Dahlias from seeds: cultivation and care. Planting material preparation

Dahlias are original decoration any flower garden. Thanks to nice shape petals and a rich colorful palette, these have won sincere sympathy and love all over the world.

flower description

In cultural floriculture, the perennial dahlia, planting and caring for which is a real pleasure for flower growers, has more than 10 thousand species that differ in the height of the bush (from 20 cm to 1.5 meters), the shape of the petals and their color. The stem of the flower is hollow, in ancient times it was used to accumulate water. The root part is a large cone-shaped tubers attached to the root neck with vegetative buds on it.

AT home cultivation perennial dahlia, planting and caring for which does not require a lot of time - absolutely unpretentious plant. An important factor, ensuring its active growth and rich flowering, is a properly selected soil composition. The best option is loose garden soil, preferably with an admixture of sand. Too not recommended nutrient soil, causing an active build-up of green mass, which negatively affects the abundance of flowering.

The perennial dahlia, planting and caring for which does not cause any particular difficulties even for beginner growers, feels comfortable in a well-lit, draft-free place. The plant tends to grow in width, therefore, when planting neighboring crops, this feature should be taken into account.

How to germinate tubers?

Many beginner flower growers are concerned about the question: "How do perennial dahlias breed?"

Planting and care (the photo colorfully conveys the bright attractiveness of the flower) will justify itself, subject to the acquisition of high-quality planting material. When propagated by tubers, the latter must be germinated before planting. To do this, you need to dig a shallow trench on the site, put the tubers divided into varieties into it, sprinkle with earth and cover with a film on top, thus forming a small greenhouse. After 2-3 weeks, when green sprouts appear on the tubers, the film can be removed and the plants covered only at night or when frosts are expected.

Tuber division

With the advent of the first sprouts, the tubers of the plant must be divided. Why is it not recommended to plant a bush as a whole? Firstly, the division of tubers helps to rejuvenate the plant and increase its protective properties. Secondly, when planting a whole root, awakening occurs a large number sprouts, which will cause a strong thickening of the future dahlia bush, as well as stretching and thinning of the stems. Thirdly, this operation contributes to the reproduction of the variety.

The tubers should be cut so that each part has a piece of the neck with 2-3 eyes. From one plant, you can get from 3 to 10 shares suitable for planting. They are recommended to be treated with a pink solution of potassium permanganate. Parts of root tubers must be slightly dried, and then germinated in sawdust or immediately planted in open ground. Properly carried out planting as a result will give a chic plant, loved by many flower growers. This is a perennial dahlia.

Planting and caring for flowers will be successful if pre-planting operations are carried out correctly. It is required to dig shallow holes, which are filled with compost or humus mixed with the ground. Estimated landing time is early May. If frost occurs during this period, plants should be covered plastic bottles or others suitable material. Tubers should be planted to a depth of no more than 7 centimeters. For tall plants, it is necessary to provide support, which is desirable to establish when the first shoots appear quickly enough; the plant will begin to bloom in July and will delight bright colors until frost.

Reproduction by cuttings

A fairly common way is to propagate dahlias by cuttings. To do this, the germination of tuber roots should begin in January, using a container with sawdust for planting. In March-April, when the sprouts reach 5-7 cm in length, they should be carefully broken off or cut with a knife. It is best to take root and give stronger branches shoots cut at the base with part of the root collar.

The resulting cuttings need to be planted in containers filled with moist soil, which are covered with glass or film until the sprouts peck. As containers it is better to use tight plastic pots or tin cans. Lack of space promotes the formation of compact thick tubers, which will grow into high-quality dahlias (perennials) in the future.

Planting and care, storage are the necessary components of the full cycle of growing these gorgeous flowers, which can also be propagated by seed, the most used in breeding work. It is also suitable for undersized varieties. Sowing of seeds is carried out in March-April in boxes with a sand-peat composition (3 to 1). The ascended shoots should be dived, and determined in open ground after the end of spring frosts.

Dahlia perennial: planting and care

The description of dahlia care comes down to providing information on such components as the timely removal of weeds, regular watering and top dressing. In June, the plant is recommended to be fed with urea, in July - with diluted manure, in August - with phosphorus-potassium preparations. With an excessive amount of green mass, part of the lower leaves should be removed, providing access to sunlight to the base of the stem. This action is necessary for good ripening of the roots for the purpose of their high-quality storage.

Watering the flower should be moderate, because waterlogging of the soil can lead to rotting of the roots and their death. Water supply is recommended to be done every 5 days. In order to avoid stagnant moisture, the plant must be provided with good drainage before planting.

In the first half of summer, tall plants are recommended to stepchild: remove the sprouts that form in the leaf axils. The number of stepchildren to be plucked depends on what flowers you plan to receive. If large, most of the stepchildren should be removed. To obtain an average size, shoots should be removed that have formed up to a height of 30 cm from the soil surface.

Tuber preparation and storage

The perennial dahlia, the features of planting and care of which are of interest to many flower growers, is a fairly heat-loving plant, so it will not be able to overwinter in the domestic climate. Immediately after the stems wither and the first frost sets in, it is recommended to dig up the tubers (with the whole nest) along with the shoots cut to 15 cm in length. The stems may be filled with accumulated rainwater, which should be poured out to prevent rotting of the tubers. The latter need to be dried for several days in the air, cleaned from the ground, and rotten ones removed. After that, put in a box, sprinkle with peat, sand or sawdust and store in a cool place at a temperature not lower than +10 ° C.

Diseases and pests

A perennial dahlia, planting and caring for which is a rather pleasant experience, can be affected by aphids and slugs that spoil the appearance of the plant and eat its shoots and leaves. Effective against aphids garlic infusion or insecticides. In order to avoid the appearance of slugs, it is not recommended to strongly thicken plantings that create an optimal moist environment for them. It is advisable to sprinkle the aisles blue vitriol or ash. Also dangerous pest is a two-tail that likes to crawl inside the plant at night and gnaw buds in it. In order to prevent its appearance once a week, flowers must be treated with a decoction of celandine or wormwood.

As for diseases, dahlias are affected by the "black leg", causing blackening of the stem and further death of the flower. If signs of this disease are found, the soil must be watered with a 1% solution of manganese. In order to prevent the planting of dahlias should be carried out in disinfected soil.

Dahlia in landscape design

This is such a wonderful plant - perennial dahlia. Planting and caring for it must be done in a timely manner and with high quality, and then the result of the work will surely please you. Flowers are effectively used for decoration landscape design. The plant looks original both in single cultivation and in group compositions. Low-growing varieties are attractive in borders and mixborders, suitable for growing in containers, on Alpine rollercoaster, terraces and balconies.

Dahlias are flowers that respond well to care and love. With quality care, such plants will bloom until frost and disperse the melancholy of cloudy autumn days.

Dahlia (Dáhlia) is a bright representative of the Aster family or Compositae. There are over 200 species of this plant. And regardless of species, they all differ in large, spherical flowers. Dahlia is not the only heroine beautiful legend. The birthplace of the flower is the mountainous regions of Mexico. The ancient Aztecs revered this plant and even ate it. Europeans palatability dahlias were not appreciated, but they really liked decorative properties plants. Since then, she has taken her rightful place in luxurious flower beds and gardens. You can use dahlias in flower beds, single and group plantings, on discounts, rocky hills, in containers. At the same time, combinations with various perennial and annual flowers are possible.

Landing and care rules

Before you buy dahlia bulbs in our online store, you need to carefully choose a site for planting. The plant is quite demanding climatic conditions. Dahlias are planted in partial shade and carefully monitor soil moisture. Tubers are prone to rotting, so you need to carefully monitor the moisture balance in the soil. It is recommended to equip the drainage layer from broken brick or expanded clay. The best time for landing in the ground - late spring and early summer. late autumn tubers are dug up and sent for wintering in a warm room.

Buy dahlia bulbs at the Gardener's Center!

On our virtual showcases, planting material of the most popular varieties of dahlias is presented. The purchase will cost you inexpensively, and delivery by mail will allow you to get bulbs of the best breeding varieties of this flower in a short time.

Perennial varieties of dahlias, unlike annual ones, require additional care from the gardener to ensure wintering. But on the other hand, the variety you like from year to year will delight the owner with luxurious flowering.

Perennial dahlias - description

Perennial dahlias attract gardeners with several advantages at once:

• numerous varieties - today it is more than 15,000;
• their diversity - different heights and sizes of flowers, interesting forms of petals (elongated, forked, twisted, etc.), a rich palette of colors;
• duration of flowering - from summer to the first frost;
• unpretentiousness in care;
• at proper care decorate the garden for many years in a row.

plant structure

Components of a dahlia:

• inflorescence, diameter from 3 to 30 cm. Basket of inner and marginal petals. Internal - tubular, most often yellow color. Marginal - petal, most different forms and shades;
• stem, height from 20 to 150 cm. Thick, but hollow inside - it can break under load, so tall varieties require additional support for the stem;
• root system- large tubers (or root cones);
• root neck - vegetative buds are located on it, tubers are attached to it. A stem sprouts from the neck, so if it is damaged, the entire dahlia dies.

Life cycle of a dahlia

Usually dahlias reproduce by tubers. Dahlias, grown from seeds or cuttings, form a root tuber in a year, suitable for planting on next year.

For the winter, the tubers are removed from the soil. With the onset of spring, the tubers germinate, shoots appear from the "eyes" on the root neck. After the establishment of heat, planting is carried out in the ground, the tubers take root, the stem grows, and inflorescences appear. Flowering and seed production continues until frost. For the winter, the stems are cut, the tubers are carefully dug out, cleaned and stored until the new growing season so as not to damage the root neck.

Growing conditions

Dahlias are unpretentious in care, but for their successful growth and flowering, as well as obtaining healthy tubers, a number of conditions must be observed.

What dahlias love:

• warmly. They can only be planted when frosts no longer threaten, otherwise the flowers will die;
• light. For successful development, they need to spend 6-7 hours a day in the sun;
• moderate watering. Dahlias tolerate both dryness and excess moisture equally poorly. The soil should be moist, but not flooded with water;
• loose, moderately fertile soil, best option- sandy or loamy;
• free space. When planting, you should take into account the estimated size of the bush and do not plant them close to each other.

What dahlias don't like:

• wrong winter. Abandoned for the winter open field tubers will die. They need winter holidays in a cool dark place;
• lack of light. Dahlias should not be planted in shady places. With insufficient lighting, the flowers will be small and dim, and the formed weak tubers will not be able to successfully overwinter;
• improper watering. Lack of moisture will lead to poor plant growth. Excessive watering will cause tuber rot and death of the dahlia;
• excess fertilizer. It leads to the growth of green mass to the detriment of flowering. Overfeeding with nitrogen fertilizers is especially undesirable.
• strong wind. Dahlias should not be planted on open places. A strong gust of wind can break a hollow stem weighed down by a heavy flower.
• landing crowding. Dahlia bushes grow in breadth, which must be taken into account when planting.

Methods for propagating perennial dahlias

For cultivation perennial varieties you can plant seeds, cuttings or tubers.

Reproduction by seeds

Seeds are planted in seedling boxes and in open ground when warm weather sets in. But experienced gardeners consider this method unreliable, more suitable for annual dahlias. When grown from seeds, dahlias may lose the quality characteristics of the variety.

Propagation by cuttings

Cuttings, carried out according to the rules, allow you to grow a healthy high-quality bush.

To obtain cuttings, the tubers begin to germinate in January-February, placing them in sawdust (sand) and watering moderately to maintain moisture. The emerging sprouts are grown up to 6-10 cm, and then cut off or broken out together with a small "heel" - part of the root collar. Required length sprouts reach around April-May.

After cutting the sprouts, the tuber gives new shoots. You can grow up to three generations of sprouts, but each time the quality of the planting material deteriorates.

Cut cuttings are planted in wet sand and covered with a film (glass, plastic bottles). Before germination, the cuttings must be watered and ventilated. Then they are planted in open ground.

It is better to germinate cuttings in small containers - the lack of free space forms large, strong, high-quality tubers.

Reproduction by division of tubers

3-4 weeks before planting in open ground, the tubers must be germinated - approximately March-April. The tubers are brought into the house and inspected. After removing the damaged areas, the tubers are disinfected with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Sections can be powdered activated carbon. Prepared tubers are planted with the root neck up in wet sand or sawdust and covered with a layer of about 6 cm. Germination requires sunlight and the air temperature is about 20 0 C. After the appearance of "eyes", it is recommended to divide the tubers. This method strengthens and rejuvenates the plant, avoids excessive density of future bushes. Each part should have two or three "eyes". After germination, the separated tubers are ready for open ground.

Preparation before boarding

Planting material needs to be prepared for planting.

Selection of seedlings

Quality planting material is required. If it is prepared independently, then you need to take care of proper wintering. Only healthy large tubers are selected for planting and receiving cuttings.

If the material for planting is bought, then it is necessary to contact trusted sellers, shops and nurseries. For purchase, tubers and cuttings are selected without flaws, strong, with sprouts that have already appeared.

Location selection

The landing site should be illuminated by sunlight for at least 6 hours a day. Dahlias should be protected from strong drafts. Flowers will not grow in a wetland, drainage should be taken care of.

It is necessary to evaluate the landing site from an aesthetic point of view, so that future flowers fit optimally into the overall composition of the flower bed.

Soil preparation

The best option is moderately fertile loamy or sandy soil. Wetlands are not suitable.

The earth must be dug up well with the addition of compost, with increased acidity, wood ash or lime is added, and acidic peat compensates for the increased alkali.

Landing in open ground

It should be transplanted after the soil has warmed up, when the frosts have already passed, around the beginning of May. The tubers are placed at a depth of 7-10 cm. The holes are placed at a distance that takes into account the growth of future bushes: undersized - by 50-60 cm, tall - by 80-90 cm from each other. Fertilizers and sand mixed with soil are added to the wells. For tall varieties, a support peg is immediately fixed nearby.

Tubers are placed in holes and covered with soil. The distance from the root neck to the surface is no more than 2-3 cm. After planting, water with warm water.

Features of care

Caring for dahlias is simple, but essential.

Watering

The frequency of watering depends on the air temperature and the type of soil. The soil should be moist, but moisture should not be allowed to stagnate at the roots so that they do not rot. Therefore, when selecting a site for planting and preparing the hole, it is necessary to take care of good drainage.

Watering should either early morning or after sunset. When watering, water should not fall on the leaves - rotting may begin. Watering stops in September

Loosening and mulching

A dried crust may appear on the soil around the bush, so the earth should be loosened for oxygen to enter. This should be done very carefully, because. the tool can damage the roots.

You can carry out mulching - surround the hole with a ring of peat, sawdust or compost 4-5 cm high, to protect against weeds and retain moisture.

top dressing

The first feeding is carried out 10 days after planting. Then fertilizers are added at intervals of two weeks, alternating complex mineral and organic top dressing. Nitrogen-containing fertilizers should be limited, and excluded from the second half of August. In the autumn, experienced gardeners advise carrying out phosphorus-potassium top dressing.

For dahlias, wood ash is very useful, which serves as additional protection against pests if you scatter it around the bushes.

Fertilizers should be applied after abundant watering - water reduces the concentration of fertilizers, otherwise they can burn the tubers.

Bush formation

Using simple operations, you can form a bush as you wish: accelerate flowering, increase the number of flowers and their size, etc.

Pasynkovanie - removal of lateral shoots of dahlias. This will speed up flowering, increase the size of the flowers and the length of the stem.

Pinching - removal of the central inflorescence on each shoot immediately after the appearance. The remaining buds will produce larger inflorescences.

Pinching - pinching the shoots that appeared after the appearance of the buds. The number of pinches depends on the plant: the stronger the bush, the more shoots you can leave. Pinching improves bud development.

Withered flowers should be cut off.

Low-growing bushes do not need to be formed.

Pest and disease control

Aphids, slugs and two-tails eat dahlia greens. Garlic or soap solution helps with aphids. Slugs and earwigs are repelled by a decoction of celandine and wormwood. To protect against them, the area around the dahlias is also sprinkled with wood ash. For prevention, insecticides are used.

Excessive watering can lead to gray mold disease and Fusarium wilt. In the first case, the leaves become covered with brown spots and fall off. It is necessary to reduce watering, remove diseased leaves and spray with a fungicide. With Fusarium wilt, due to contact with moisture, the roots begin to rot. It is necessary to sharply reduce watering.

The “black leg” is dangerous - the stem turns black and dies. At the first sign, it is necessary to disinfect the soil with a one percent solution of potassium permanganate.

Storage of tubers in winter

It is necessary to take care of the wintering of tubers. They stop watering in September, so that the tubers do not accumulate moisture. After frost, the withered greens are cut off, leaving only 10-15 cm of the stem. After 15 days, the tubers are carefully dug up, cleaned, and dried. For storage, the tubers are placed in sand or sawdust and stored all winter in a cool room.

Classification of perennial dahlias

More than 15,000 varieties are divided into 10 groups according to the structure of the inflorescence.

Simple dahlias (non-double)

The height is average (up to 60 cm). The diameter of the inflorescences is up to 10 cm. The core is flat, around the oval petals in 1 or 3 rows. Various coloring. Varieties: orange-red Orangeade; light pink Princess Matie Rose.

Anemone

Height up to 90 cm. The core of the "tubes" is surrounded by 1-3 rows of oval petals. A variety of colors, including two-tone species. Varieties: scarlet Comet; bronze Vera Higgins.

collared

Tall varieties, up to 120 cm. Flower diameter 10 cm. The core, which is made up of tubular petals, is surrounded by a "collar" of a short row of folded petals. The bottom row is large oval petals. petals different rows colored differently. Varieties: red and cream color Chimborazo; scarlet and golden color of LaGioconda.

Peony

Height up to 120 cm. Flower diameter up to 15 cm. Petals are large, oval in shape, in several rows surround the center of tubular petals. The core is usually yellow shade. Varieties: crimson Symphonia; red BishopofLandaff.

Decorative

Height up to 150 cm. Terry flowers different shades have a wide variety of sizes. The center of the inflorescence of tubular petals is surrounded by several rows of large flat petals. Varieties: huge purple Jocondo; large sunny Thames Valley.

spherical

Height up to 120 cm. Flower diameter 8-15 cm. The flower has the shape of a slightly flattened ball. The bottom petals are slightly twisted. Varieties: lemon Esmonde; Scarlet Doreen Hayes.

Pompoms

The flowers are small in size, with a diameter of no more than 7 cm. The petals folded into narrow tubes form a flower in the form of a ball in several rows. Varieties: pink Noreen; pale lavender Hallmark.

cactus

Height up to 150 cm. Flower diameter from 8 to 25 cm. The petals are folded into narrow tubes sticking out like cactus thorns. Several rows of petals form a "prickly" inflorescence. Varieties: white-pink Stars Lady; bright orange Park Record.

Semi-cactus

They differ from cacti only in that the petals are not completely twisted into tubes, but half. Varieties: white Aspen; orange-red Autumn Fire.

mixed

Features of the inflorescences of these varieties do not fall under any group. For example, more orchid-like orange and pink Giraffe, reminiscent of chrysanthemums in different shades of Andries Wonder.

The use of perennial dahlias in landscape design

Perennial dahlias can decorate any suburban area. Due to the variety of inflorescences, rich palette of colors, different height dahlia bushes are very suitable for shaping the landscape. Tall varieties look very appropriate along walls or a fence. Low-growing dahlias are great for bordering, solid planting, to be placed in separate containers. You can form separate groups of dahlias to decorate the lawn, but they will look no less organic in combination with other flowers in the flower bed.

Problems with storing dahlia tubers

Dahlias - perennials, rather tender and thermophilic. At the first autumn frosts, their leaves and stems turn black and die off.
During the growth period, dahlias form large fleshy tubers, where they store water and nutrients. High-quality, well-ripened tubers and a good storage place for dahlias are indispensable conditions for a successful winter dormancy of plants.

This is a "sick" topic for many dahlia lovers: how best ...
Florists practice. However, sometimes the unexpected happens. It happens that in severe frosts, dahlia tubers freeze slightly in the basement. Or spoiled the tubers during storage. But you never know what can happen in the off-season - after all, not everyone has a reliable basement next to their housing. Many gardeners store in the country and harvested crop, and dug up dahlias, and a variety of heat-loving ...

In the spring, seeing the collapse of their hopes for decorating the site with their favorite dahlias, gardeners are just in a panic - what to do?
But you should not panic. Especially now, when there is such an abundance of varieties of various annual dahlias on sale that can be easily and quickly grown from seeds.

At first I did not believe that this was a plant grown from seeds when I saw a huge, sprawling dahlia at my friend's site. A bush at least a meter high, covered with many flowers - not at all small, about 10 cm in diameter. It turned out that this chic bush was really grown from seeds, through seedlings!

Growing dahlia seedlings

Getting seedlings of dahlias is quite simple. Dahlia seeds are large; they are sown for seedlings usually in April (in the southern regions early - in March).

Shoots of dahlias appear quickly. Dahlias are actively developing, therefore, they require due attention.
It is important to pick up grown dahlia seedlings in time in a larger container. And it is better to transplant each plant into a separate pot (with a capacity of 0.4-0.5 l).
Dahlias are thermophilic and photophilous, so seedlings must be provided with sufficient lighting and kept in a warm place.

When growing dahlia seedlings, young plants should be regularly inspected. Special attention pay attention to the back of the leaves and the tops of the plants where it likes to settle. When the first pests are found, it is important to take urgent measures so that the mites do not destroy the dahlia seedlings.

If there is no time to deal with seedlings at home, then in early May you can sow dahlia seeds immediately in the garden: in a greenhouse (under a temporary film shelter or under a dense covering material) or in a garden greenhouse.
Fortunately, dahlia seeds are large, so it is not difficult to pre-soak them, and then sow less often. With the onset of sustained heat, at the beginning of summer, plant strong young plants on permanent place in the garden. Necessarily - with a clod of earth, so that the dahlias in the new place do not delay development due to rooting, but immediately start growing after planting.

Planting seedlings and caring for dahlias

By the time young dahlias are planted in open ground, it is necessary to harden the plants, accustoming them to fresh air and direct sun. Pre-adapted to new conditions, dahlias will thank you with wonderful growth, magnificent.

Do not plant dahlia seedlings close together or in the shade so that the plants are not crowded and have enough sun.
Take care of good nutrition and root comfort: do not hesitate to put a sufficient amount of loose, fertile soil in the planting hole.

Dahlias love moisture, so the soil at their planting site should retain moisture well during dry periods: dahlias “drink” a lot. Sufficient soil moisture contributes to the development of large and abundantly flowering bushes. However, in a damp place, on waterlogged soil (or where rainwater stagnates for a long time) dahlias can rot. And if the soil is too dry, the growth of dahlias slows down - then the plants look stunted, almost do not bloom.
from various pests, which sometimes spoil these plants in the garden.

Regular nutrition of dahlias is also important: over the summer several times their bushes. Then they will not hesitate to thank you with marvelous flowers!
And your friends and acquaintances will ask incredulously: did these wonderful dahlia bushes grow so quickly from a small seed with inflorescences of unusual shape and color?

So don't despair if something goes wrong winter storage dahlia tubers. This is fixable. You can quickly grow dahlias from seeds!
By the way, in the fall, you can dig up the tubers of "annual" dahlias and try to save them, just like ordinary perennial dahlias are stored.

I wish good luck to all gardeners in the new garden season, an abundance of a wide variety of flowers.

Galina Rusinova (Irkutsk)
www.vsp.ru

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1. Selection of varieties of annual dahlias.
2. Sowing seeds in open ground.
3. Growing seedlings of annual dahlias.
4. Planting dahlias in the ground.
5. Caring for annual dahlias.
6. Growing annual dahlias in pots and flowerpots.
7. How to save tubers.
8. Dahlias in garden design.

Growing annual dahlias is not difficult at all. Planting these annuals and caring for them will be within the power of even inexperienced flower growers. In addition, growing annual dahlias has its own advantages:

1. Unlike perennial varieties of dahlias, annual varieties grow well from seed. Drops out not an easy task- dig and store tubers until spring. It is enough to buy the seeds of the species you like and plant them in the spring.
2. Growing seedlings allows you to get flowering plants already in June.
3. The flowering of annual varieties is lush and long (lasts until the very frost).
4. In terms of cost, dahlia seeds are much cheaper than tubers, and more plants can be grown.

What is the difference between varieties of annual dahlias

Depending on the variety, annual dahlias differ in height, flowering time, shape and size of the inflorescence.

• Low-growing varieties with a height of 15-20 cm to 45-60 cm.
• Medium-sized varieties grow up to 1-1.2 m.
• Dwarf varieties begin to bloom much earlier than higher varieties.
• The shape of the inflorescences are simple, semi-double, terry, cactus, pompom.

On bags with seeds, the manufacturer gives a description of the variety, the timing of sowing and flowering. Based on this information, it is easy to choose the right variety depending on the planting site. For growing annual dalia on the balcony, in pots and flowerpots, and for decorating borders, and foreground mixborders, dwarf varieties are suitable, which are distinguished by early and intense flowering on compact bushes.

Popular varieties of undersized dahlias: Cheerful guys, Figaro, Dandy, Bambino, Vasilisa, Piccolo, etc.

Higher distances can be planted in flowerbeds and mixborders, in discounts, along the fence and wall. Medium-sized annual dahlias: Bright pom-poms, Cactus mix.

There are two options for growing annual dahlias:

1. Sowing seeds directly into the ground.
2. Growing through seedlings.

Sowing seeds in open ground

annual dahlias can be grown by sowing seeds directly in open ground. Dahlia do best on light, breathable, neutral or slightly acidic soils. Pre-planting land preparation can be carried out in autumn or spring. Introduce rotted manure, humus, compost into the area for dahlias. Coarse-grained sand and ash will help improve the structure of heavy earth.

When to plant. When determining the sowing time, it must be taken into account that sprouts appear within a week. Therefore, it is possible to plant seeds in open ground when there is no threat of frost.

Landing. Seeds are buried by 1-1.5 cm with an interval of about 30 cm. Since some seeds may not germinate, it is better to plant 2 or 3 seeds at once side by side. Subsequently, if friendly shoots are obtained, you can leave one, the most strong plant and move the rest elsewhere.
Water the crops, mulch or cover with a film to retain moisture.

Growing seedlings of annual dahlias

Growing annual dahlias through seedlings allows you to get flowering plants as early as June. In the first half of March, you can start sowing seeds.

A light substrate is poured into a plastic container with drainage holes up to a layer of up to 5-7 cm. You can buy ready soil or cook it yourself by mixing 2 parts of sod land with 1 part of humus and 1 part of sand. Instead of sand, perlite or vermiculite is sometimes added.

We sow seeds. Before sowing, it is advisable to shed the earth with a solution of potassium permanganate or phytosporin to prevent fungal diseases. Distribute the seeds on the surface and cover with a layer of soil up to 1.5 cm. Gently water the crops and cover with a film. In a warm, bright place, seedlings will appear on the 5-7th day.

How to care for seedlings. As soon as the sprouts hatch, the film must be removed and provided good lighting and optimum temperature about 20 degrees. If there is not enough light, it is necessary to organize additional illumination. In poor light, the seedlings are strongly drawn out.

Watering should be moderate as the soil dries. Dahlias cannot stand waterlogging, which can lead to the development of the disease - black leg.

Pick. In the phase of two true leaves, dahlias dive into separate pots, deepening the plants to the cotyledon leaves.

Two weeks after picking, seedlings can be fed with complex fertilizer. Repeat feeding after ten days. Top dressing should be carried out on moist soil so as not to burn the tender roots of young plants.
Above the third pair of true leaves, you need to pinch the top. As a result, will grow side shoots, the bushes will be more lush.

Planting dahlias in open ground

Before planting in the garden, seedlings must be hardened off. Plants are starting to take out Fresh air, increasing the residence time. As soon as the threat of frost has passed, dahlias can be planted in a prepared place.

The site for planting dalia should be sunny with a slight fertile soil. Humus or compost can be added to the planting hole, mixed with the ground. Water the seedlings well for two hours before planting. It is necessary to transfer plants to the planting hole along with a clod of earth so as not to injure the roots. So the bushes will take root faster.

The distance between plants depends on the variety. For undersized dahlias, the gap is 30 cm, for higher species - 50 cm. Planted plants should be watered and mulched.

Caring for annual dahlias

Annual dahlias are undemanding in care, which consists in watering, weeding and top dressing.

Watering

Dahlias do not like prolonged waterlogging, so you need to water the plants as the soil dries out. In dry, hot weather, watering can be increased up to twice a week. After watering, it is desirable to mulch the soil. Mulching helps retain moisture longer, and the soil surface does not form a crust.

Weeding

Weeding is necessary to keep the area around the dahlias clean. Weeds take moisture and nutrients from plants, access to light worsens. Weeding is best done on the second or third day after watering, while simultaneously loosening the soil. Loosening improves the air permeability of the soil and reduces the evaporation of moisture.

top dressing

At the beginning of the growing season, our dahlias need nitrogen to grow green mass. Therefore, if during planting seedlings were not introduced into the planting hole organic fertilizers, you can feed the plants with mullein infusions (2 liters of infusion per 10 liters of water). Top dressing is carried out a week after transplantation. The day before fertilizing, the flowers must be watered.

During the period of budding and flowering, dahlias need phosphorus-potassium supplements. Suitable potassium sulfate and superphosphate or complex fertilizer with a low nitrogen content. Two top dressings are enough: during the budding period and at the beginning of flowering.

With an excess of nitrogen, dahlia bushes begin to "fatten", i.e. increase green mass at the expense of flowering. In addition, such plants are more susceptible to infection by fungal diseases.

Timely removal of fading inflorescences allows you to prolong the flowering of dahlias, because. the plant does not waste energy on seed maturation and begins to produce new buds.

As you can see, caring for dahlias is simple and not complicated at all.

Growing dahlias in pots and vases

For growing annual dahlias in pots and flowerpots, dwarf varieties are excellent. Bushes of dwarf dahlias grow no more than 40-50 cm. Flowering begins in June and continues until autumn frosts. Many low-growing varieties of dahlias have been bred, suitable for growing in pots and containers, which grow in a low, compact bush with abundant flowering.

Pots should be spacious (at least 5 liters) with good drainage holes to drain water. At the bottom you need to pour a layer of expanded clay. The soil for planting is light, breathable, neutral or slightly acidic. Good results are obtained by adding hydrogel, vermiculite, perlite. These additives accumulate excess moisture, and then give it away as the soil dries.

Before planting, it is advisable to shed the soil with a solution of potassium permanganate or phytosporin to prevent diseases.
Caring for dahlias planted in flowerpots is somewhat more difficult than in open ground. Care will consist of more frequent watering, top dressing, timely removal of faded baskets. Fertilizers are applied after watering every two weeks. It is convenient to use complex liquid fertilizers. In August, all feeding is stopped.

In autumn, before the onset of frost, dahlias can be brought into a warm room, and for some time they will delight with their flowering.

How to save tubers

Annual dahlias grown from seedlings good conditions have time to form tubers in a season. In autumn, after the first frost, these tubers can be dug up and stored in a basement or other room with a temperature of about 5 degrees.

Undersized dahlias form small nodules that can dry out in storage. Therefore, it is better to store them covered with earth, peat or sawdust. Some gardeners store the tubers in the pots that the dahlias have been growing in all summer. But it must be taken into account that after a couple of years the tubers begin to degenerate, and the variety will need to be updated by sowing seeds.

Seeds can be collected independently, leaving a few faded baskets to dry completely. But dahlias grown from such seeds are likely to be unlike the mother plant.

Annual dahlias in garden design

Due to the variety of colors and shapes, annual dahlias can be planted both in separate groups, creating bright spots among the greenery of the garden, and together with other annuals. Here it is important to choose good combination colors of inflorescences and avoid excessive variegation.

Dahlias in flowerbeds and mixborders go well with delphinium, phlox, lobelia. Asters, kosmeya and zinnias suitable colors can also make a pleasant company.

Cactus-like and pompon dahlias, growing up to 1 m tall, will look good in the background of a flower bed or mixborder. Ornamental sunflowers can be planted next to them.

Dwarf varieties are suitable for decorating a border, a border and the foreground of a mixborder. The undersized marigolds and marigolds with their yellow-orange color palette will be a great addition to them.
Dahlias planted in pots, flowerpots can be placed on terraces and verandas, near garden benches and gazebos.

Diseases and pests of annual dahlias

Annual dahlias can be affected by fungal and viral diseases. The most common: gray rot, white rot, fusarium, blackleg, viral mosaic.
Pests such as aphids, scoop caterpillars, slugs and snails like to feast on juicy green shoots and delicate petals of annual dahlias.
To protect your flowers from diseases and pests, it is important to follow the rules of growing and carry out preventive treatments of plants.

An interesting video about caring for annual dahlias

Other useful articles about dahlias

1. Varieties of perennial and annual dahlias. On this page you can find the most different types dahlia. There are small ones (which can be planted in pots or on the balcony), and there are large and simply huge ones.
2. cultivation perennial dahlias. Detailed recommendations on choosing a location, planting dates, preparing tubers, growing seedlings and much more.
3. Diseases and pests of dahlias. Most effective methods control pests and treat diseases of your flowers.
4. When to dig and how to save tubers. Dahlias must not only be dug up in time, but also stored during the winter. How best to do this in an apartment, read this article.

Dear visitors " suburban area”, tireless gardeners, gardeners and flower growers. We suggest you take an aptitude test and find out if you can trust a shovel and let you into the garden with it.

Test - "What kind of summer resident am I"

Now there are many different annual dahlias from the "Jolly Fellows" series. Their coloring is quite diverse and they beautifully decorate various flower beds and rabatkas with their appearance.

Is it possible to store tubers of annual dahlias?

Actually growing annual dahlias is not particularly difficult, by the autumn they grow small bulbs (tubers), and then the question arises, how can they be stored in winter for planting next year? After all, the color you like from seeds for the next year may not work out, since the shade of flowers is not transmitted by seeds.

The most popular varieties of annual dahlias:

1. "Jolly Fellows" - the bushes of this variety reach 90 cm in height. Flowers bloom large and non-double.
2. "Mignon Mishung" bush height is 50 cm, blooms with small non-double flowers.
3. "Rigolleto" - the height of the bush is 50 cm, the blooming buds are semi-double and of small diameter.

Of course, it is possible to save the root of the bush you like, but this will require certain skills, since the one-year-old is more difficult to save in winter period because of their too small tubers. And because of their small size, they quickly lose moisture. Therefore, it is necessary to find a storage method in which thin tubers will feel good.

IMPORTANT! A place and a method are selected so that thin tubers do not lose moisture and remain firm and elastic.

How to save tubers of annual dahlias until spring?

Annual dahlias are stored in the same way as a perennial dahlia, only in order to avoid a large fallout of tubers, it is necessary to carefully monitor the humidity in the place where the tubers are stored. Therefore, when digging dahlias, the tubers are divided into 3-4 groups and they try to keep these groups different accessible ways, choosing for them what would be best for them in the conditions of a certain place of residence of the grower. Even storage in the basement, in one case, will work well, and in the other case, the tubers will die. It depends on various parameters:

• basement temperature in winter;
• from humidity;
• from too dry air at elevated temperatures.

IMPORTANT! To select a place for storing tubers by experimenting with different places and methods, therefore, they divide the tubers into different groups in order to decide in one winter period without large attacks of rhizomes.

Dahlia

Before proceeding with the storage of tubers, it is necessary to properly dig them. At the first sub-zero temperatures the foliage and stems of the plant turn black and they must be cut off, leaving a stump no more than 5 cm high above the ground, do this during the period when there is no rain, so that the main stem of the plant does not begin to rot.

When digging a bush, it is necessary to dig it from all sides so as not to damage the thin roots and only then remove everything from the ground. Having dug up the rhizome, shake off the ground and remove the spoiled tubers so that they do not damage the rest.

IMPORTANT! The tubers that have been selected for storage are washed well in warm water and soaked for a couple of hours in a pink solution of potassium permanganate. This is a procedure for disinfecting tubers.

Storage methods for annual dahlias

Storage of tubers in the basement- so that thin tubers do not dry out, you will need cardboard boxes and sand. Sand can be replaced with sawdust. First of all, the basement must have certain conditions in the winter:

• Humidity should be 60%.
• The air temperature should be within + 3-5 degrees.

Sawdust or sand is poured into the box at the bottom with a layer of 4 cm, dahlia tubers are laid out in one layer in such a way that they do not touch each other. There can be up to 5 such layers in a box, the main thing is that the height of the box itself allows. After that, the boxes are lowered into the cellar.

IMPORTANT! It is more convenient to store in one layer, as it is easier to check the tubers for safety.

You may be interested in:

Storage of tubers in a clay mash- prepared tubers are dipped in clay talker and dried for 3 days, then stored in boxes, pouring layers of wood ash. To get a normal talker for a 10 l bucket:

• Clay is diluted with water to a state of thick sour cream.
• Add a teaspoon of copper sulfate.

Storage of tubers in paraffin- for this method, the bush is divided into separate tubers. Then they are dried and dipped in heated paraffin. Then they clean it in a place where the air temperature will be within 5 degrees Celsius.

IMPORTANT! Whatever storage method is chosen, it must be remembered that only healthy tubers without mechanical damage are subject to storage.

Can annual dahlias be made perennial?

Since the birthplace of this beautiful perennial flower is Mexico, then the plant cannot survive the conditions of our winters on its own. And so he needs to overexposure until the onset of stable heat. Therefore, if you save the formed tubers until spring, then annual dahlias will become perennial. Of course, provided that the grower has a desire and a place where you can save thin tubers of annual dahlias.

The appearance of tubers in annual dahlias

Annual dahlias at good care in nutritious and loose soil, tubers can grow by autumn. Do not be surprised to try to save them until the next warm season, and then they will please their lush bloom almost a month earlier from seed-planted annual dahlias.