Dahlias are an original decoration of any flower garden. Thanks to the beautiful shape of the petals and the rich colorful palette, these perennial flowers have won sincere sympathy and love around the world.
Flower description
In the cultural floriculture of the dahlia, the perennial planting and care of which give gardeners a real pleasure, has more than 10 thousand species, differing 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 for the accumulation of water. The root part is large cone-shaped tubers that attach to the root neck with vegetative buds on it.
In home dahlia cultivation, perennial, planting and care for which does not require much time, is an 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. It is not recommended that too nutritious soil, causing an active build-up of green mass, which negatively affects the abundance of flowering.
Perennial dahlia, planting and caring for which does not cause any difficulties even for beginner gardeners, feels comfortable in a well-lit place that is not blown by drafts. The plant has the ability to grow in width, therefore, when planting neighboring crops, this feature should be taken into account.
How to sprout tubers?
Many beginner gardeners are concerned about the question: "How are perennial dahlias propagated?"
Planting and care (the photo colorfully conveys the bright attractiveness of the flower) will pay off if you purchase high-quality planting material. When propagating tubers, the latter need to be germinated before planting. To do this, you need to dig a shallow trench on the site, lay 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 shoots appear on the tubers, the film can be removed and covered with plants only at night or with the expected frosts.
Tuber division
With the advent of the first shoots of tubers, plants need to be divided. Why is it not recommended to plant the whole bush? Firstly, the division of tubers contributes to the rejuvenation of the plant and increase its protective properties. Secondly, when a whole root is planted, a large number of shoots are awakened, which will cause a strong thickening of the future dahlia bush, as well as the extension and thinning of the stems. Thirdly, this operation promotes the propagation of the variety.
Cut the tubers 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 the root tubers need to be slightly dried, and then sprouted in sawdust or immediately planted in open ground. Properly planted as a result will give a gorgeous plant, loved by many gardeners. This is a perennial dahlia.
Planting and flower care will be successful with properly preplanted operations. It is required to dig shallow holes, which are filled with compost or humus mixed with earth. Estimated landing time - early May. If frost is observed during this period, the plants should be covered with plastic bottles or other suitable material. Tubers need to be planted to a depth of not more than 7 centimeters. For tall plants, it is necessary to provide support, which is desirable to establish when planting a flower. The first shoots will appear quickly enough; the plant will begin to bloom in July and will delight with bright colors to the very frosts.
Propagation by cuttings
A fairly common way is the reproduction of dahlias by cuttings. To do this, germination of tubers should begin in January, using a container with sawdust for planting. In March-April, when the sprouts reach a 5-7-centimeter length, they should be carefully broken off or cut with a knife. Roots will be best rooted and will give stronger branches, cut off at the base with part of the root neck.
The resulting cuttings must be planted in containers filled with moist soil, which should be covered with glass or film until the sprouts are biting. As containers, it is better to use tight plastic pots or cans. The lack of space contributes to the formation of compact thick tubers, from which high-quality dahlias (perennial) will grow in the future.
Planting and care, storage are the necessary components of the full cycle of growing these chic flowers, which can also be propagated by the seed method most used in breeding work. It is suitable for undersized varieties. Sowing of seeds is carried out in March-April in boxes with a sand-peat composition (3 to 1). The sprouted shoots should be dived, and determined in open ground after the end of spring frosts.
Dahlia many years: planting and care
The description of dahlia care comes down to providing information on such components as timely weed removal, 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, ensuring access of sunlight to the base of the stem. This action is necessary for good ripening of roots for the purpose of their high-quality storage.
Watering the flower should be moderate, because waterlogging of the soil can lead to decay of the roots and their death. It is recommended to supply water once every 5 days. In order to avoid stagnation of moisture to the plant, it is necessary to provide good drainage before planting.
In the first half of summer, tall plants are recommended to be stepson: to remove sprouts forming in the leaf sinuses. The number of stepsons to be plucked depends on what flowers are planned to be received. If large - should remove most of the stepsons. To obtain medium sizes, the shoots formed to a height of 30 cm from the soil surface should be removed.
Preparation and storage of tubers
Perennial dahlia, the features of planting and care of which many flower growers are interested in, is a rather thermophilic plant, therefore it will not be able to winter 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 entire nest) along with the shoots cut to a length of 15 centimeters. The stems can be filled with accumulated rainwater, which should be poured to avoid rotting of the tubers. The latter, however, must be dried for several days in the air, cleaned of the earth, and removed rotten. 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
Perennial dahlia, planting and caring for which is quite a pleasant activity, can be affected by aphids and slugs, spoiling the appearance of the plant and eating its shoots and leaves. Garlic infusion or insecticides are effective against aphids. In order to avoid the appearance of slugs, it is not recommended to thicken plantings that create an optimal moist environment for them. It is advisable to sprinkle aisles with copper sulfate or ash. Also a dangerous pest is a double-tail, which loves to creep into the plant at night and gnaw buds in it. In order to prevent its occurrence once a week, flowers need to be treated with a decoction of celandine or wormwood.
As for diseases, dahlias are affected by the “black leg”, causing the stem to blacken and further death of the flower. If signs of this disease are detected, the soil needs to be watered with a 1% solution of manganese. For prevention purposes, dahlias should be planted in disinfected soil.
Dahlia in landscape design
Here is such a wonderful plant - perennial dahlia. Landing and caring for it should 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 landscaping. The plant looks original both in solitary cultivation and in group compositions. Low-growing varieties are attractive in borders and mixborders, suitable for growing in containers, on alpine slides, terraces and balconies.
Dahlias are flowers that respond well to care and love. With quality care, such plants will bloom to the very frosts and disperse the melancholy of autumn cloudy days.