Dahlias: planting and care
Dahlias are among the most attractive garden flowers. To date, through the efforts of breeders, about 1,500 different varieties of this plant have been bred. All of them differ in various shapes and a rich palette of colors. Let's figure out how to grow this beautiful flower yourself.
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Dahlia planting
For the successful cultivation of this flower, it is necessary to take a responsible approach to the selection of the site and the preparation of the soil. Dahlias react very badly to drafts, but love good lighting. Therefore, select an area protected from the wind, but not shaded. The soil in this place should have a neutral or slightly alkaline reaction. It must be light, nutritious and well-drained.
From autumn, compost or humus must be added to the selected area during digging. After the snow melts, the compost is applied again. The plot for dahlias should be changed annually and do not plant them in those places where asters previously grew.
Once the soil has warmed up well enough, the dahlia tubers are planted into the ground. Dig a hole with sides and a depth of 40 cm. Put compost down and cover with soil. Place the sprouted tubers in a hole and cover with soil so that the upper part of the stem is above the ground. If necessary, immediately place a support to tie up the stems. Then water the planting well with water and lay a layer of mulch from a mixture of chopped bark and peat on top.
Dahlia varieties
As we have already noted, there are many very different varieties dahlias. Some dahlias are two year olds, others are annuals.
- Variety Funny guys are annuals. This variety is distinguished by its small stature and large flowers of a bright tone. Non-double flowers grow up to 10 cm.
- To the group of fringed dahlias belongs the variety Alauna Claire Obscur. This variety is distinguished by the special beauty of the flower. Its petal color changes from the center to the edges from maroon to white.
- The Melusa variety is a cactus dahlia. It grows up to 130 cm in height and has double flowers in the form of a ball. Strongly cut petals are colored red at the tips, and yellow along the entire length.
- The flowers of Natalie's pompom dahlia also look like a ball. Its flowers are crimson or light burgundy.
Home dahlias
Most dahlia varieties are tall, so growing them at home does not seem possible. However, there are special potted varieties of dahlias that stretch up only 30 cm, so it is quite possible to grow them in your home.
It is better to put a pot with a room dahlia on the east or west side of the apartment. At the same time, in the hottest time, do not forget to shade the plant from the sun so that it does not burn the flower. Be sure to ventilate the room where the dahlia is. In the summer months, you can take the dahlia pot out onto the balcony, having previously protected it from gusts of wind.
Dahlias do not like too high temperatures, so keep them in the warm season at a temperature of about 18 degrees, and in winter, lower the temperature to 12. Water the plant abundantly with settled water, preventing the soil from drying out in the pot. Spray the plant with water periodically.
A week after planting the plant in a pot, feed by mixing mullein infusion and nitrogen fertilizers with superphosphate. Then periodically add a mixture of superphosphate and wood ash. From September, feeding should be stopped.
Dahlias in the open field
In open field conditions, dahlias can be planted with tubers, cuttings or seeds. The site for their planting should be selected and prepared in the fall. The best time to plant these plants is in the evening. You can plant dahlias during the day if the weather is cloudy. Necessarily abundant water plant after planting.
When planting dahlias, keep the distance between the plants. So, in one row, the distance between two plants should be equal to half of their height. Keep a distance of at least one meter between the two rows.
Be sure to make a hole around each plant to help with watering. For better moisture retention, the soil can be mulched. To prevent the plant from breaking, be sure to install a support for tying the stem. It is best to do this immediately upon planting, so as not to damage the root system later.
Dahlia care
Periodically, you need to pay attention to dahlias so that they delight you with their flowering longer. To obtain larger buds and form powerful stems, excess stems must be removed. It is best to leave two or three stems. This procedure is called pinching and must be carried out throughout the summer.
Water the dahlias regularly, but try not to flood the plant. After watering, the soil should be approximately 30 cm moist after watering. This will provide optimal conditions for the development of the plant. Fertilizers can be applied along with watering. If you applied fertilizer during planting, then you can wait with the first feeding until the leaves begin to form. If no top dressing was applied, then the first time you need to fertilize the plant 10 days after planting.
Dahlia breeding
The easiest way to breed dahlias is to split the tubers. It should be borne in mind that it is not enough just to cut the tuber into several parts. It is necessary that on each part there is a tuber neck, from which green shoots will then appear.
To separate the tubers in early March, they must be removed from the basement and carefully examined. All affected areas must be cut off and covered with brilliant green. Then the tubers are laid out on moistened sand in a dense layer and covered with the same sand on top to the level of the root collar. When the sprouts that appear have reached 2 cm, the tubers must be removed and cut into pieces so that a couple of sprouts remain on each piece.
Then the prepared tubers must be planted again in boxes filled with a mixture of earth and sand. Deepen the tuber to the level of the sprout and water abundantly. Keep the boxes warm, and plant the dahlias in the ground when it gets warm.
Dahlias: photo
