How beautiful it is to plant dahlias in a plot. How to plant dahlias in order to grow a flower masterpiece. The medicinal properties of the plant

Dahlia is the decoration of my garden. I grow this flower separately from others. I want to say that he does not impose high requirements on the composition of the soil. Dahlia flower, as the dahlia is also called, is presented in a wide variety of shades.

I prefer to combine red varieties with yellow ones, but white, pink, two-tone ones are also popular. In this article, I share my experience in growing dahlia. You will learn how to properly use tubers for propagation. Dahlia flower photo:

The flower belongs to the aster family, it is actively used in landscape design. You can plant dahlias along a curb or near a fountain. The plant looks amazing in large pots. One of the advantages of a flower is unpretentiousness in care.

Landing features

To get gorgeous flowers, you need to choose the right place for planting. If the soil in the area is poor, depleted, be sure to fertilize it. For long flowering, perennial dahlias should be fed. Loosen the ground near the landing, thanks to this, you will improve the breathability of the soil.

In the spring, I advise you to buy healthy, strengthened tubers. If the planting material is soft, choose another one. Dry tuber is also unsuitable for cultivation. Experienced gardeners dahlias are propagated by tubers. Generative propagation is practiced by breeders, it helps to develop new, unique varieties.

Site selection, seed preparation

Let's go straight to landing. The tubers are placed in the ground on the 15th of May. If seeds are used, the plant will flower in August. In order for the dahlia in the open field to bloom earlier, it is necessary to germinate the seeds. In April, they are sown in plastic cups filled with clean wet sand.

I advise you to seal the seeds by 1 cm, after which - cover the cups with polyethylene. Planting material in this form is kept for 10 days. It germinates well at a temperature of + 26 degrees. After that, the sprouts dive (transplanted into separate cups).

Germinated seeds take root in moist, loose soil. To prepare the substrate, you need to take one part of peat and sand, 2 parts of leafy soil. Before transplanting seedlings, the soil should be treated with potassium permanganate, then the seedlings should be watered.

I advise you to plant germinated seeds at the end of May. Place the seedlings in a spacious, draft-free area. Dahlia prefers fertile, well-drained soil. It can grow in soil with high and low acidity, but neutral is recommended.

• If the PH level reaches 5, slaked lime should be applied.
• If the PH level is 8.5, it is necessary to dilute the soil with peat.

The prepared site is dug up, humus is added at the rate of 4 kg per 1 cubic meter. After planting the seedlings, it is necessary to make compost with a small amount of wood ash.

It is important to ensure pest prevention. In order for the soil to rest, I recommend replanting the dahlia every year. decorative culture feels bad if asters grew on the site before her.

Tuber preparation

Planting material is prepared in April. If it has dry or damaged roots, you need to remove them, cut the slices with green paint. Tubers are planted in containers filled with nutrient mixture. The root neck should be located 3 cm above the ground.

Planting material develops favorably at a temperature of + 18 degrees. You can place it under an artificial light source. A few days after transplantation, the tubers form buds, at which time they should be cut into pieces.

I advise you to remove ten-centimeter shoots. At the final stage, landing in the ground is carried out. A flower can also be grown from cuttings (shoots), planting is carried out according to the same principle.

Landing in the garden

Dahlia - hardy plant, it takes root even in cold climates, for example, in the Urals. After planting a seed, cutting or tuber, be sure to add water. Before planting planting material, you should make sure that the earth has warmed up. I advise you to plant tubers in early June.

It is necessary to dig a trench measuring 40 x 40, lay manure or compost on the bottom, sprinkle with earth. Some gardeners prefer tall varieties, in which case it is necessary to install drainage, it will provide air access and prevent the plant from falling.

After planting, add water at room temperature. Use wood ash mixed with peat as mulch.

How to care for a flower

For the full growth of the dahlia, it is necessary to mulch the area with peat and dig up the ground in a timely manner. It is important to protect the plant from slugs. I advise you to make water 1 time in 7 days. If the weather is rainy, watering should be limited.

Waterlogging is detrimental, dahlia roots begin to rot. Remember that stagnant water can lead to the death of a flower. Perform hilling in hot weather.

Feed flowers in a timely manner: alternate organic matter with mineral compounds. At the end of spring, add 15 g of saltpeter per 1 cubic meter. A ten percent solution of mullein and a twenty percent infusion of litter are useful. When the first buds appear, superphosphate and potassium compounds are added, a solution is used: 30 g of the drug per 10 liters of water.

In order for the dahlia to grow well in the garden, it is necessary to remove the buds that have faded. On one peduncle should remain 2 pcs. If there are a lot of buds, the growth of decorative culture is disrupted.

In a tall variety, the lower side branches should be removed. If the flower is undersized, shoots must be left. Improper care and non-observance of crop rotation are dangerous for the plant, it can be attacked by:

• slugs
• ticks;
• earwigs.

To combat slugs and earwigs, an infusion of celandine is used. Dahlia infects aphids. To destroy this pest, you need to use a soap solution.

Tuber harvesting

I recommend digging them out in the fall when cold weather sets in. Remove the leaves first. Dig up planting material in the morning in dry weather. It is worth noting that the tubers are fragile, careless movement can damage them.

After digging, shorten long roots, clean from the ground, dry and wash. It is important to remove dahlia tubers in a timely manner, otherwise the buds inside will germinate.

Planting and care are easy even for a novice gardener! But certain rules must be followed. It is important to moderately introduce water, periodically fertilize the flower. Growing also involves pest control. Use insecticides if necessary.

Thanks to the incomparable flowers of the most beautiful color and variety of forms, the dahlia genus deserves a prominent place in any garden. Few flower growers do not 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 that died out during the onset of the ice age. And the first to germinate after the arrival of heat, marking the victory of life over death, and heat over cold.

intensive breeding work 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 incarnation, the warriors depicted it on their shields and clothes, wore it as an amulet, believing that it gives them strength and courage. The aborigines used the tubers for food, and the hollow stems were used in the construction of water pipes. Dahlia is considered a symbol of all-conquering life, stamina, freedom, impregnability, pride. The Japanese consider it a symbol of greatness. The dahlia is the national flower of Mexico.

The dahlias we admire today were obtained 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 margin nutrients. The stems are hollow, branching, pinnately divided, opposite, green-blue leaves on elongated petioles. Flowers are collected in inflorescences-baskets, blooming from summer to the first slight frosts. Reed flowers are flat, spatulate, ribbon-like, rolled into a tube of various colors; 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 thermophilic and do not tolerate even short-term light frosts, they can be sown in the ground only after the 20th of May, in order to be sure that the night frost will not destroy the seedlings.

However, there is a significant drawback here: in this case, you can see it not earlier than August.

Therefore, many gardeners still arrange a mini-greenhouse or greenhouse for these flowers and sow already in the twentieth of March. You can use old window frames or pull a film over the arcs.

• The prepared bed should stand for a couple of days after digging, so that the earth settles.
• The furrows are stuffed shallow, the distance is 60 cm.
• In a row we sow less often, the plants need space, thick seedlings break through or transplant after, leaving a distance between the bushes of at least 60 cm.
• After sowing, the earth is leveled with a rake, filling the furrows.
• We water well, you can sprinkle the bed with a thin layer of rotted humus to prevent the formation of an earthen crust.

Often not needed natural moisture should take a few days. But if the weather is hot, make sure that the earth does not dry out.

Growing dahlias for seedlings at home

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

It is convenient to grow dahlias with seeds for decoration of borders, discounts. Plants grown from seeds form a small tuber by autumn. Therefore, you can save the copy you like and land it next season to admire it next summer. Dahlia seeds ripen well - they can be harvested and saved for planting next year.

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

• Prepare containers that provide drainage. If using 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 not be lazy, adding to garden soil rotted organic matter, peat and sand in equal proportions.
• 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 small dahlias release 2-3 true leaves, they are carefully dived 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 tender roots and move them with a clod of earth.
• Then just water and provide sufficient lighting.
• When warm weather sets in, we arrange seedlings for walks outside: we accustom them to the wind and the 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 be accepted.

When to plant dahlias outdoors

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 sprout, depending on the variety.

Planting seedlings of dahlias in the spring in the ground

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

• Try to avoid strict rows, landing will look unnatural, 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 wells are prepared in advance, they are made wider and deeper than the seedling cups, it is advisable to pour a little humus on the bottom.
• Seedlings are planted, carefully removing a clod of earth so that the earth does not crumble from the roots.
• They are placed vertically in the hole, trying to maintain the existing level of the root neck.
• Sprinkle with earth, moisturize abundantly.
• It is advisable to mulch the root space with any material at hand: fresh grass, sawdust, needles.

Planting dahlia tubers in spring

Before planting, dahlia tubers should be prepared: washed from the ground and kept in a slightly pink solution of potassium permanganate for about half an hour. Then the tubers are laid out in boxes with sawdust treated with boiling water and germinated at room temperature until 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, look at 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 to the bottom, mix with garden soil. Spread one division of tubers in each hole, cover with earth, the distance from the tuber to the surface of the earth is about 5-8 cm.

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

Reproduction of dahlias by dividing tubers

• Tubers are prepared for planting in advance. First they are placed in wet sawdust or peat.
• After the sprouts appear, they are carefully divided with a sharp knife into several parts, so that each has sprouts.
• The sections are dried and sprinkled with ash or activated carbon. After that, they are again placed in sawdust for rooting.
• As soon as warm weather is established without, they are planted in pre-prepared holes.
• 1/3 of a bucket of humus or compost is added to each well.
• The delenka is placed in the hole so that the sprouts are at the surface of the soil.
• Water well and cover with compost.
• The root neck 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, watered moderately.
• Cuttings are taken after 3-4 weeks.
• Processed 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 love sufficiently moist soil - for this, the land under plantings should be mulched with semi-rotted sawdust or mowed grass. This will prevent moisture from evaporating and prevent weeding.
• Top dressing is carried out in cases where organic components were not introduced into the soil during planting.
• Use liquid complex fertilizer every two weeks.
• A support must be placed under tall varieties - this will protect the stem from 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 allow young ones 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 upside down, allowing the liquid to flow out. After that, you can dry the tubers outdoors during the day, weather permitting. Then they are transferred to storage in a dry basement.

Diseases and pests

Dahlias are quite resistant, but waterlogging of the soil should not be allowed, which contributes to the development of diseases and the attack of slugs. Against aphids and mites, periodically irrigate your plants with tar water. When infected with a viral mosaic, light spots appear on the leaf plates, yellowing along the veins. Such plants should be culled. If uncharacteristic growths are found on the tubers, which indicates a bacterial cancer, the infected tubers are destroyed.

Types of dahlias with photos and descriptions

Dahlia tree 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. Baskets are simple and small.
The species Dahlia juarezii has a stem about 1 m high with deeply cut dark malachite leaves and multi-colored inflorescences. cacti-like dahlias originated from it.

Dahlia changeable Dahlia variabilis- has simple baskets with red reed and yellow tubular flowers.
All these species, originally from Mexico, laid the foundation for a variety of varieties that our flower growers so loved. They absolutely do not tolerate even the lightest frosts and are grown in our strip as annual plants. But dahlia tubers overwinter well in dry, cool rooms like potato tubers. To do this, they are dug up and re-planted in the spring.

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

Anemone. Srednerosly group with semi-double inflorescences outwardly similar to anemones.

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

Peony. Outwardly similar to peonies. The most extensive and colorful view.

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

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

Ball-shaped and pom-pom-shaped. Similar to each other and differ in size. Both have double flowers, resembling a ball, consisting of many petals. Pompon-shaped, the diameter of which does not exceed 5 cm. Spherical - 8-15 cm. Both species are tall.

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

Application

Medicinal properties dahlias allow us to classify them as medicinal plants. Decoctions of these flowers normalize metabolic processes, are useful for the cardiovascular system. Tincture of rhizomes is used as a prophylactic against diabetes. Fresh leaves are applied to the skin to treat acne. Rhizomes are used in crushed form as a mask for aging facial skin. Tuber powder 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 - in single plantings. Varieties with long, strong flower stalks 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 collect entire collections - their flower beds attract attention with an abundance of flowering dahlias. The abundance of planting material on store shelves, sufficient unpretentiousness, lush flowering put dahlias among the most popular plants in our areas.

fresh dahlias

Dahlias are native to the mountainous regions of Mexico. Once upon a time, the roots of this flower were eaten by the ancient Aztecs. In Europe, the taste of the plant was not appreciated, but the amazing beauty and grace of the flower was to everyone's taste.

The flower received its Latin name, Dahlia, in honor of the famous Swedish botanist Dahl. And the dahlia in Russia was named after the famous botanist and geographer Johann Georgi.

Place to grow dahlias

Dahlias are not very demanding plants. They can take root even in dense shade. But the size and color of the inflorescences from such a location can be noticeably affected. Would you like to enjoy beautiful buds longer? Plant dahlias in light partial shade. The beauty of the plant will not fade from this, but the flowering period will be maximum.

The only condition that must be observed is a moderate level of humidity. Dahlia tubers are prone to rotting. Therefore, they should not be planted in the lowlands. Before planting, experts advise to equip a drainage layer of broken brick or expanded clay on the garden bed.

Plant dahlias in light partial shade

But you don’t have to worry about the type of soil. Dahlias feel fine both on loam and on sandy soils, and on fertile black soil. Therefore, they can be safely planted in any area.

Planting a dahlia

Dahlia tubers are planted only in spring or even in early summer, when the threat of frost has passed and the soil has warmed up properly. If you are planting dahlias in early spring, be sure to cover them carefully from frost. But it is better not to rush - return frosts can destroy the tubers of the plant.


Dahlia tubers with an awakened bud

For planting dahlias you need to dig a recess, focusing on the size of the tuber. Please note that in addition to the rhizome itself, fertilizers should fit in the hole - rotted (lay for a year or two) compost or manure. Therefore, the size of the hole must be appropriate. The tuber in the hole should be positioned so that the root neck rises a couple of centimeters above the ground.

The root neck is the area that starts above the rhizome. It is here that growth buds are located - the beginnings of new shoots. The deepening of this section of the tuber threatens to rot. Therefore, maintaining the correct distance is very important!

To speed up flowering dahlias can be pre-sprouted. To do this, the tubers should be placed on a layer of light soil or ordinary sawdust and covered with polyethylene on top. It is very important to leave a small gap in order to ensure normal air circulation. Tubers must be regularly irrigated with a spray bottle - they must always be moistened. In such a mini-greenhouse, growth buds will quickly wake up after a period of "winter hibernation". Therefore, the cherished flowers will decorate the garden a couple of weeks earlier.

dahlia sprouts

Dahlia stalks, while powerful in appearance, actually break easily in strong gusts of wind, so they need to be tie up. To do this, during the planting of tubers, you must immediately equip a support - insert a peg into the hole and dig it along with the tuber. Indeed, after a few months, driving a peg next to the rhizome so as not to damage it will be quite difficult.

For low species, thirty-centimeter pegs can be used. And for tall plants, you will need to get at least half a meter supports. Ideally, use not one peg, but several at once, driving them around the perimeter of the bush. This technique will allow you to fix even the most powerful plants well.

Dahlia tubers are not able to survive the harsh winter. Therefore, even in middle lane their recommended dig in late autumn to protect from frost.

Dahlia Care

In order for dahlias to please you with abundant flowering, you need to pay attention to them from time to time.

Pasynkovanie dahlia

Pasynkovanie is the removal of excess stems. However, it is not prerequisite growing dahlias.

Stepping helps to get powerful stems and large buds. After all, as you know, the fewer shoots remain on the bush, the faster they develop. The ideal number of stems is two or three. It is not recommended to leave more. This stepchildren does not end there. The procedure does not lose its relevance throughout the season. To obtain a luxurious bush, it is required to timely remove all sprouts that regularly appear in the axils (near the base) of the leaves.

Watering and fertilizing

Dahlias will have to be watered regularly, but without undue enthusiasm. If you overdo it, the plant may lose its attractiveness or even die altogether. It should be watered so that the water wets the soil by about thirty centimeters. This will be enough for the flower to receive the optimal dose of life-giving moisture.

During irrigation, it is very convenient to apply fertilizers: organic matter (manure or compost), nitrogen fertilizers, superphosphate, wood ash.

If the hole was well fertilized when planting, then the first application of top dressing can be slightly postponed until a green mass begins to form. If the soil has not been fertilized, then after a week you should take care of fertilizing with organic matter. It is not difficult to do this. It is enough to dig holes around the perimeter of the bush, pour fertilizer into them, and then level the soil with a rake. It is recommended to repeat the procedure once every two weeks.

Types of dahlias

Today, there are thousands of varieties of dahlias and several types of their classification. Among this luxurious assortment you can find amazing specimens of the most incredible shapes and colors. There are also mini-dahlias with compact bushes, and giants whose height exceeds a meter - the choice is almost limitless.

• collared dahlias- owners of petals various sizes: in the middle they are short and folded into “tubes”, and on the outer part of the inflorescence they are long and flat.

collared dahlia

• needle dahlias differ from all other varieties in thin petals, each of which is twisted into a tight tube. Their length can vary greatly. In addition, it is worth noting one of the subspecies - semi-needle dahlias. Their petals are more like not needles, but graceful cones.

needle dahlia

• Ball-shaped dahlias- owners of lush round inflorescences. Petals are large and fleshy. Each of them is slightly rolled into a tube. Inflorescence loose, soft.

globular dahlia

• pompon dahlias- close relatives of spherical. They also have fluffy inflorescences, consisting of slightly twisted petals. But in size, pompom flowers are noticeably inferior to their counterparts, and their inflorescences are denser to the touch.

pompon dahlia

• Nymphaeaceae dahlias strikingly different from other species. They have flat inflorescences. In the center is a fluffy center of short tubular petals. Most often it looks convex. The edging of the flower is a row of wide flat petals.

Dahlia nymphaeum

• Anemone dahlias something like a collar. Inside are short elegant tubes. Along the perimeter - wide flat petals.

anemone dahlia

• Peony dahlias- owners of lush inflorescences. In each of them there are several rows of oval wide petals, and in the middle there is a group of short ones twisted into elegant tubes.

peony dahlia

That, perhaps, is all about these beautiful flowers. As you can see, growing dahlias is not that difficult. If you stick to these simple recommendations, chic buds, framed by emerald greenery, will show off in the garden from mid-summer until the first frost.

The choice of landing site is great importance For successful cultivation dahlias.
To get nice flowering plants it is better to plant dahlias in a sunny, draft-protected place. Planted in the shade, dahlias stretch and bloom poorly.

perennial dahlias

Since tubers are prone to rotting with excess moisture, the planting site should not be in a lowland where moisture can stagnate. It is undesirable to grow dahlias in one place for more than two years in order to avoid damage to flowers by diseases and pests.

Preplant preparation of beds

Soil preparation is carried out in autumn and spring immediately before planting tubers or seedlings. The earth should be loose, air and water permeable, slightly acidic or with neutral acidity.

In autumn, apply organic fertilizers to the ground: rotted manure - 3-5 kg ​​per 1 sq.m or bird droppings in the amount of 100 g per 1 sq.m. You can add humus, compost. If the earth is heavy, clayey, the addition of coarse-grained sand and ash will help improve the structure. Dig up the beds to a depth of 30-35 cm. The width of the beds is about 1 m, the length is arbitrary.

In early spring, go through the beds with a rake to retain moisture in the soil. And immediately before planting dahlias, dig up the ground with a pitchfork or treat it with a flat cutter to a depth of 5 cm. This is necessary to clean the beds from germinated weeds and roots of thistle, wheatgrass, bindweed.

Preparing dahlia tubers for planting

• Preparation of planting material begins in late March - early April when planting dahlia seedlings.
• If it is decided to plant tubers immediately into the ground, then preparation is carried out two weeks before planting - in the first half of May.

We take out the dahlia tubers from the storage place and carefully examine them. It is necessary to remove all dried roots and nodules, cut out the rotten parts. Treat all cut points with green paint or sprinkle with ash, crushed activated carbon.

These tuber roots must be divided into divisions with 1-3 tubers.

If the rhizomes were not divided in the fall, then this must be done before planting. Why share? From a large tuber with a large number of buds, a thickened plant will turn out, which will shade itself and bloom poorly. This is especially true for large-flowered tall varieties. Tubers of undersized curb dahlias can not be divided before planting.

If the buds on the root neck have not yet woken up, the tubers should be placed in a bright, warm place. As soon as the sprouts hatch, you can begin to divide.

Division of dahlia tubers.

With a sharp knife, starting from the hemp, it is necessary to carefully cut the root tubers so that the resulting divisions are with a root neck and have 1-3 growth points. One division can contain 1-3 nodules. Sprinkle the cut points with ash or crushed coal, grease with brilliant green.

For planting with tubers, the resulting delenki are placed in boxes or transparent bags with holes for air access and lightly sprayed. This is done two weeks before planting. In a bright, warm place, the buds will quickly wake up and sprouts will hatch. The tubers are ready for planting.

We grow seedlings

Seedling cultivation is used to obtain earlier flowering.
The resulting divisions are planted in small plastic containers or pots, which must have drainage holes. We use light soil: coco substrate, sand, sawdust, light earth.

We cover the tubers with a substrate so that the root neck with buds is on the surface. This planting will protect the root neck from rotting.

Growing dahlia seedlings

Seedling care: The place for seedlings should be bright, but straight Sun rays detrimental to tender shoots. The optimum temperature is 15-18 degrees. Watering is minimal. Top dressing is not needed, since the tuber contains enough nutrients that will last until the seedlings are planted in open ground.

Planting perennial dahlias in the ground

Planting dahlias in open ground with seedlings is carried out in late May - early June. By this time the threat is usually over. spring frosts and the weather was warm.

Seedlings need to be hardened off before planting. To this end, pots with plants should be taken out into the open air, gradually increasing the residence time.

Planting holes are dug with a spade bayonet depth at a distance of 30 cm for undersized species and 50-80 cm for tall varieties of dahlias. The size of the hole should be such that the seedlings, along with a clod of earth, are located freely.

We plant the dahlia in the prepared hole.

Water the seedlings well an hour or two before planting. Pour a quarter of a bucket of rotted manure or humus into the bottom of the landing hole, add mineral fertilizers and mix with soil. Place the seedlings together with a clod of earth, stick a peg next to the garter of the bush as it grows and cover it so that the soil covers the lower pair of leaves. Water the planted plant and mulch with dry soil.

Planting tubers

Dahlias can be planted in open ground with tubers by mid-May. Planting holes are dug deep on a shovel bayonet, with a diameter of 30 - 40 cm. Add rotted manure, humus, mineral fertilizers, mix with part of the excavated earth.

The prepared sprouted tubers are placed horizontally, a peg is inserted for the future garter and covered with soil so that the root collar is covered with a layer of 5 cm. After planting, the bed is watered and mulched with dry soil.

Dahlia Care

Dahlia care includes weeding, watering, fertilizing, bush formation, garter.

Weeding

Weeding is necessary to keep the beds clean so that weeds do not interfere with the development of plants. If the dahlias were planted with tubers, then the places around the pegs must be weeded by hand without using a flat cutter or hoe, so as not to damage the small sprouts.

Caring for perennial dahlias is common: weeding, watering, top dressing.

Plants that have grown to 15 cm must be spudded. This will cause the formation of additional roots, improve the growth of the stems and the resistance of the bush to the wind. Hilling dahlias at the end of summer will help protect the root neck from damage by autumn frosts. It is desirable to carry out weeding and loosening of the soil after each watering or rain.

Don't forget to water your dahlias

Watering is required abundant - for each bush 4-5 liters of water. The frequency of watering depends on weather conditions. In a dry, hot summer, we water often, but so that there is no stagnation of water. Two waterings per week is sufficient. Mulching the soil with peat, humus, compost after watering helps retain moisture longer.

Plant nutrition

Top dressing is done 2-3 times before flowering. The day before top dressing, dahlias must be watered. There are many options for using fertilizers. We give just a couple of examples.

1. Dahlias are very responsive to feeding organic fertilizers in the form of mullein infusion (1:10) or bird droppings (1:20). For 10 liters of water, 2 liters of infusion are taken. Under each plant, 1.5 - 2 liters of the prepared solution is poured.
2. Potash and phosphorus fertilizers have a good effect on the development of tubers, budding and flowering. For 10 liters of water, a teaspoon of potassium sulfate and superphosphate is taken. Under each bush, 2-3 liters of solution are poured.

The first dressing is carried out two or three weeks after planting, the second - during budding and the third - before flowering. Starting from the second half of August, dahlias no longer feed. When overfeeding, especially with nitrogen fertilizers, the tubers will not store well.

Bush formation.

The young plant leaves 2-3 of the strongest shoots, all other stems are removed. All lateral stepchildren are also pinched to a stem height of 40-50 cm. This is necessary for better growth and flowering. The flowers will be larger and richer in color.

Side shoots are best removed.

The very first flower can be broken out without regret, then the side shoots will begin to grow faster and flowering will be more lush. Regular removal of dried flowers stimulates the growth of new inflorescences and prolongs the flowering period.

In August, you need to cut off all the lower leaves on the stems to a height of 30-50 cm in order to speed up the ripening of the root neck. All these measures are relevant for tall and medium-sized dahlias.

Dwarf undersized dahlias grow in a lush bush with several stems. Such varieties do not need stepson. The only thing you can do is pinch the stem at a height of 30 cm.

A garter of dahlias is necessary for tall and medium-sized varieties. Dahlias have a hollow brittle stem that can easily break under the pressure of the wind. To protect the bushes, already when planting, a peg about 1 m high is placed in the hole. The plant begins to be tied up at a height of 50 cm and higher as it grows.

Reproduction of perennial dahlias

Perennial dahlias reproduce vegetatively: by dividing tubers and cuttings. Seeds reproduce only annual varieties.

Division of dahlia tubers.

You can divide dahlia tubers in autumn and spring.
autumn the rhizomes dug out and cleared of the ground are cut into several parts-divisions. If the bush grew in two or three shoots, then first you need to divide the nests so that each one has one stump. We loosen and carefully stretch the nests to the sides, trying not to damage the root neck, which is attached to the stump from the stem. On the root neck there are renewal buds - eyes.

Now you need to cut the tubers so that each part has a piece of the root collar with one, two or three eyes. You need to divide with a sharp tool (knife, pruner, scissors), starting with a hemp. Each such division can have from one to three tubers and necessarily a part of the root collar with 1-3 buds.

At spring division We take out the tubers from the storage place and carefully examine them. All rotten parts must be cut off, dried roots and nodules removed. Treat the cut points with green paint or ash. To make it convenient to share, we put the tubers in boxes with sand or sawdust and put them in a warm, bright place.

When the buds wake up and sprouts appear, it will be clearly visible how best to cut the tubers. You can start dividing. The procedure is the same as in autumn.

Cuttings of dahlias.

Dahlias are propagated by cuttings when there is little planting material, but you need to get a lot of bushes. This method is also good for rejuvenating a degenerate variety.

In early March, tubers intended for cuttings are taken out of storage and inspected. Prepared tubers are planted in boxes or other containers, covered with a light substrate (sand, sawdust, coconut substrate, and other mixtures), and moistened. The root collar should be on the surface uncovered.

Try to cut the stalk with part of the tuber.

Place the containers in a bright, warm place for germination. As soon as the sprouts hatch, the temperature is reduced to 16-18 degrees so that the shoots do not stretch. After two to three weeks, you can start cuttings.
Shoots with two or three pairs of leaves are cut with a very sharp tool, trying to capture a small piece of the tuber. Such cuttings with a “heel” take root better. But you can simply cut off the shoot at the very base without damaging the tuber. In this case, the cuttings will take root longer.

For better rooting, it is necessary to dip the cutting in a root formation stimulator (Kornevin, heteroauxin). Plant the cuttings to a depth of 2 cm in a light nutrient soil, water and cover with a plastic bag or transparent top. plastic bottle. The optimum temperature for rooting is 20-25 degrees. Care is normal. Periodically, the cuttings should be ventilated, moistened if necessary.

Dahlia shoots take root within two to three weeks. When the roots grow, the cuttings start to grow, the shelter can be removed and the temperature reduced to 16-18 degrees.
Before planting in open ground, seedlings need to be hardened, accustoming them to fresh air. Plant in late May - early June, when the danger of frost has passed.

Other useful articles about dahlias:

1. . From seeds you can grow wonderful dahlias. They'll bloom all summer, cost a lot less, and can be changed every year.
2. On this page you can get acquainted with a variety of varieties of dahlias: small, large, just huge. There are varieties for growing in pots and on balconies.
3. . Dahlias should be dug up in time in the fall and properly stored in the winter. You can save tubers not only in the cellar, but also in a city apartment. All this will be discussed in this article.
4. Detailed recommendations on how to deal with pests and diseases of dahlias.

). The genus includes about 40 species. In the wild, these flowers are found in Mexico and Guatemala. About 15 thousand varieties are used in culture. Read about the intricacies of growing dahlias in open ground below.

perennial dahlias

Dahlia is a plant with a hollow stem that can reach a height of 30 to 250 cm, and a large powerful root system in the form of tubers. The size, shape and color of the flowers of the plant are very diverse. They can reach a diameter of 3 to 35 cm.

Depending on their form, they are distinguished:

• simple;
• nymphaeal;
• semi-cactus;
• cactus terry;
• pompoms;
• spherical;
• decorative;
• peony;
• collar;
• anemone.

The leaves of the flower are also different in shape and color - they can be from pale green to almost black.

Perennial dahlia flowers are distinguished by a long flowering period, which lasts from July to November, more precisely until the first frost. At this time, they delight their owners and passers-by with a variety of colors - there are not only varieties with blue and blue buds.

Despite its fabulous beauty, the plant is absolutely unpretentious in its care. Most often it is planted in open ground in flower beds, however, some varieties are suitable for growing in containers. used in discounts.

Did you know? The dahlia got its name from the famous Russian ethnographer Johann Georgi in 1803. The Latin name Dahlia was inherited from the name of the Swedish botanist Andreas Dahl in 1791.

Growing conditions

The main conditions for the successful cultivation of dahlias are:

• selection of a place in accordance with the requirements;
• providing the necessary;
• regular ;
• properly carried out top dressing;
• bush formation activities.

Lighting

In principle, dahlias can grow in any light. The only thing is that in the plots they will be smaller and reduce the flowering time - the flowers will grow smaller and dimmer. The most beautiful will be those plants that grow in light partial shade. If there is no such site, then they must be planted in an open sunny area, but protected from the winds.

Weather

Since the homeland of wild dahlias are warm countries, the plant is thermophilic. It should be planted already when there is no threat, in well-heated ground.

It is because of the thermophilicity that closer to winter the entire ground part of the plant dies off, only the tubers remain alive, which must be dug up and stored until.

Soil characteristics

In terms of soil, dahlias are also unpretentious - grow on any, however, the best decorative effect is shown when grown in black soil, loam and sandy loam.

In heavy soil, it is important to add a mixture consisting of leaf humus, peat and sand. So you can achieve its greater breathability.

A prerequisite is the presence of good. For it, expanded clay or broken brick is used.

For planting dahlias, swampy areas and with a close location of groundwater are not suitable. It is strongly not recommended to plant them in the lowlands.

Features of planting perennial dahlias

To plant dahlias, you need to buy planting material. Seeds, root tubers, cuttings, seedlings are presented in stores. When choosing, it is best to focus on tubers and seeds. With the help of the first, landing is easier and faster.

How to choose the right tubers for planting

When choosing perennial dahlia tubers, it is necessary, first of all, to pay attention to their quality and the presence of the elements necessary for successful planting and care: a 2–3 cm piece of stem, root collar with buds, 1–3 nodules. All elements must adhere well to the root neck and in no case hang on it.
Tubers should be chosen elastic, healthy in appearance - not shriveled, not dry, without rot, spots.

If the tubers are purchased long before the planting process, then they must be stored in the same way as in winter period. You can read about proper storage below.

Planting material preparation

Before planting dahlias, it is necessary to germinate tubers after winter or, if they are just purchased, prepare them for planting in open ground. This must be done in April-May. Dry roots are removed from them.

Then they are planted in containers filled with a nutrient substrate or peat. The tubers are not deepened into the soil much - about 2–3 cm should remain on the surface. The containers are placed in a bright room and left there for 10–14 days at a temperature of + 18–22 ° С. During this time, sprouts should appear. Then the tubers are divided with a knife so that each part has a kidney and a root collar. One tuber usually produces up to five such parts.

The parts are returned to containers with the germination substrate. Before planting them in open ground, it is necessary to remove 10 cm side shoots. Landing in open ground is carried out after the sprouts reach a height of 10–15 cm.

Important! Parts of the tubers can be planted immediately in open ground, however, in this case, the flowering period will decrease for dahlias.

Landing Rules

In the wells in which it is planned to plant tubers, it is advisable to add in small quantities (), lime and ash. Organics should be sprinkled with soil on top to avoid burning the tubers.

The hole should be bayonet deep. Then the tubers are carefully laid at the bottom of the hole and sprinkled. At the same time, it is impossible to deepen the root collar - this is fraught with decay.

At the age of two or three, dahlias will need to be seated by division. Otherwise, their flowering will shrink every year.

How to water plants

The soil under the plant should always be slightly damp. After planting, for 7-10 days, dahlias daily. In the future, this should be done less frequently - a maximum of two times a week. Excessive is fraught with rotting of tubers and their poor tolerance of the winter period.

When the first buds appear, and are brought under the flowers. Dahlias are not needed.

The last fertilizer procedure must be done at the end. Otherwise, the tubers will survive wintering worse.

Features of the formation of a bush

The formation of the bush is regular cutting faded buds and removal of lateral shoots from below in tall plants. If the buds are not cut off in time, they will inhibit the emergence of the next buds and, therefore, will delay flowering.

You can achieve large inflorescences by leaving only three buds on each.

Immediately after planting, with a clear selection of the main shoots, it is necessary to select the two strongest ones, and remove the rest. This way you can avoid unnecessary snacking.

Lateral shoots break out before the formation of buds. All shoots are removed up to the fourth pair of leaves from the ground. The tops of the shoots from the fourth pair of leaves are pinched, removing the main growth point.

Later, such pinching is carried out on lateral shoots.

Digging and storage in winter

Starting from the end of September (possibly later, depending on climatic conditions region where dahlias grow), when the stems die off, the tubers must be carefully removed from the soil and placed in the necessary conditions for the whole winter, so that with the onset they will be planted again in the ground. It is important to know that dahlias should not be planted in the same place for more than three years in a row. The stems are cut 10-15 cm from the ground. The tubers are dug up in dry weather. First, they dig in at a distance of 30 cm around. For digging, you should use a pitchfork - they hook the tubers and pull them out of the ground.

Then they need to be shaken off, washed from the soil and dried for 4–5 hours in the sun or two days indoors. It is also desirable to pickle the tubers. For this procedure, potassium permanganate or means of the type "Maxim", "Vitaron" are suitable. After pickling, the tubers also need to be dried.

Well-dried tubers should be stored in a room with a temperature +2–7 °С or in the refrigerator. They are placed in a box or plastic bag with peat, sand. Can also be wrapped in cling film.
Tubers need to be periodically ventilated and inspected for rot.

Important! When tubers germinate during storage, they must be removed from a cool place and planted in a container with soil, for example, in an ordinary flower pot. The roots should not be deepened, just sprinkled with earth a little.

Planting beautiful dahlias different varieties and colors in any corner of your garden or cottage, you can create a unique style of your yard

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