How to grow beautiful and large dahlias at home
Lush and elegant buds of incredible colors. This is a dahlia, which will necessarily become an ornament in any flowerbed, in any garden. In ancient times, many peoples attributed this flower to magical power. Some tribes of South America used dahlia buds in their rites and rituals. And even now, according to feng shui, this plant symbolizes female energy and harmony in the family.
What is known about dahlias
This plant is a perennial grass withroots in the form of tubers. To date, there are about 15 thousand varieties of dahlias. Basically, they grow in the territory of South and Central America, Eurasia, Australia. In the vastness of our country, five most popular types are distinguished: decorative, globular, single-row, pomponous and mixed dahlias. In the flower garden, these flowers are perfectly combined with other plants, especially if others differ in brightness, such as asters.
Planting and growing dahlia
In the open ground tubers of this plantit is recommended to land in early May. Burying the rhizomes in the ground, you do not need to bury them deeply, in order to avoid decay it is necessary to leave about 1 cm above the soil level. After planting, the rhizome is recommended to fill with a small amount of water with potassium permanganate. It must be a weak solution. Experts recommend watering flowers once every three days. It is also important to remember that most varieties of dahlias love loose soddy soil and well-lit places.
Since May, this time when night frosts are still quite frequent, in the evening the place where the roots of dahlias were planted should be covered with dense polyethylene.
After the plant reaches 30-40 cm inheight, remove lateral shoots and lower leaves. Varieties of tall dahlias require additional support in the form of a rod, since it is likely that the stem will bend from the weight of the bud or from a gust of wind.
Care for dahlias
In principle, in the care of these flowers there is nothingcomplicated. The main requirement is a regular abundant watering twice a week (during a hot period you need water every day). For durability and lush flowering it is recommended to add fertilizing in the form of mineral fertilizers or humus. Also, we should not allow the close growth of weeds, pions and shrub plants, as they are able to pull nutrients and moisture out of the roots of Dahlia.
To flower buds formed large, it is recommended to do pasynkovanie - removing excess buds, shoots and dried leaves.
If you want to cut flowers, you need to do this at an oblique angle closer to the bottom.
Caring for tubers in winter
In no event should you leave for the winterrhizomes of dahlias in the open ground. With the onset of the first autumn frosts, the stems and shoots need to be cut off, and the tubers themselves must be excavated. When pulling the roots out of the ground, in no case do not grasp the cropped stems, as you can damage the foot of the base. Once the tubers are pulled out of the soil, clean them from the ground and rinse them in warm water, then allow them to dry for 24 hours. Dry rhizomes should be treated with a weak solution of potassium permanganate in water, and then placed in wooden or plastic boxes. Keep the roots of the plant in a cool, dark place, so that they do not start sprouting again.
As you can see, so that this plant will please you andyour relatives in the suburban area, it is worth taking a little care. Regularly give these wonderful flowers the life-giving moisture and from time to time look after stems and roots. By the way, dahlias are not only an ornament of any flowerbed, but also an excellent component of a holiday bouquet.
