahlias do not fall under frost. Even a slight frost can destroy sensitive sprouts.

Tubers are planted in planting pits, the depth of which should be at least 1 bayonet of a shovel. But about half a bucket of humus and complex mineral fertilizer are added to the bottom of the hole. For example, you can use nitroammophoska. It will be enough to apply about 50 grams of fertilizer per hole. Then humus and fertilizer are mixed with a part of the excavated soil using a shovel.

Once the holes have been prepared, planting work can begin. The tuber with the sprout is planted in such a way that the root collar is buried at least 5 cm. Then the remaining soil is poured around it so that a shallow hole is formed. If the soil was sufficiently moist at the time of planting, then there is no need to water the holes.

Some gardeners also practice planting grown dahlias. To do this, the tubers are pre-planted in greenhouses in April. Before planting in open ground, such plants must be hardened off. To do this, they first begin to open the greenhouse for several hours a day, and then this time is gradually increased.

Attention! If planting was done with pre-grown tubers, then for the first time they must be covered from direct sun and watered well.

Caring for dahlias

Planting dahlia tubers is not an unimportant stage in development, but proper care in the open ground is no less important. After planting, it should consist of timely watering, loosening the soil, weeding and fertilizing. Don’t forget about shaping and timely garter.

Watering

Dahlia bushes need to be watered abundantly; in hot weather, their frequency should be increased to 2 times a week. Be sure to ensure that the soil does not dry out. If plants experience a lack of moisture during the formation of buds, the inflorescences will be small or ugly. To make it easier to maintain soil moisture, the surface of the ground under the bushes can be mulched with humus or peat.

Loosening

After each watering or rain, the surface of the soil under the bushes must be loosened to prevent the formation of a soil crust. If this is not done, the root system begins to lack oxygen, which in turn negatively affects the development of the entire plant.

Attention! After watering and loosening, make sure that the tubers are not exposed. If this does happen, you need to add soil to the base of the bush, that is, to sort of hill it up.

Feeding

Although flowers such as dahlias are considered unpretentious, proper planting is only half the battle; they also require timely care. Correctly applied fertilizing plays a very important role in this.

The first feeding is carried out in early June. At this time, plants are given nitrogen group fertilizers so that they can develop strong and powerful bushes. For these purposes, you can use urea or ammonium nitrate. In the absence of mineral fertilizers, mullein or bird droppings are suitable.

The second feeding is carried out at the end of June or beginning of July. At this time, dahlias are fed with complex fertilizer, so they begin to prepare for laying buds. For these purposes, you can take, for example, nitroammophoska.

The third feeding is carried out in the bud formation phase. At this point, it is very important to provide the plants with a sufficient amount of phosphorus and potassium, which play decisive role during the formation of future flowers. If there is a lack of these elements, you may not expect abundant flowering.

At the end of August, they begin to prepare the tubers for wintering. Feeding at this time is carried out with nitroammophos and superphosphate.

Attention! The last feeding is very important, since it is what allows the plants to grow large tubers suitable for winter storage.

Shaping and garter

During the summer, dahlias develop stepsons in the axils of the leaves. To prevent them from weakening the main shoot, it is recommended to periodically remove them. If this is not done, the flower will form too large a leaf mass to the detriment of flowering. Small-flowered varieties of dahlias: pompon, collared, anemone-shaped, etc. should not be planted.

After four leaves are formed on the central shoots, they must be pinched. As a result of this, side shoots begin to grow, which are pinched above the second pair of leaves. This method allows plants to form lush bushes. You should know that you should not leave more than three central shoots on one plant.

Advice! On bushes, the lower tier of leaves should also be removed. This improves ventilation and prevents outbreaks of fungal diseases.

To get large flowers, you need to pluck out almost all the side buds. If you don’t do this, there will be more flowers, but they will be smaller. The first buds should also be plucked out; if they are left, the further development of the bush begins to be delayed.

Tall varieties need peduncle garter. Their fragile stems are unable to withstand the wind and therefore break easily. To do this, a stake is driven in next to each bush, the height of which should correspond to the height of the peduncles. For garter it is advisable to use soft material, which will not cut into the stems.

Reproduction

You can propagate your favorite varieties of perennial dahlias in two main ways.

Tuber division

The most common and simplest method allows you to get well-developed flowering plants in the first year of cultivation. The division of the tubers is carried out after the sprouts hatch on them. To do this, large specimens are carefully separated by hand or using sharp knife by the number of sprouts. The cut areas should then be sprinkled with powder. charcoal and dry a little.

Cuttings

This method is less common; it is used mainly only by experienced gardeners, since it requires certain skills. To propagate dahlias by cuttings, you need to remove the tubers from storage at the end of January and plant them for germination.
After the sprouts reach a height of 9-10 cm, you can begin cuttings. To do this, they are cut and then planted in any loose substrate. Optimal temperature for rooting is +22 °C.

If everything was done correctly, after 2-3 weeks the first roots will appear on the cuttings. After they are completely rooted, they are planted in separate containers. Young plants are planted in open ground in early May; they need to be cared for in the same way as specimens obtained by dividing tubers.

Pests and diseases

The most common crop disease is leaf mosaic. Affected leaves turn yellow and become ugly. There are no treatments for this disease, so they simply need to be removed from the site and destroyed.

Quite common on dahlias gray mold. It occurs when there is high humidity in plantings that are too thick. This disease affects all parts of the plant without exception. Eliminate the problem using systemic fungicides.

The most common pests on dahlias are aphids, slugs, whiteflies and thrips.

Aphid. Usually its colonies are very visible. It feeds on plant juices, sucking them from leaves and stems. Aphids are usually destroyed with systemic insecticides.

Slugs. They significantly gnaw off succulent leaves and destroy young shoots. They come out mainly at night. To combat them, traps are set by laying pieces of boards or cardboard on the ground. Slugs willingly hide under them, and then they are simply collected and destroyed. Can be used special drug“Thunder”, which is scattered on the surface of the soil.

Whitefly. Unnoticeable and quite dangerous pest, sucking the juice of a plant. As a result, entire areas of dead tissue form on the leaves. They fight it with the help of special insecticides. For example, you can use “Aktara”, “Iskra”, “Commander” and the like.

Thrips. Often affects the leaves and stems of dahlias. Leaves and flowers damaged by it dry out. To combat it, systemic insecticides are used.

Even a novice gardener can cope with the cultivation of this crop, because planting and caring for perennial dahlias is not at all difficult. They grow and bloom beautifully even with minimal attention.

Video about planting and growing perennial dahlias in open ground