Funny "balls" From Seeds

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

For some reason, it is believed, and so often written on labels, that dahlias from seeds are annual plants. The people believe in these statements. But this is far from the truth

For many years I have been growing dahlias from seeds. From the very first year, I fell in love with this beauty. Such a variety of colors in one pack for little money cannot be bought on the market with tubers. A good opportunity to replenish your collection without spending a lot of money on its acquisition. And how many surprises does each pack have? !!

Diversity

If earlier the assortment was limited to simple varieties such as "Merry Guys", then in recent years it has greatly increased. Terry specimens with relatively large inflorescences appeared.

Here is a small selection of the most interesting options:

1. "Bambino" - a dwarf variety no more than 25 cm in height, inflorescences up to 8 cm in diameter. A mixture of various shades.

2. "Opera" - bush height up to 30 cm, flowers up to 10 cm in diameter. Colors: yellow, burgundy, lilac pion-shaped.

3. "Figaro" - stems grow up to 35 cm. Volumetric inflorescences up to 10 cm double. There are white, yellow, orange, red, pink, crimson shades.

4. "Garden Pride" is an early flowering dwarf variety up to 30 cm tall with yellow, pink, white, red inflorescences up to 10 cm in diameter.

5. "Early bird" - shoots up to 50 cm, buds in loose form 10 cm. Leaves of emerald-green scale. Peony "balls" of bright yellow, crimson, pink, red shades.

6. "Desirable" - large double flowers up to 12 cm are located on erect stems up to 60 cm in height. White, yellow and all varieties of red predominate.

7. "Marquise" - plant height up to 120 cm, flower diameter up to 15 cm. Colors are yellow and all varieties of red.

8. "Stunning effect" - cactus-like terry form of inflorescence up to 8 cm on shoots 40 cm in height. Yellow, orange, red, crimson shades.

9. "Pompom mixture" - small flowers, similar to pompos, with short petals up to 100 cm high.

This is only a small part of the varieties and hybrids that have been recently created by geneticists. You can list them endlessly.

Sowing and care

I do not practice home sowing of dahlia seeds. I think the best option is greenhouses in the garden. Here the plants emerge easily and are transplanted into open ground. Most varieties do not take long to enter the flowering phase.

2 weeks before sowing, I stretch the films, warm up the soil. In mid-April I loosen with a rake, cut grooves with a depth of 1, 5 cm. I spill it with a warm solution of potassium permanganate. I spread the seeds 2 cm apart. So the plants are stronger, do not require additional picking. Sprinkle with soil. I compact the soil well in rows. I return the shelter to its place.

After a week, the first seedlings appear. Once every 2 weeks I feed 1 tablespoon of Zdraven fertilizer per bucket of water. As the earthen coma dries, I moisten the crops. Weeding the weeds.

After 3-4 weeks, I accustom to the conditions of open ground, opening the film in the evening hours. In mid-May, I plant it in a permanent place according to the 40 by 40 cm scheme.

In July, the seedlings begin to bloom and lasts until the very frost.

Storage

All dahlias, including those grown from seeds, are perennials. By the end of the growing season, they form small tubers in the first year. Perfectly stored in cool dry rooms until spring.

To minimize the drying of the roots, in the fall (without waiting for the first frosts) I dig them out with a large clod of earth. I put them in tight boxes close to each other. I fill the empty spaces with soil from the garden. I cut off the aerial part, leaving 20 cm of the lower part of the stem. I move it to the cool veranda. With the onset of persistent cold weather on the street, I put it underground. I don't water the plants all winter.

The next year I plant it like regular dahlia varieties. In the second year, the bushes grow green mass faster and bloom in mid-June.

Every year the tubers thicken, their number becomes larger. After 3 years, they are ready for division.

The advantages of dahlia from seeds are that seeds are guaranteed from one plant in the first year (though not all of them will be similar to the parental forms) and tubers. What can not be said about large-flowered varieties that reproduce only by the vegetative method.