Planting dahlias correctly: a blooming corner with your own hands. Wet bacterial rot of dahlia

What attracts people about dahlias is not only their beauty and abundance of colors, but also their ease of growing. However, if you are new to this business, many questions may arise. Based on dacha directories and personal experience We have compiled this article with one simple goal - to understand when is it better after all plant dahlias in open ground(Middle lane). In spring or early summer? At the same time, let's take a look at Moon calendar gardener and gardener and listen to the opinions of astrologers...

About timing: When is the best time to plant dahlias?

If you plan to breed these wonderful ornamental plants, flower growers recommend purchasing tubers in the fall. Let's make a reservation that dahlia tubers are the roots with the root collar and the lower part of the stem. Sometimes flower growers (due to inexperience) cut off the tuberous roots and plant them in the ground, and throw away the rest. But such pieces will not produce sprouts.

To grow dahlias, you need to allocate an open, sunny place. They develop well near the southern wall of the house and fence. Fertilize the soil well.

It is useful to water dahlias and give them fertilizer; remove excess shoots.

The easiest way to propagate dahlias is by dividing the tubers. You need to start about two weeks before planting in the flower garden. Tubers from winter storage are transferred to a room with a temperature of 15-18 degrees and begin to be sprayed with water room temperature.

Only when buds appear on the root collar or small sprouts appear can the tubers be divided. Each part should have one or two tuberous roots and part of the root collar with small sprouts. Sprinkle the cut areas with crushed charcoal. Plant individual parts of the tuber so that the neck is three to four centimeters below ground level.

Dahlias grown from whole tubers bloom poorly.

IN Middle lane Divided and germinated dahlia tubers are usually planted in the flower garden in early June, when there is no longer any fear of frost.

It turns out that it is too early to plant dahlias in open ground in the spring. At least, all the sources we have studied recommend doing this at the very beginning of summer. And we're on our way summer cottage We do this too. The only exception may be a favorable weather forecast for the end of May. Then you can take a chance and plant dahlias in the flowerbed a little earlier.

Attention! Spring frosts- a serious danger for dahlias!

And in 2018...

According to the lunar calendar of the gardener and gardener for 2018,

It is good to plant biennial and perennial flowers:

In May: 4-6, 14, 16-24, 26-28.
In June: 1-3, 10-12, 15, 16, 18-20, 22-25.

Tubers and bulbs of flower crops:

In May: 4-6, 20-24, 26-28.
In June: 1-3, 5-8.

And in the Lunar calendar of the newspaper “Sed. Garden. Flower Garden" the following dates are indicated specifically for planting dahlias in 2018:

• June 6 and 7, June 10 and 11,
• June 13 is an unfavorable day for working with plants.
• In the spring, this Lunar calendar does not name favorable dates for planting dahlias.

Dahlias are propagated by cuttings

Plants grown from cuttings produce especially large inflorescences and weighty tubers.

To obtain cuttings, the tubers must be germinated. At the end of March or April, place them in boxes with soil, one-third or half deep into the ground. When the sprouts reach a height of five to eight centimeters, they are cut off like this. so that half of the heel remains on the cutting (the end of the sprout at the root collar). The other half of the heel remains on the tuber. Do not take cuttings without a heel.

Prepare flower pots or boxes for rooting cuttings. Fill them with earth and three centimeters on top with sand. Plant the cut cuttings with a depth of two centimeters. All this can be covered with glass or glass jars, protecting the first days from the sun. Water little by little. As soon as the cuttings begin to grow, start giving them fertilizer.

Before planting dahlias in the flower garden, it is useful to harden them: take them outside in calm weather. Plant the plants in holes with a diameter and depth of 40 centimeters, where you add fertile soil and fertilizer. Drive a stake at the edge of the hole, to which you then tie the stem. Leave a distance of 60 - 100 centimeters between plants, depending on the variety. Make holes around the planted plants and water well.

In case of frost, cutting dahlias may die, but tuberous dahlias often survive.

What then? Dahlias in autumn

Tubers are dug up before the onset of extreme cold, usually in the first five days of October. After carefully removing the remaining soil, hang a label with the name of the variety and dry it for two to three weeks in a well-ventilated area at a temperature of 15 - 20 degrees Celsius. Then the tubers are stored in dry clean room. The temperature in it should be approximately 7 -10 degrees Celsius. At zero temperatures and below zero, tubers may die. Some gardeners cover the tubers with sand and store them in the coolest place in the room.

Do not place the tubers close to each other. In storage, it is good to put them on a shelf that is ventilated from all sides. Inspect the tubers once or twice a month. If rot appears on them, carefully cut it back to a healthy place. Don't forget to cover the cut with crushed charcoal.

Dried, wrinkled tubers can also be saved. Before germination, place them in water at room temperature for 12 hours or a day.

In the second half of summer, beautiful dahlias begin to bloom in the gardens and planting and caring for open ground they have their 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, which 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. Dahlias are classified according to their shape the following types inflorescences:

• 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 in 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 holes, the depth of which should be at least 1 spade. 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 also proper care outdoors is no less important event. 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 you don't do this root system begins to experience a lack of 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

Flowers such as dahlias, although considered unpretentious, correct landing- this is only half the battle; they also require timely care. Very important role Correctly applied fertilizing plays a 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. With absence mineral fertilizers Mullein or bird droppings will do.

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 sufficient quantity phosphorus and potassium, which play a decisive role in the formation of future flowers. If there is a shortage of these elements abundant flowering you can't wait.

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, they begin to grow side shoots, 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 one plant on one plant. three central shoots.

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

Propagate your favorite varieties perennial dahlias can be done 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 a sharp knife according to 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 high humidity in too dense plantings. 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. You can use a special preparation “Thunder”, which is scattered over 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

Many gardeners prefer perennial ornamental plants. These include dahlias. These gorgeous flowers amaze with variety bright colors And long flowering. Depending on the variety, dahlia flowers may have different shape, size, and height.

They bloom at the end of August and continue to please the eye until October, if there is no frost. Many dahlia lovers will be interested in knowing when and how to plant them correctly in the spring? We will talk about some features of planting and storing dahlias in our article.

Royal flowers

Dahlias are perennial heat-loving plants. They are very easy to care for, but the only problem is planting them in open ground and storing the tubers. There are more than 12,000 varieties of cultural forms of dahlias, although there are no more than 15 species. Dahlias have root tubers that live for 3–4 years. As they develop, they form new thin roots. The tubers are easily separated, after which they are ready for further planting.

Since flowers are a heat-loving species, they cannot get comfortable in our climatic conditions in winter time of the year. They need warmth, so already in September, before frost sets in, their tubers should be dug up and stored until next year.

Among the variety of species and varieties of dahlias, there are many hybrids. The plant has erect, hollow and numerous stems, ranging in height from 30 to 190 cm. Deciduous mass can be green, reddish-brown. At the end of the stem there are basket-shaped inflorescences with a diameter of 3–30 cm. The abundance of varieties allows you to choose the most suitable flowering time:

• early dahlias (early May);
• medium (from the second half of June);
• late (from the end of August).

For successful cultivation they need to create certain conditions and then they will delight others with their bright and catchy colors.

Preparing tubers for planting

Starts already in April preparatory work before planting dahlia tubers in open ground. In preparation much depends on climatic conditions. In some regions, tubers begin to be cooked only in May. Dahlias reproduce in several ways:

• cuttings;
• seeds;
• tubers.

Most often, gardeners use the latter method of propagation. To germinate good planting material tubers must be brought into warm room . Lay them out on a shelf and sprinkle them with a mixture of peat and sand, leaving the root collars exposed. With good moisture, the eyes will hatch in a couple of weeks.

After this, the tubers must be divided into several parts with a sharp knife, leaving 2-3 eyes on each part. If the tuber has a long shape, it should be shortened so that it takes root as quickly as possible and new tubers begin to appear in the process of growth. The sections must be dried a couple of days and sprinkle with wood ash. After this, the tubers are germinated in pots or boxes in a warm and well-lit place. In the second option, the tubers are separated by partitions so that their roots do not intertwine.

As the shoots grow, weak buds are removed, leaving no more than 1–2 of the strongest ones. This will allow them to develop more actively, the shoots will have good nutrition. In the future, the bush will produce more inflorescences, and the tubers will be stronger and will be able to winter well.

How to plant tubers in open ground?

The most suitable place for planting dahlias is a sunny area protected from strong winds. To prevent flower tubers from dying, they should be planted only in warm soil, when there is no chance spring frosts. It is best to plant them in mid-May. The soil should be loose, slightly acidic or neutral, with good drainage. Before planting, mature non-deciduous compost and wood ash are applied to the site. It is advisable to fertilize the planting area with compost or humus in the fall. To prevent infection with diseases, it is best to plant dahlias in a new place every year. You cannot plant dahlias in the area where asters grew before.

After preparing the site, you need to dig holes for the tubers. They should be more spacious than the planting material. They contain manure or rotted compost, and a small layer of earth on top. After that The tubers are placed in holes and sprinkled with loose soil in a layer of 3–4 cm. For tall dahlias, you will need to provide a support. Wet ground After planting the tubers, you don’t need to water them immediately. If the first leaves have already appeared on the dahlias, then the hole is slightly moistened with water. After planting, it is advisable to mulch the soil. For this use:

• sawdust;
• fine tree bark.

They need to be mixed with compost or peat and sprinkled upper layer land. To protect against frost, you can cover the dahlias with insulation.

Further care

Dahlias are unpretentious flowers to care for. For normal development, they need timely watering, removal of weeds and loosening of the soil. You also need to prun and trim the stems.. Flowers need regular watering, it is best to do this twice a week. Lack of moisture will negatively affect the development of dahlias.

Flowers need good feeding; there should be at least 2 of them per season:

• in the budding phase - in the composition of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium 2;1;1;
• at the beginning of flowering - potassium and phosphorus 1:1.

Only tall varieties of dahlias are planted, removing side shoots up to the 4th pair of leaves from the bottom. Already in the second half of summer, the lower shoots are removed. The main stem mounts to a height of 10–15 cm. If you perform pinching, the dahlia flowers will be larger. Excess buds will not allow everyone to develop normally; they will be thin and not so beautiful. When tall varieties reach 50 cm, the stems are tied to supports.

Tuber storage

With the onset of the first frost, the dahlia stems are cut, leaving up to 10 cm, and the root tubers are dug up. They must be cleaned of any remaining soil and dried well. Then stored in a greenhouse or other warm and well-ventilated area. After that the stem is shortened to 4 cm and all roots are cut off. The cut areas on the roots should be sprinkled slaked lime. In this form, they need to be stored for another week at a temperature of 19–25 o C. It is convenient to store the tubers in a cellar or basement all winter; some gardeners manage to store dahlia tubers in the apartment.

If the room humidity is 70%, then it is best to store root tubers in pine sawdust, sand or peat. When stored in an apartment, the tubers are placed in plastic bags with vermiculite, peat or perlite. They are placed and hermetically sealed in a bag.. In this form they can be stored in a box covered with thin layer land and paper.

If stored in a cellar or basement, the temperature there should not be higher than +7 o C. The tubers themselves are sprinkled with sawdust, so they are stored all winter. Periodically check the roots and remove rotten parts. At proper storage, in the spring they can be germinated and planted again in the flowerbed.

Dahlia flowers are luxurious ornamental plants with a fairly long flowering period. According to one old, very beautiful legend, in the old days this flower was grown only in the king’s garden, and it was protected like the apple of his eye. But one of the gardeners took a chance and planted beautiful plant under the window of your beloved. That gardener was imprisoned, but thanks to his brave act the flower became known to people. There is another legend that says that beautiful flower grew up after the Ice Age on the site of an extinguished fire and became a symbol of life emerging again.
Growing dahlias is a very exciting activity that will fill all your leisure time. This flower grows in nature only in some mountainous regions in Mexico. Once upon a time, the ancient Aztecs used the root tubers of the flower in cooking. Europeans taste qualities I didn’t like the root tubers, but I liked the lush beauty of the flower. In Russia, the flower is called dahlia in honor of the botanist Georgi.

Site selection

Despite all their splendor, dahlias are actually completely undemanding flowers. Even in the shadow of buildings or tall trees these flowers can bloom luxuriantly. But, if you plant the plant in the shade, its flowers will be much smaller. If you want to grow strong plants that will bloom luxuriantly, then plant the tubers in light partial shade. In openwork partial shade, the flowering period of the bushes will be maximum.

The main condition that must be met when choosing a site is soil moisture. Flower tubers rot very easily from excess moisture, and therefore these plants should not be planted in lowlands where water stagnates. Experienced flower growers a drainage layer is always made in the selected area so that water does not stagnate near the roots. Can be used as drainage crushed brick or expanded clay.
But plants are not picky about the composition of the soil. And on depleted loam, and even on sandy soil, and on the rich, fertile black soil the flowers will bloom equally magnificently. But it is still advisable, when digging in the fall, to add a little humus and compost to the ground in the selected area, adding about 5 kg of fertilizer per square. In the spring, just before planting, you need to scatter mature compost (not leafy compost) on the ground and add a little ash to the soil.
One of the most important conditions in growing dahlias from tubers - this is an annual change of site. Although dahlia is enough capricious flower, and you can protect it from disease and degeneration only by constantly changing the planting site. You cannot plant these flowers in the place where asters grew a year earlier or plants that previously (even more than a year ago) suffered from fungus. How to plant dahlias and what are the secrets in growing dahlias?

Planting dahlias in open ground must begin with the preparation of root tubers.

1. Early in the spring, preferably in April, the tubers begin to be prepared for planting - they are cleared of dried roots, rotten, dried areas are cut out on them, and all scratches and damaged areas are treated with brilliant green.
2. Then the tubers must be planted in containers filled with nutrient substrate or wet peat. After planting, the tubers should protrude 2-3 cm above the soil level. The containers are then placed in a bright room with an air temperature of about +18 degrees.
3. As soon as the first buds hatch, the tubers should be dug up and cut into pieces so that each has a strong bud. Usually from one large root tuber you can get about 5 parts with buds for planting. Then, for some time, the separated tubers are germinated in containers in a warm room.
4. The side shoots that appear are pruned as soon as they reach a height of 10 cm. Only after such pruning can the root tubers be planted in the garden.

Read also: All about pests and diseases of delphinium

Do not rush to throw away the cut shoots - they can be used for cuttings. The cuttings are planted in a substrate, placed in a dark place and watered thoroughly. After some time, the cuttings can be planted in the garden.
Typically, division of root tubers and cuttings are carried out in order to obtain more planting material. Also, by dividing tubers you can reduce the degeneracy of varieties. If you don't need a large number of planting material, then the tubers do not need to be divided.

Dahlias can also be propagated by seeds, and not just by root tubers. Dahlias grown from seeds will sprout very quickly, gain strength and definitely bloom magnificently. But in order for dahlias to please you with abundant flowering when planting and caring for them in the open ground, you need to know how to properly grow dahlias from seeds.

Growing dahlias from seeds is very simple:

• approximately 7 days after sowing, shoots should appear;
• after 21 days, the seedlings should be planted in separate containers;
• already at the end of May, young dahlias are planted in open ground;
• By autumn, young plants will form small nodules that can be planted for the next season.

Sometimes flower growers buy seedlings in stores, which is very convenient. It makes sense to purchase seedlings only before planting. Please note that dahlias grown from tubers bloom more luxuriantly and are stronger.

Planting flowers

When to plant dahlias so that they have time to bloom magnificently? Planting dahlias in open ground is possible only in spring. But, if you are late, you can plant tubers in June. When the threat of May frosts has passed and the earth has warmed up, you can plant the sprouted tubers. If you plant dahlias in open ground in early spring, then the plants should be protected from frost, although practice shows that there is no need to rush into planting.

When and how to plant dahlias? Experienced gardeners plant dahlias when there is no sun or in the evening.

Many gardeners do not know how to plant dahlias so that they form powerful bushes. The scheme for planting dahlias is as follows: for low-growing flowers, it is enough to leave about 60-80 cm between plants, but for tall varieties, the distance between planting holes should be about 100 cm.

1. In the prepared area for planting, holes are dug according to the size of the tubers. Immediately calculate the size of the hole, because fertilizer must be poured onto its bottom. These flowers love rotted manure that has been sitting for a couple of years.
2. When planting, the base of the tuber is lowered into the hole, and its top should be 2 cm above ground level.
3. When planting, make sure that the root collar is not covered with soil. It is on the root collar that the growth buds - new stems - are located. If you deepen the root collar too much, the root tuber may simply rot.
4. It is advisable to sprinkle the planted tuber with a layer of mulch or at least make a ring-shaped depression around the planting hole in which water will stand.
5. After planting, the plants should be watered generously. Mulch with a 5 cm layer of broken tree bark or sawdust, after mixing it with compost.

If you are planting decorative tall varieties, immediately upon planting, install a support to which you will tie fragile stems.

Read also: Little-known healing properties of plants - ground reed grass

Care

How to properly care for dahlias? Decorative varieties They need quite painstaking care, but the time and effort spent will return to you in the form of lushly blooming, luxurious plants. Growing luxurious dahlias is a feasible task even for inexperienced gardeners.

Stepsoning

Pinching is the removal of excess stems. Although this is not the main thing in care, it is still worth taking stepson these flowers. If you want to get very large flowers and strong bushes, then no more than 3 stems should be left on each bush. Experienced gardeners do not recommend leaving a lot of shoots on the bushes.

Growing strong plant specimens includes formative pruning. It is imperative to carry out formative pruning of bushes throughout the summer. The fact is that the bushes intensively gain green mass, but do not form buds. For proper development of the bush and abundant flowering, each plant should have one central stem and about 3-4 branches. Everything else must be deleted. For a tall dahlia plant, care also includes removing leaves from the tuber 45 cm upward. This will allow the plant to direct more energy to flowering.

If you grow cut flowers, caring for dahlias must include removing excess buds. On each shoot the plant has a central bud and two side buds. The central bud should be pinched.

Watering

If you want to grow luxurious bushes, then you need to know how to water dahlias correctly. The dahlia flower should be watered regularly, but without fanaticism. Plants that are watered too much may simply rot. When watering adult dahlias, you need to soak the soil to about 30 cm - this will be quite enough. Water the plants as the soil dries out. Decorative dahlia especially loves watering during dry periods.

Feeding

The first time you need to feed dahlias is when planting the tubers. When dahlias are planted in the spring, fertilizers are immediately added to the holes. You can add organic matter. The next feeding is already done when the bushes begin to gain green mass. These flowers are very fond of nitrogen fertilizers and respond well to the addition of wood ash and superphosphate. It is recommended to feed the flowers every two weeks until the end of flowering.

Fertilizers are very convenient to apply during watering. This will greatly simplify caring for dahlias. You can also feed dahlias with manure, but only rotted manure.

How to feed dahlias so as not to cause harm? These flowers can react differently to fertilizers. It all depends on the lack or excess of a particular substance in the soil. You should not add ammonium nitrate or carbamide to the soil on which plants grow. Plants may also react poorly to the addition of too much potassium salt. Feeding dahlias has not been done since August.

Garter support

The peculiarity of dahlias is that they have a hollow stem that can easily break from a gust of wind, so they must be tied to pegs. Many gardeners place support pegs when planting flowers. When you dig a planting hole, immediately install a support, and only then plant the tuber. Wooden or plastic pegs will work as support. Do not tie the stems to metal supports. The support must be driven quite deeply into the ground so that it does not tilt during watering or due to rain.

If the shoot does break, try to “heal” it by applying a splint - attach a branch to the stem, and then tie the stem to a support. Planting and growing dahlias is constant work, which will return in the form of lushly flowering, powerful bushes.

Read also: Camassia is a rare, but rather unpretentious plant in our flower beds.

Preparing for winter

Watering dahlias is stopped when the first cold autumn days arrive. At this time, you need to prepare to dig up root tubers and plant them for the winter. Storing tubers is a very important stage in caring for these plants and the most labor-intensive in the entire growing process. If all storage rules are not followed, the planting material may simply disappear over the winter.

When to dig up tubers? With the onset of the first frost, the flower shoots begin to turn black. This is a signal that it’s time to dig up the flowers. At a height of 20 cm, the entire above-ground part of the flower should be cut off with pruning shears. After this, the tubers are carefully dug out using a pitchfork.
How to care for stacked dahlias winter storage? When the tubers are dug up, all the soil from them must be cleared. Then the stem is cut again by 7 cm. All tubers are washed in cool water and then kept for half an hour in a weak solution of manganese. After destroying the bacteria in potassium permanganate, the tubers should be dried in air. Only after these procedures can the tubers be stored. Then next year you will have luxurious flowers.

Tubers should be stored in winter at a temperature of +5 degrees and at an air humidity of about 60-70%. The room should be well ventilated and dark.

The tubers are placed in boxes with peat or sawdust. It is good to use a basement or cellar to store root tubers.
If there is no basement or cellar, then the tubers should be placed in plastic bags with wet sawdust or peat, placed in a cardboard box and placed in a cool place, for example, on a loggia.
Throughout the winter, tubers must be inspected in order to stop the spread of rot in time. If you
If you find a rotting area, you just need to cut it off with a knife and treat it with charcoal powder or brilliant green.

Application in landscaping

If you decide to plant several varieties of these flowers in a group planting, pay attention to the dark-leaved varieties. Particularly decorative are varieties with deep cherry-colored foliage and white flowers. The blue dahlia with bronze foliage looks great. Dark-leaved varieties are usually used to create dark spots in flower beds. Be sure to plant dark-leaved dahlias, the cultivation of which is no different from the cultivation of other varieties.

• Very often these flowers are planted in multi-colored groups in small areas. Dahlias white, yellow, pink, dark burgundy form one bright, summer mix of flowers in a flower bed.
• A blue dahlia looks very nice in a double border next to a yellow daisy.
• Excellent neighbors for these flowers are begonias, alyssums, and perilla.

Dahlias are planted in pre-prepared areas, after placing stakes and digging holes around them. The planting site must be protected from the wind using fences, buildings or trees. Groundwater it should not rise higher than 60-70 cm from the soil surface, otherwise flower beds and beds with flowers must be raised by deepening the paths and grooves of the neighboring area.

The soil on which dahlias grow must be moisture-absorbing and at the same time permeable. Fresh or rotted manure, peat, sod land, compost of various contents, leaf humus, straw cuttings and other organic materials that easily decompose in the soil.

To increase water permeability clay soil, add coarse sand, ash, gravel, washed and sifted fine coal slag. IN sandy soils add clay, peat or vermiculite. In the fall, the area is deeply plowed and dug to a depth of 30-35 cm. In the spring, it is dug up again and thoroughly loosened 2-3 weeks before planting.

Planting and care

Dahlias are planted at a distance of 60 to 100 cm from each other, there should be at least 100 cm between rows. Take stakes 160-180 cm high, it is best to choose conifers wood, they are more durable. They should be painted with green paint, and the lower part should be soaked in a 7% solution iron sulfate. Can be used metal pipes or pieces of reinforcing steel with a diameter of 12-20 mm.

The stakes are driven to a depth of about 40 cm, and plants are planted near them so that the neck of the tuber is located 4-5 cm below the surface of the ground. Hybrid seedlings and cuttings of dahlias are planted to a depth of 8-10 cm. Plants obtained from divided tubers are shed generously with water before planting, after which they are carefully placed in a prepared hole, trying not to damage the earthen ball.

For ease of watering, the holes are left incompletely filled or ring-shaped holes are created around the plants. The planted dahlias are tied to stakes and continue to be tied as they grow. In the following days they need to be watered abundantly; in dry and hot weather this is done daily. In the future, water less frequently, but the soil under the plants should always remain moist. After each watering or fertilizing, the soil is loosened. When the buds form and the green mass of the plant closes, loosening should be stopped, and the soil should be mulched with peat or humus.