Dahlias: growing annuals from seed

It is impossible not to love dahlias - they are stunningly beautiful, they are distinguished by lush flowering and a variety of colors, this applies to both perennial and annual species. But annuals have a couple of advantages - already in June you will get flowering plants, and you won't have to puzzle over how to preserve the tubers in winter, since you can grow flowers from seeds again next year.

Annual dahlias

Annual dahlias, in turn, are divided into several more categories: undersized, medium-sized (grow up to one meter in height) and dwarf. And they are also cactus, simple, pompom, double and semi-double - these definitions describe the type of inflorescence. Dwarf varieties will look very impressive in flowerpots and tubs, undersized varieties will decorate any flower bed, and higher species can be planted along the fence. All of them are propagated by seeds, tubers are formed in the process of growth, and with some effort you can even try to preserve them. But believe me, seeds are easier and more reliable! The most famous variety of annual dahlias is Funny guys, a riot of colors and no problems in growing. Dahlias are grown in two ways: by sowing in the ground or through seedlings.

Dahlias: open field sowing

Whichever method of planting you choose, pre-disinfect the seeds by keeping them in a solution of potassium permanganate or formalin for half an hour, then dry them and you can plant. The only thing that all dahlias cannot tolerate is frost, they die immediately and irrevocably. Therefore, when sowing seeds in the ground, keep in mind that seedlings will appear in a week, which means that the average daily temperature by this time should be definitely above zero. Put 2 seeds into the holes 1-1.5 cm deep (suddenly one will not come up), the distance between the holes is about 25-30 cm. If there are too many seedlings, remove the weakest ones (or transplant part to another place). The disadvantage of this method is that you will enjoy flowering only in August.

Planting seedlings

This method helps to get a lot of flowering bushes already at the beginning of summer, so most growers prefer it. The process begins in the first half of March. Prepare the seeds as described above, and at the same time disinfect the earth by spilling it with a solution of potassium permanganate for the prevention of diseases. Also place the seeds to a depth of 1-1.5 cm, water gently (it is better to spray with a spray bottle) and cover with glass or film. Seedlings should appear within a week. After that, remove the film and place the seedlings in a bright place, it is desirable to maintain the air temperature around +20 degrees. Dahlias at any age do not like excessive moisture, they tolerate drought much easier. Therefore, water sparingly and carefully so as not to damage the young sprouts with the water jet. When real dahlia leaves appear, you can cut them into separate pots (peat ones are ideal), while planting them a couple of centimeters deeper. Above the third pair of leaves, you can pin the top, this will stimulate the development of lateral shoots, giving the bushes splendor and volume. As the transplant approaches open ground, start hardening the seedlings by taking them out to the balcony or garden for 15 minutes at first and gradually increasing this time. When a comfortable temperature is established, and frosts will no longer threaten - you can transplant dahlias into the garden. A couple of hours before transplanting, water the seedlings well - this will allow you to move the dahlias with a lump of soil without injuring the root system.If you grew seedlings in peat pots, then this problem is not worth it, just plant with the pot.

Dahlias: care

Caring for any plants is based on three whales: watering, weeding, fertilizing. Annual dahlias are no exception. We already talked about watering above - only if necessary. When buds begin to appear, watering is further reduced, and during a violent flowering it can be stopped altogether, the plant at this time does not really need moisture. But first of all, start from the weather conditions and the amount of precipitation and the well-being of the plants - you will understand by their appearance if they do not have enough moisture. Weeding is necessary to reduce the likelihood of disease and pests. In addition, weeds pull nutrients out of the ground for flowers. When weeding, be sure to loosen the soil to make it easier for air to reach the roots. In the first weeks after transplanting into the ground, dahlias require more fertilizers with a nitrogen content - it helps to actively grow greens. But do not overdo it with nitrogen, otherwise all the power of the bush will go into greenery, the number of flowers will be minimal. Then, during the appearance of buds and flowering, fertilizing with potassium and phosphorus is more suitable.

To prolong flowering as long as possible, promptly remove wilting inflorescences. If this is not done, the plant will focus on the maturation of the seeds, and not on the emergence of new flowers.

Flowers in garden design

Dahlias are beautiful and versatile, they can be placed as a separate group or in a mixed flower bed. They go well with any color. Higher varieties can be placed in the background and will be a great backdrop for other flowers. Low-growing varieties can be planted as a curb. And dwarf dahlias will look gorgeous in flowerpots, pots and tubs. Take containers with a volume of at least five liters with a drainage hole, pour expanded clay on the bottom. The primer can be mixed with the hydrogel to help keep moisture in the right amount longer. Such containers with dahlias can be placed on the veranda, terrace, porch, in the gazebo, next to the benches in the recreation area. And the beauty is that you can move the flowerpots depending on your mood. And in the fall, before frost, you can take them into the house, thereby slightly extending the summer.

Collection of planting material

With a high degree of probability, I will assume that the seeds you bought were a mixture of colors. So the color of your plants was a surprise. At the end of summer, you have the opportunity to collect the seeds of exactly those plants that you like the most. To do this, leave the inflorescences of the desired shade on the bush until completely dry, and then collect the seeds (if necessary, you can dry them indoors), arrange them in pre-prepared paper bags and sign the year of collection and the color of the plant. If you grew dahlias using the seedling method, then perhaps they managed to form tubers by the fall. You can try to save them too. To do this, carefully dig it out without shaking off the ground, cut the stem and store it in the cellar or basement, putting it in a box and covering it with sand. If the tubers overwinter (do not get sick or dry out), then in May they can be planted.

As you can see, it doesn't take any complicated or tricky tricks to grow these extraordinary, vibrant and stunningly diverse flowers. In my opinion, the biggest difficulty is to choose from the variety of options offered, because you want everything at once. Try it once and I can assure you that the number of varieties of annual dahlias will grow in your garden every year!