Among the many ways to make a home area pleasant to the eye, traditional dahlias are popular traditional, the planting and nursing of which will not require any significant infusions or any special knowledge.
Landscaping - annual dahlias
Flowerbeds with dahlias of one year please the eye with the lush brightness of multi-colored buds. These flowers can be used to implement almost any design ideas: curbs, mixborders , flower beds and flowers , and simple decoration of their slopes. For group plantings, traditionally choose low-growing varieties, for single plants - tall ones. The peculiarity of this plant is that it can be grown both as an annual (sowing seeds) and as a perennial plant (digging a tuber for the winter).
To dahlias became a full-fledged decoration of the site in early summer, practice a seedling method of growing this plant. Dahlias annuals, planting and care which began with sowing directly into the flower garden, reveal their potential at the end of summer, when most other garden plants already bloom. Combining both these methods of cultivation of dahlias can be admired throughout their lush and bright flowering.
Dahlias annual - varieties
Deciding to plant on the site annual dahlias dwarf, you can safely purchase in a proven place seeds marked "mix". And get as a result of a bright flower bed of similar in characteristics (the height of the bush, the flowering period and even the color scale) and absolutely differently exotic dahlias. Those who prefer to know exactly what they will get at the exit, it is worth paying attention to the following varieties:
- "Merry guys" - it is only necessary to wait for the first buds of this variety, and it becomes clear that the name was given to him not in vain: bright, simple flowers with yellow centers look so cheerfully and fervently that, in addition to the will, they cause a smile;
- "Vasilisa" - an ideal option for those who want to enjoy the dahlias magnificence without leaving their own homes: a low sturdy stem and early flowering period give the opportunity to grow this variety on a balcony or a window sill;
- "Bright pom-poms" - a sort of July round dahlia, which is fully suitable for decorating garden paths and building facades;
- "Bambino" - miniature (up to 25 cm in height) terry dahlias with very large heads, blooming from mid-July to the most frost;
- "Opera" - large-flowered terry dahlias of gentle colors, ideal for framing flowerbeds.
Dahlias annual - planting
As already mentioned above, planting annual dahlias in the open ground is possible in two ways: direct, when the seeds are sown directly in the flower garden, and seedling. The first method does not cause difficulties at the stage of planting, but requires more careful care of crops: accurate thinning and planting. In addition, the earlier flowering in this case can not be counted. The seated method requires a fuss with lighting and picking , but after landing in the flower garden the efforts are reduced to periodic watering and fertilizing.
How to plant annual dahlias in the ground?
Let us consider in more detail how to plant annual dahlias in each of the cultivation methods:
- For sowing dahlias directly on the flower bed, small grooves are made on the surface of the soil, into which the seeds are laid and then gently pricked them with soil and watered. After the appearance of a young seedlings, the culling of weak and feeble sprouts is carried out.
- When planting seedlings under each bush dig a small hole, setting it so that the root neck was slightly above the soil level.
When planning a flower garden, it should be remembered that the place under the planting of the dahlia should be well-lit and protected from the wind. If in the penumbra there is still a chance to grow a more or less worthy specimen of this plant, then in the shadow of the dahlia are strongly stretched and lose the lion's share of their decorativeness. When planting seedlings, it is necessary to treat the roots very carefully - it is best to place the seedlings in a pit together with a clod of earth from the pot.
At what distance to plant annual dahlias?
Planting annual dahlias in the open ground should be done taking into account the fact that over time they will turn into lush green bushes, which will need a lot of free space. The gap between dahlias of low-growing varieties should be at least 30 cm, between tall ones - a minimum of 60 cm. Dahlias, annual planting and care for which were made in violation of these intervals, are compelled to compete for vital sun rays, resulting in strong stretches at the expense of the beauty of flowers .
When to plant annual dahlias?
Let's go into more detail with the main question, when to plant annual dahlias when grown from seeds? Time to sow them right in the flower garden falls on the second half of May, when the threat of night frosts is guaranteed to pass. Seedlings are made to move under the open sky in early June, having hardened some time. It is necessary to take care of sowing seeds in seedlings no later than the second week of April, so that by the time of planting in the flower garden, dahlias were ready for flowering.
Dahlias annual - growing
Pleasing the eye with a variety of shapes, sizes and colors, annual dahlias allow the most courageous designer's projects to be realized with a minimum of labor. Trying new varieties and unusual planting patterns, you can completely transform the site every season. What good dahlias are annual, that planting and nursing is quite accessible even to a person with a minimum of flower-growing experience and free time.
Soil for annual dahlias
As strange as it may sound, planting annual dahlias in the ground begins long before landing from the preparation of the land on the selected site. It must be digged, select the remnants of growing plants and make fertilizers: manure, humus or humus. For full flowering, the plant will need a lot of nutrients, while the soil must have a high level of moisture and air permeability. Both heavy loamy and light sandy soils will be equally inappropriate for dahlias.
Flowers of annual dahlias-reproduction
Everyone who at least once decides to plant dahlias in annual flower gardens, growing and caring will not bring any trouble. And the relevance will become the issue of the correct harvesting of seed for the coming season. Time to collect seeds is in October, before the frost has come. Faded heads should be carefully cut and dried, collect the seeds, and then put away for storage, packaged on paper bags. For reproduction, you can use and tubers, which are carefully extracted from the ground, treated with a solution of potassium permanganate and stored in a cool.
Dahlias annual - diseases
In the period when annual dahlias bloom, the causative agents of various fungal diseases, under the influence of which plants lose their external appeal, or even simply die, become noticeably more active. Among the hurts, the victims of which are dahlias, gray, brown and white rot rot, fusarium wilt and leaf spot. In the presence of different fungi, pathogens are provoked by the same factors: excessive thickening of plantings, cold and wet weather, excess nitrogen in fertilizers.
To cope with the problem can only complex actions, including removal from the flower garden and the destruction of all affected plants, in combination with the use of special antifungal agents (fungicides), for example, phytosporin or foundation stone. For prevention purposes, inter-plant intervals should be clearly maintained, well-ventilated and illuminated areas should be chosen for planting and should not be too enticed by watering.
Care for annual dahlias
Let's consider in detail how to care for annual dahlias, so that the flower garden could be considered a real pride. To do this, regularly remove from the flower bed weeds and fluff in it the soil, do not forget about periodic (no more than once in 7 days) watering, maintain the recommended intervals between the bushes and from time to time to carry out fertilizing. Dahlias annuals, planting and care for which are carried out according to these simple rules favorably differ from their fellow tribesmen who are grown up as horrible.
What to feed the annual dahlias?
These are such decorative flowers of annual dahlias that planting and caring for them are simply impossible without a small "dope". The first fertilizing is carried out at the stage of seedlings, about 20 days after pecking the sprouts from the ground. As the first fertilizer, a ready mineral complex with a high nitrogen content is used. Dahlias annuals, planting and care are accompanied by a regular (every 15-20 days) by applying a small amount of fertilizers for flowering plants, they are more likely to grow, actively bush and form large inflorescences.
Pinching annual dahlias
A question that is relevant to all florists, who are making the first steps in breeding dahlias, is how to pinch dahlias annually, and should we do it at all? Prischipka central stem helps to form a lush bush and stimulates abundant and earlier flowering. To get the largest flowers, except for prischipki stem is also recommended to remove (pluck) extra buds. This procedure forces the plant to direct all forces and nutrients not into leaves, but into flowers.
Transplantation of annual dahlias
Like other flowering plants, anxiety-transplant from place to place of dahlia is only in the most extreme cases. The safest option is how to transplant the annual dahlias - to move them to a new place of residence together with a clod of land. In the landing pit, it is not superfluous to add a little wood ash, and after planting abundantly watered. Carry out such work best in cloudy, cool weather.