Planting Dahlias

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

It is very difficult to grow dahlias, since caring for them requires knowledge and patience - this is both digging the earth and storing tubers in the form of planting material. But usually flower growers are not afraid of such difficulties, since the result is worth the effort and time spent. As a rule, dahlias are grown by seed

There are annual and perennial varieties of this flower culture. Representatives of each variety are beautiful and versatile in their own way. There are many dahlias that are sold as seeds at flower shops. For example, Coltness Hybrids has many multi-colored inflorescences, and reaches a height of half a meter, Redskin is characterized by the presence of bronze leaves, Rigoletto has miniature flowers with a double texture. There is the possibility of planting flower seeds in the open air in mid-May, although in this case dahlia bloom can only be observed by August. If the florist wants the brightest phase in the development of the dahlia to come early, then you can first germinate the seeds.

For germination, seeds are sown in greenhouses and plastic containers in early April. But in this case, the calcined sand should serve as soil. Seeds are planted here and sprinkled on top with another layer of sand. All this should then be watered abundantly so that the soil becomes moist, and then covered with a polyethylene film. The entire process takes approximately ten days. The air temperature during this period should be from twenty-five to twenty-seven degrees. After that, it is required to pick the sprouts into separate containers for growing.

The soil in the pots must be loose and moist. You can either buy it or create it yourself. In the second situation, the florist will need to mix one part of sand and peat and two parts of leafy earth. Approximately three days before the procedure in the form of a pick, the soil should be treated with a manganese solution at the rate of 70%. Its color should be deep pink. After the picking has been carried out, the seedlings need to be watered, but only when the soil dries up a little. Dahlias can be planted in the garden or in the garden no earlier than mid-May.

Dahlia planting site

Before you start preparing operations for planting dahlia flowers, you need to qualitatively determine the place for growing this crop. Dahlias do not like drafts at all, although their planting area should be well lit and ventilated. Thus, the dahlia planting site should be well lit by the sun, but at the same time protected from strong and harsh wind currents. As for the soil in the garden, it must have good drainage, water permeability and the content of the mass of nutrients. With regard to acidity, dahlias are unpretentious - neither its excess nor deficiency will interfere with the growth and development of flower culture. Although dahlias feel best of all on a neutral or weakened acidic soil zone. If the soil is very acidic, then slaked lime can be added to the site, and acidity that is too deficient can be increased with peat.

In the autumn period of the year, during the digging of soil on the site, the summer resident needs to apply it to a flower bed or garden bed where dahlias, compost and humus will grow at the rate of about three to five kilograms per square meter of territory. In the spring season, before planting, mature compost (that is, not deciduous) can be scattered over the area. Wood ash is also well suited for these purposes. Then all this needs to be hardened with a rake. You can create prevention against diseases by changing the place of planting flowers annually, so that the soil can rest from dahlias for three years. Dahlias should not be planted in places where asters or other crops used to grow, often subject to fungal infections.

How to prepare dahlia tubers for planting?

The preparation of planting material for dahlias (that is, tubers) should begin in April. These elements are cleaned of overdried root processes and damaged areas. All these places then need to be smeared with brilliant green. Further, such tubers are planted in pots with fertile soil or peat, but the tubers should protrude two to three centimeters above the ground. In this state, they should be about fourteen days at a temperature of eighteen degrees. After bud formation, the tubers need to be cut into pieces so that each of them has a root collar. Up to five such parts can be obtained from one tuber. Then they are germinated in special boxes, and only after removing excess shoots are they planted in the open air.