Successful Cultivation Of Gorgeous Dahlias. Care

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

Proper care of dahlias during growth ensures full ripening of tubers, successful overwintering of planting material. What agronomic practices are suitable for this crop?

Support installation

A support is placed at a distance of 10 cm. For tall specimens, neat pegs 70-80 cm high are installed, of which 25 cm go into the ground. For low varieties, a size of 45-50 cm is suitable.

Huge wooden sticks spoil the appearance of the plantings. Over time, a small support closes with grown bushes with lush foliage, it becomes almost invisible.

The stand helps:

• protect plants from strong wind gusts;

• keep them in a strictly upright position;

• relieve the severity of blossoming inflorescences from bushes;

• facilitate care (dahlias do not fall apart, stand compactly).

Formation of bushes

For a beautiful flowering, 1-2 stems are left on the plants. The rest are neatly broken out at the base. Places of "surgical intervention" are sprinkled with ash. Extra branches of rare varieties can be used for green cuttings.

The tops of the shoots are not pinched, giving the plants the opportunity to show themselves in all their glory, to fully realize their potential.

Initially, varieties with good external data are chosen: dense arrangement of leaves, lush flowering. Increase the size of the inflorescences by removing half of the buds at the very beginning of their development.

Top dressing

With a shoot height of 20-30 cm, dahlias are fed with the complex mineral fertilizer "Zdraven". It contains a full set of basic elements (phosphorus, potassium, nitrogen) plus additional trace elements (boron, manganese, copper, molybdenum, zinc, cobalt). All components are in a chelated, easily digestible form for plants. One tablespoon is enough for a bucket of water.

During the growing season, twice sprayed with a mixture of Epin 2 ml, Cytovita 1 ml. The preparations are dissolved in 5 liters of water. All plants are treated with green mass, capturing the soil above the roots.

This method helps:

1. To overcome stressful situations for dahlias during drought, temperature extremes, heavy rainfall, short-term frosts.

2. Stimulates the growth of powerful stems that can provide plants with nutrition.

3. Improves the development, aging of the underground part.

4. Increases immunity against pests and diseases. Thick cell walls are difficult to overcome for harmful factors.

5. Expands the possibilities of the variety to the fullest. The inflorescences grow larger, the color becomes brighter.

In early August, during the mass flowering, fertilizing with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers is necessary. Nitrogen is excluded during this period. It leads to the development of vegetative mass, poor maturation of tubers.

Autumn stages of preparation

By the end of August, all leaves are torn off at the bottom of the stem. In tall specimens, to a height of 30-40 cm. The stems are piled up like a potato, making ridges 10-15 cm above the level of the ridge.

This technique protects the buds of renewal in the area of the root collar from autumn frosts. Do not rush to cut the stems immediately after the first frost. At this time, the fleshy part of the root ripens. Logically speaking, in the wild, no one mows frozen plants.

According to scientists, late digging of tubers (within reason) contributes to better storage of dahlias. In Central Russia, the approximate date is October 5-10. In favorable, warm weather, as in the previous year, the time in the open field is increased.

In the autumn period, there is an outflow of nutrients from the stems into the fleshy part of the root.

Adhering to the correct agricultural techniques, you will always enjoy the lush bloom of your favorite dahlias. We will consider storage conditions in the next article.