2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Many are captivated by the beauty of dahlias: they look great both on the site and in an autumn bouquet. At the same time, they are extremely unpretentious, undemanding to care, can easily survive irregular watering, are picky about the soil
But they have one significant drawback, because of which few seek to plant this handsome man on their site: the roots of the plant must be dug up for the winter and stored somewhere. And not all rhizomes survive until spring and do not disappear. In fact, saving tubers in winter is not difficult at all, the main thing is to know a few secrets.
Digging up the roots
When preparing planting material for wintering, you must first of all dig it up correctly. It is not difficult, but it will take a little effort and time. First of all, we select large healthy plants. The rhizomes of sick dahlias should not be laid for the winter, since they most likely will not survive, and if they can survive the winter thanks to your efforts, then you will not be able to get a full-fledged beautiful flower from them. Therefore, we choose the strongest and most beautiful plants, cut off their stems, leaving a "stalk" 10-12 centimeters high above the ground.
We are determined with the time of digging out the tubers. Many gardeners recommend waiting for the onset of frost and only then start harvesting future planting material for wintering. But it is still better not to leave the roots in the ground until such time, since frost can damage them slightly, which will lead to decay during storage. Therefore, we begin to dig up the roots 2-3 weeks before the expected cold snap (you can track it according to the weather forecast, now on some sites there is a forecast for a month).
We begin to dig very carefully so as not to damage the tubers. It is best to dig in the plant "with a margin" so as not to touch the roots. After everything is dug up, we leave for a while (I usually leave for a day) the roots along with a lump of earth to dry. After that, we carefully clean the planting material from the soil. Important: never wash the roots! Yes, of course, they will become clean, but they will not survive the winter if you do not suddenly dry them out (and it is much more difficult to dry washed roots than freshly dug ones). The entire process of preparing tubers, from digging up to cleaning from soil, should take no more than two days!
Putting dahlias for storage: storage methods
The stage of preparing planting material for winter storage is over. Now it is important to properly store everything so that our work is not wasted. There are several storage methods with which you can save planting material not only in the country, in the shed, basement, but also in the apartment.
Method one
We put well-dried roots in boxes, previously covered with paper (you can also use newspapers). Then we cover well with several more layers of paper (newspapers) and store them in the basement or any other cool place where you store vegetables.
Method two
This method is suitable for an apartment. For it, you will need paraffin wax and boxes (you can also take nets for vegetables). Gently melt the paraffin in a water bath, making sure that it is not hot. Then quickly and carefully dip the roots into it so that they are completely covered with paraffin. We put it in boxes or a net and put it in the closet or on the balcony. The main thing is that the place is pretty cool.
Method three
For it, we need storage containers and sawdust for filling up the roots. And in this option, it will take longer than a day to dry the roots. Leave the roots in a cool place to dry for a few weeks. Then put them in containers and carefully cover with sawdust so that they completely cover the tubers. The sawdust must be dry!
Recommended:
How To Grow Luxurious Dahlias Or Romantic Dahlias
Nowadays, dahlias seem to be the most common flowers. But even some 100 years ago they were a rarity, and 200 years ago - almost a curiosity. In the 19th century, even this name was rarely used. But in Russian classics, you can find another name for a flower - dahlia. Wealthy landowners, noblewomen, ladies asked artists to paint their portraits with a yellow distance on their chest - a symbol of elegance, sophistication and luxury. However, time has done its job. And now it has become available for everyone to purchase a landing
Rhubarb: Not Tops, Not Roots, But Petioles
While fruit trees and shrubs are just beginning to bloom and form tight ovaries, those who grow rhubarb in their garden harvest thick juicy petioles in May. It would seem that such a special thing can be prepared from these strange huge sticks? If you have never tasted rhubarb before, be sure to cook compote with it, make dumplings or bake a pie. Believe me, having tried it once, you will be glad that rhubarb is a perennial plant, and in the next 7-10 years it will give more
How To Prepare And Use Dandelion Roots?
May is just around the corner - the month of dandelions. A lot is known about the beneficial properties of these flowers, but what do we know about the roots of the plant? How to procure them and use them correctly?
How To Properly Preserve Plants For Herbarium
The herbarization method provides for the preservation of plants unchanged, including the natural color of the leaves and petals of inflorescences. The dried elements must give a correct idea of the species characteristics and external forms, display natural beauty. With proper drying and storage, herbarium items do not lose color and quality for centuries. Let's take a look at how to properly preserve plants for herbarium
We Preserve The Summer Cottage For The Winter
In the fall, summer residents and gardeners not only "count chickens" and canned jars of pickles and jam. The dacha itself and the courtyard also need to be able to mothball for the winter, so as not to run into the usual troubles that happen to it and the land in the spring, if you do not work a little for its benefit in the fall. These are the steps a summer resident should take when closing the next summer cottage period
