A flower garden consisting of dahlias evokes admiration and pleasure from the abundance of color palette and variety of flower shapes. And this beauty forces the gardener to grow seedlings every year, so that from June until the very frost there will be dahlias in the garden.

The article discusses how best to sow seeds and care for seedlings and flowers.

The birthplace of dahlias is considered Central America and the southern part of the North. In ancient times, its tubers were used by the country's aborigines for food, and its long hollow stems were used as water pipes.

This plant came to Europe as a vegetable crop, but its taste did not satisfy the high demands of the Old World. But the luxurious flowers charmed and won the hearts of Europeans. Since then, dahlias have become a favorite decoration of gardens, and the varietal variety numbers more than one hundred.

Undoubtedly, dahlias are very beautiful and spectacular flowers, therefore they play an important role in the landscape design of country houses and garden plots. But there is one point due to which they are not grown by all gardeners.

Perennial dahlias require annual autumn harvesting of the tubers, because harsh Russian winters leave the plant no chance of preserving them in the ground. In addition, the dug up planting material needs to be stored somewhere.

If you can’t do all this or simply don’t want to, then you can grow dahlias from seeds, like a summer plant.

However, a clarification should be made here: a flower can be called an annual, conditionally, since the dahlia tuber formed over the summer can be dug up in the fall and stored in the cellar for planting the next season.

Varieties of annual dahlias with photos

Dahlias of one year of life are not much different from perennials, and sometimes they win the competition. First of all, this concerns the early flowering of low varieties.

The height of the stem of annual varieties ranges from 25 to 100 cm, and this expands the possibilities of using the flower in decorating a summer cottage.

Figaro variety

A compact bush from 35 to 45 cm in height forms a flowering ball, because it grows in width by 30 cm. Inflorescences 6-7 cm in diameter will appear on the plant from July until frost. The color of the flower petals can be white, yellow, orange, pink, purple, red or burgundy.

Looks great in containers and flowerpots. Used in combination with other summer flowers in flower beds and mixborders. Serves as decoration for balconies and open terraces.

It is a mix of flowers of a wide variety of colors. Yellow, orange, pink, purple double inflorescences, up to 12 cm in diameter, will be indispensable in a mixed flower garden and high border. Single and group plantings of flowers, the height of which reaches 60 cm, look impressive on lawns.

The most famous variety of annual dahlias. A plant up to 50 cm tall forms a large number of stems that branch very strongly. Thanks to this, flowering does not stop for a single day. The inflorescences are flat, up to 10 cm in diameter, colored yellow, white, red and pink. Having blossomed in July, they will bloom until frost.

This variety will delight the gardener with bright flowering throughout the summer season. A compact flower, 45 cm high, looks good in containers and pots. Well suited for growing in balcony boxes. The color of the petals can be white and pink, yellow and red. And if you pinch the main stem of a plant, you can get a voluminous flowering ball that will not leave any gardener indifferent.

Growing seedlings from seeds

When to plant seedlings

Having chosen a variety based on the height of the bush, the size of the inflorescence and its color, the summer resident can safely begin sowing them at the beginning of the third decade of March. One and a half to two months is enough for seedlings to develop before planting in open ground.

The flower seeds are quite large and a pleasure to work with. However, this circumstance requires larger seedling boxes so that the seeds, and subsequently the sprouts, do not interfere with each other.

Sowing

Fertile and loose soil will ensure friendly germination and nutrition of seedlings. It should consist of equal parts of turf soil, humus and sand. As with other types of seedlings, the soil is disinfected with a manganese solution, and then sowing is carried out.

• The seeds are placed in grooves cut at least 3 cm apart.
• An interval of 3-4 cm should also be maintained between seeds.
• The crops are sprinkled with a layer of soil, covered with film and kept at 25°C.
• Daily ventilation is necessary to avoid soil mold.

After approximately 7 days, shoots will appear, and the seedling container will need to be moved to the windowsill, not forgetting to remove the shelter, closer to sunlight. Its deficiency causes elongation and thinning of the stems. Such sprouts are less stable and can simply collapse under the weight of the leaves.

In the phase of 2-3 true leaves, seedlings are provided with a large feeding area. The sprouts are buried down to the cotyledons and moistened. Planting containers, whether common boxes or individual pots, must be equipped with drainage holes to drain excess water. Overmoistening leads to putrefactive diseases of the root system and the entire plant as a whole.

10-14 days after transplantation, the plant is fed with complex mineral fertilizers, and the rest of the care consists of timely watering.

At the end of May there comes a period when most of the seedlings from the windowsill move to the country house. Dahlias will be no exception, but first they must be hardened. This is a gradual adaptation of seedlings to external weather conditions.

Some gardeners practice the method of hardening off in the refrigerator, but this option will not be optimal if there are a lot of seedlings. It can be used when flowers are grown in single copies to decorate balconies and loggias.

For gardeners, it is best to carry out these activities directly at the dacha, where it is possible to shelter the flower from the wind with a wall of the house or a tall plant. If you have not been able to prepare the beds for dahlias since the fall, then you can do this while the seedlings are waiting their turn to be planted.

The soil is dug up with the addition of humus and mineral fertilizers. Fresh manure can be applied only during autumn tillage. Excess nitrogen will cause active development of stems and shoots, and flowering will be delayed for a long time.

Flowers are planted in an open sunny place, but it must be protected from winds and drafts. Dahlia loves warmth and light and thanks for this with lush and long flowering.

When planting, tall varieties should be provided with support so that the stems do not fall to the ground under the weight of the flowers. It is installed simultaneously with planting the flower. This measure prevents damage to the root system. There should be about 70 cm between plants.

The distance between flowers of average height is 50 cm, and 30 cm will be enough for dwarf dahlias.

The first feeding is carried out two weeks after the flower is transplanted. It should include potassium and phosphorus. First the plant is watered clean water, and then a solution with fertilizers. This way the dahlia roots will not be burned.

• To maintain the beauty of the bush, faded inflorescences are removed, but if the summer resident plans to get his own seeds, then a few inflorescences should be left.
• Watering as the soil dries out, fertilizing with mineral fertilizers and keeping the root area clean will not cause the gardener much trouble.
• Pollination of the soil around the stems with wood ash simultaneously serves as fertilizer and protection from diseases and pests.

Pests and diseases

By observing the necessary requirements when growing seedlings and cultivating the soil, you can avoid the plants being damaged by many diseases, but if this does happen, then it is better to know the enemy by sight.

Leaf spot most often occurs when the planting is too dense and there is no air circulation in the area with dahlias. It is expressed in the appearance of yellow-green spots, which grow over time and become gray-brown, with prominent dark edges.

If the disease was noticed in time, the affected leaves are torn off and burned, and the plant itself is treated with fungicides. “Fundazol” or “Oxychom” would be appropriate.
If the disease has started, the dahlia bush is completely destroyed, and neighboring plants are protected with the same chemicals.

White rot characterized by a change in the color of the base of the stems and their thinning. The fungus infects the plant at the initial stage of the growing season, and also affects the young shoots of adult dahlia. The cause of rot is excessive deepening of the seedling during planting.

For treatment brown rot the following drugs are used: “Fundazol”, “Gamair”, “Fitosporin”.
Fusarium wilt. The disease affects the tubers or root system of dahlia, which leads to withering of the tips of the shoots, buds and leaves. A pinkish coating appears on these parts of the plant.

Similar signs are characteristic of verticillium wilt, only the coating will be brown in color.

The cause of the damage is dense plantings, poor ventilation of plants, and waterlogging of the area.

Prevention consists of following the rules of agricultural technology, and fungicides are used for treatment: “Oxychom” and “Fundazol”.

Dahlias are also subject to attack by flying and crawling insects.
The succulent leaves of the flower become a favorite treat for caterpillars, which appear as a result of the “work” of whiteflies, whiteflies and other pests.

Caterpillars They eat foliage and young shoots, worse when they bite into the base of the stem. The plant begins to lag behind in development, and severe damage leads to its death.

If the number of pests is small, it is collected manually, but if it appears en masse, insecticides should be used. In this case, both the clutches of larvae and the insects themselves will be destroyed.

Aphid- a very small pest that settles on the bottom of the leaf and sucks the juice from it. The leaf plate becomes deformed, it curls and turns yellow.

If an aphid colony is noticed on a flower, these parts of the plant along with the insects should be cut off and burned. Additionally, chemical treatment is carried out: “Confidor”, “Fitoverm” and other insecticides against aphids. It is necessary to carry out prevention of neighboring plants to also exclude the possibility of their damage.

To appear slugs conditions of high humidity become a favorable environment. The pest is active at night, when they destroy the leaf apparatus.

Regular inspection of the plant and manual collection of insects, if their numbers are small, will protect the flower from death. Preventive measures - treating the soil around plants with ground pepper and ash - will prevent their appearance. And the drug “Thunderstorm” will destroy the pest when other measures are ineffective.

To decorate your garden with your favorite flowers next summer season, you can stock up on your own seed material. To do this, the strongest and most beautiful inflorescences are left on the plant after they have withered. It will take about a month and a half for the seeds to ripen, so it would be wiser to leave the first flowers for the seeds. At the end of September, in dry and warm weather, the dahlia baskets need to be cut off and kept at home for a little longer.

Remove the seeds from well-dried inflorescences and place them in paper bags, indicating the type of dahlia, its color and the height of the bush.

However, in the next season, the color of the inflorescence petals may differ from the parent color if the seeds are collected from a hybrid plant. But if the gardener manages to preserve a small tuber that forms on the root system, then next spring a dahlia will bloom in the flower garden, completely corresponding to the varietal qualities of the mother plant.

Growing dahlias from seeds: video

Not capricious, requiring minimal care when growing dahlias, it will decorate a summer resident’s garden with wonderful islands of beauty and joy. And in a blooming garden, difficult work is not so exhausting.

Currently, there are more than 40 natural species of dahlias. Based on them, breeders around the world have developed several thousand very beautiful hybrid varieties with unusual inflorescences. The most common varieties grown in garden plots include the following:

Dahlias can be annual or perennial. According to the size of the bush they are divided into:

• Giant - above 25 centimeters; ;
• Large - from 20 to 25 centimeters;
• Medium - from 15 to 20 centimeters;
• Small - from 10 to 15 centimeters;
• Dwarf - below 10 centimeters.

To grow dahlias, you should select a level place, well lit and protected from the winds. Therefore, it is better to plant them near buildings or small bushes. It is not recommended to be located next to large trees that will draw large amounts from the soil. nutrients and moisture.

The soil in the selected area should be loose, well permeable and contain a sufficient amount of nutrients. This is required for abundant flowering and the formation of full-fledged tubers. If the soil is heavy, then when digging you need to add humus, peat and coarse sand. If, on the contrary, it is sandy, then its composition is improved with the help of clay and compost.

To grow dahlias, you need to choose tubers with a large number of eyes and no signs of mold and rot. They should be of medium size, since large specimens are old and small ones are quite weak. Such tubers may not produce a full-fledged bush with abundant flowering.

Although dahlias grown from tubers are considered perennial crops, they do not survive overwintering in soil in most regions. Therefore, after the first frost occurs, the stems of dahlias are cut off, leaving about 10 centimeters above the surface. Then in the morning or evening sunny day you need to carefully dig the plant out of the ground, remove the remaining soil from the tubers, wash them, soak them in a weak solution of potassium permanganate, Bordeaux mixture or fungicide for about half an hour and dry thoroughly for one week. Before sending them to the room in which they will be stored, they are sprinkled with crushed activated carbon.

To grow dahlias, you need to choose tubers with a large number of eyes

To store dahlias in the winter in a cellar or basement, you can use various methods:

• Dried and processed tubers are placed in one layer in wooden boxes or cardboard boxes filled with sand or pine sawdust, and completely covered on top;
• Wrap each tuber in cling film and put in boxes or on racks;
• Place the tubers in special parchment bags filled with storage compounds;
• If several varieties of dahlias are stored, then it is recommended to label the containers with the name;
• The basement or cellar should be dry with good ventilation, air temperature from 1 to 10 degrees and humidity from 50 to 80 percent.

If the tubers will be stored in an apartment, then you need to make a special shell for them. To do this, melt 400 grams of paraffin and 100 grams of wax in a water bath and cool slightly. After this, dip each tuber in the resulting mixture and let the coating harden. The prepared planting material should be spread out plastic bags, sprinkle with sawdust or peat, and store in a cool place, for example, in the refrigerator in a vegetable drawer. In this case, the paraffin-wax shell will prevent the evaporation of moisture from the tubers, and low temperature will not allow them to germinate for a long time.

It is not recommended to plant dahlia tubers whole, as the plants grown from them lose their decorative properties. Using a sharp knife, planting material is divided into parts, each of which must contain a peephole. The sections are treated with wood ash and left to dry for several days.

After this, they are sent for germination in boxes filled with special damp, sterilized soil, this can be:

• Sand with peat;
• Coconut substrate;
• Sand with deciduous sawdust.

Tubers are planted for germination from the end of February to the beginning of May, depending on climatic conditions region.

Preparing a place for dahlias

It is advisable to prepare beds for dahlias in the fall. To saturate the soil with useful substances, you need to enrich it with mineral and organic fertilizers, for example, add 30 grams of superphosphate and 2 buckets of manure per square meter. It is also necessary to ensure that the soil reaction is neutral or slightly acidic. To reduce acidity, add 300 grams of slaked lime per square meter of soil. After this, the area is dug up to a depth of at least 30 centimeters and carefully leveled.

It is advisable to prepare beds for dahlias in the fall

In the spring, before planting, you need to add 30 grams of potash fertilizer per square meter of soil and loosen it deeply. Sprouted dahlia tubers are planted in the soil after the spring frosts have ended and the soil has warmed up to 10 degrees. With early forcing, the first inflorescences bloom already in June, and with good care, flowering can continue until mid-autumn.

In order to carry out correct landing germinated material, the following recommendations should be followed:

1. In the prepared area, holes are dug with a depth of 10 to 15 centimeters, depending on the size of the seedling, then they are spilled with warm water;
2. The distance between single plantings should be from 60 to 100 centimeters;
3. Tubers with sprouts are carefully removed from the box, placed in a hole, and covered with soil;
4. After planting is completed, the beds are well watered.

Flowers from seedlings

In order to grow dahlia seedlings from seeds, you should:

1. Fill the seedling boxes with peat-sand mixture and lightly moisten it;
2. Distribute the seeds evenly over the surface of the soil and lightly cover with substrate;
3. Plantings should be covered with polyethylene film or glass and placed in a warm room with good lighting;
4. Boxes with seedlings need to be regularly cleared from cover for several hours;
5. At good quality seeds, the first shoots should appear a week after sowing;
6. After the third leaf appears, the seedlings are picked into individual containers filled with a soil mixture of equal parts of turf soil, sand and peat. It is best if they are peat. In this case, there will be no need to remove the seedlings from them; you just need to place them in the holes along with the pot, which will dissolve in the soil.

Boxes with seedlings need to be regularly emptied from cover for several hours.

Planting dahlia seedlings in the soil is carried out as follows:

1. Two weeks before planting in open ground, dahlia seedlings begin to harden. To do this, take it outside and leave it for 10 minutes, gradually increasing the time to several hours;
2. 2–3 hours before planting dahlias, water the seedlings generously;
3. Holes with a depth of 7 to 10 centimeters are prepared on the site at a distance of at least 50 centimeters from each other;
4. The seedlings are distributed among the holes, covered with soil, compacted and moistened.

And from cuttings

Cuttings of dahlias allows you to get a large number of seedlings from one tuber. To do this, it is planted in a box with sand and peat and regularly moistened. After the sprouts that appear have reached a height of about 15 centimeters, they must be carefully cut off with a sharp knife above the first internode. After this, new eyes will appear on the tuber, and new shoots will begin to grow from the axils of the remaining parts of the shoots, which will be ready for cutting in a few weeks. In this way, you can get up to 30 cuttings from one tuber. There are other cutting methods.

Cuttings of dahlias allows you to get a large number of seedlings from one tuber

Cut cuttings are rooted in the usual way in seedling boxes with a nutritious soil mixture. Also, to form roots, you can place the cuttings in a container of water to which a growth stimulator has been added. With the onset of suitable weather, the rooted cuttings are planted in open ground.

How to grow dahlias from seeds without seedlings

Annual varieties of dahlias are planted using the seedless method. To do this, the seeds are sown directly into the ground after warm weather sets in. Planting usually takes place from mid-May to early June. To do this, form a flower bed in a prepared area, make shallow grooves on it, evenly distribute the seeds over them at a distance of about 20 centimeters from each other, cover them with a thin layer of substrate and carefully water them. Annual dahlias grown without seedlings bloom in early August.

Watering is important point for growing healthy and well-developed dahlia bushes. Both perennial and annual species of these flowers need to be watered abundantly, but only after the soil has dried out. With excessive waterlogging, various rots of the root system can develop, which, without timely treatment, often leads to the death of the entire plant.

For tall varieties, you need to install supports and fix the growing stems on them. Otherwise, they will break and the plant will take on an unsightly appearance. Both ordinary wooden or metal stakes and decorative elements for the garden area can be used as support for dahlias.

Watering is important for growing healthy and well-developed dahlia bushes.

For good growth and abundant flowering, dahlias need to be fed regularly once every half month. It is recommended to alternate mineral fertilizers and organic matter. To do this, you can use a superphosphate solution at the rate of 50 grams per 20 liters of water. For organic feeding, 1 kilogram of mullein is diluted in 10 liters of water or 1 kilogram of bird droppings is dissolved in 20 liters of water. 1 liter of the indicated nutritional compositions is poured under each plant. It is recommended to water the plants a few hours before applying fertilizer.

In rainy weather or when planted densely, dahlias may begin to rot their root system. Outwardly, this can be seen by fading stems with traces of rot. In this case, you need to remove the affected leaves and other parts from the plant. After this, you need to spray the bushes with a fungicide solution and spill it on the soil. Dahlias are also often damaged by aphids, thrips and Colorado potato beetles, which suck out large amounts of nutrients from them. If insects are detected, you should immediately treat the plants with an infusion of garlic or onion. In especially severe cases, an insecticide solution is used.

In order for dahlia bushes to have an attractive compact appearance, they are stepsoned

In order for dahlia bushes to have an attractive compact appearance, they are pinched, leaving three shoots on the plants and two buds on each peduncle. In tall varieties, side shoots are removed. This promotes the formation of larger and brighter inflorescences.

Of course, dahlias cannot be called completely unpretentious plants. But, having studied the rules for their maintenance, you can then spend a minimum amount of time and effort on caring for them. At the same time, many modern hybrid varieties of these plants allow you to create the most diverse and original compositions in your garden plot.

The plants received their name “Georgina” in the 18th century in honor of the German botanist I. G. Georgi. The flowers are bright, painted in all shades of yellow, red, white and purple. The plants do not require special care and bloom until late autumn, after which it is necessary to dig up the flower tubers so that they do not freeze.

The problem can be solved by replacing perennial varieties with annuals that do not form tubers. They are easy to care for and the flowers grow abundantly and everywhere. Flowering of annuals lasts from the first months of summer until early November. The “Jolly Guys” variety is especially interesting. This is a low-growing variety with single and double bright inflorescences that have a diameter of 100 mm. They bloom all summer, so they are often chosen to decorate flower beds.

Growing seedlings

On sale there are plant seeds of different heights, colors and splendor of flowers, and flowering periods. Dahlias with short stems bloom faster. Experienced flower growers advise choosing seeds from a mixture of several varieties or a variety mixture - seeds of plants of different colors with the same stem height. Many gardeners prefer to first grow seedlings, which are then moved into open ground. Seeds of annual flowers are planted in early April in the traditional way - in common containers.

In fairly warm areas, seeds are planted directly into the soil of greenhouses. If you plant them for seedlings not in April, but in March, then by the end of the flowering season, small tubers will form on the rhizome, suitable for digging, storing and planting next season. This method is suitable for those who liked the variety of flowers and want to grow it again. Before planting seeds, pour calcined sand onto the bottom of the container, and fertile and loose soil on top. Its composition should consist of:

• peat mixtures - 10%;
• turf land - 50%;
• rotted humus - 30%;
• sand - 10%

Seeds are planted in containers or individual cups to a depth of 1 cm and sprinkled with sand. Then the containers are covered with plastic film on top to create a mini-greenhouse and placed in a warm, well-lit place. The air temperature should be +25-27 degrees. Watering is moderate and, preferably, from a spray bottle so as not to erode the soil.

Shoots appear in a week, and after 10 days, in the phase of the first two leaves, they are planted one seedling at a time in individual pots or in a common container, but at a distance of 7-8 cm from each other.

The soil for seedlings must be prepared from 2 parts of turf soil and 1 part of peat and sand. Before diving, it must be disinfected to avoid diseases of the seedlings: spill with a hot, thick red solution of potassium permanganate. After 2-3 days, grown plants can be transplanted into this soil. After 2 weeks, the sprouts should begin to be fed with a 5% fertilizer solution for flower seedlings.

On the 15th of May, seedlings can be planted on the site. They need to be hardened off before planting. Therefore, containers with seedlings are taken outside for 15-20 minutes for three days. After hardening, the plants are planted in a prepared place on the site. This usually happens in late May or early June. Plants are planted in the ground at a distance of 20-40 cm from each other.

At first (5-7 days), it is advisable to protect them from unexpected night frosts. For this purpose, covering material is used - geotextiles and paper. Annual dahlias love warmth. A well-lit and windless place suits them. Bushes planted in the shade have pale flowers. The soil for annuals should be neutral or slightly acidic, moderately moist. If in advance, in the fall, the soil was fertilized with organic fertilizers, then the seedlings will take root well.

As the seedlings grow, they are thinned out, weak plants are removed, the soil around the bushes is loosened, watered moderately and fed with mineral or organic fertilizer twice a month. When the flowers fade, they must be cut off. In autumn, with the first frosts, the bushes are protected from the cold with geotextiles. Then flowering is extended for another 2-3 weeks.

Sowing in open ground

Some gardeners use a simpler method of growing annual dahlias - sowing the seeds in open ground or in a greenhouse. This work is carried out in May, when the risk of night frosts is minimal. For dahlias, choose a sunny and windless area. Organic fertilizers are applied to the soil of the site in late autumn. You cannot fertilize the soil with manure immediately before planting, otherwise the seeds or seedlings will “burn.”

Before sowing seeds, the soil is loosened. The seeds are planted at a distance of 3-4 cm from each other, slightly pressed into the soil and sprinkled with earth. The planting site is covered with plastic film to create a microclimate inside to increase the speed of germination.

When the seedlings grow up, the film is removed, the seedlings are thinned out, removing weak plants. If it’s a pity to throw away weak seedlings, then you can find a sunny place for them and replant them. When the soil becomes waterlogged, the root system quickly rots and the plant may die. Therefore, they should be watered rarely and fed with potassium-phosphorus fertilizers 5 times a summer. Then the dahlias will bloom magnificently until late autumn.

Caring for blooming dahlias

Annual dahlias do not require careful care and much attention at home. Dahlias need to be fed twice a month. Watering and fertilizing stop in August. Feeding for 10 bushes: dilute 30 g of potassium salt and 30 g of superphosphate in 12 liters of water.

Dahlia- a flower that Russian flower growers love very much. This is an unpretentious, beautifully flowering plant that deserves a special place in every area.

Dahlias are perennial and annual. Perennials reproduce by tubers, which have to be planted every spring and dug up in the fall, but that’s not all, these tubers must be stored in certain conditions so as not to spoil. If all this red tape doesn’t suit you, then real salvation is annual dahlia.

Annual dahlia is the same dahlia, but does not require the above-described manipulations with tubers. Such dahlias reproduce by seeds.

The homeland of the dahlia is South America . When this plant was brought to Europe, it was used in cooking. And only in 1815, thanks to the efforts of Belgian gardeners, this plant received the status of a garden flower. Since then, breeders from all over the world have begun to work on creating different varieties and species of this flower plant, and now there are more than ten thousand species.

Choosing varieties of annual dahlias

Annual dahlias are short and medium-sized, therefore, it is worth paying attention to this. Low-growing ones are planted in mixborders in the foreground or background, and they can also be used in monoflower beds; by the way, such flower beds with dahlias look great. Medium-sized ones are used for planting in the middle ground.
Low-growing varieties of dahlias bloom earlier. And this must be taken into account.

Annual dahlia flowers vary in color, petal shape and fullness. Flowers can also be large or small. Joint plantings of different varieties and types of dahlias look very good.

We sow the seeds of an annual dahlia for seedlings

At all, sowing dahlia seeds You can immediately plant it in open ground, but then the plant will bloom only in August. Therefore, if you want to get beautiful flowers much earlier, you need to sow seeds for seedlings. This needs to be done from the end of February to the end of March - beginning of April.

Seeds are sown in a box with soil prepared in advance. The soil can be taken from the site or bought at the store, universal or special for flower crops. It is advisable to calcine the soil in the oven and sprinkle it with a weak solution of potassium permanganate - these procedures will prevent diseases that are dangerous for seedlings. The seeds themselves do not need to be processed, but you can soak them in a growth regulator or complex mineral fertilizer - this will speed up seed germination and make the seedlings stronger.

Seeds are sown in small containers filled with prepared soil. The seeds should not be placed too close, the ideal is 2-3 centimeters from each other. The seeds are planted shallowly, only 1-1.5 centimeters.

For the fastest germination of seeds, the container with seeds is covered with plastic film. A greenhouse effect is created, which makes it possible to create ideal temperature for germination: 22-25 degrees. The box is placed in a warm place.

Seedlings appear in six to seven days. The main thing is not to miss this moment and open the film in time. Otherwise, the seedlings will not have enough light, and they will begin to stretch out, or they may simply rot due to excess moisture and condensation.

Picking annual dahlia seedlings

The seedlings dive when the second true leaf appears. They are planted one at a time in separate pots. The pots should be 10-12 centimeters in height - this will allow the root system to develop well. In order to avoid damaging the roots when transplanting into open ground, the pots must be peat. In general, picking is simply necessary if you want your dahlias to bloom as quickly as possible, because picked seedlings form the first bud at the end of May.

How to care for annual dahlia seedlings?

High-quality seedlings can only be obtained with good care. Only strong plants will withstand all the difficulties that await them in the future. open ground.

Initially, you need to provide the seedlings with enough light, otherwise the plants will simply begin to stretch out, thereby weakening.

Also, the place where the seedling box is located must be regularly ventilated, but without creating drafts.

It is necessary to ensure that the humidity level is maintained. Carry out regular watering. It is better if a spray bottle is used for this purpose - this will prevent soil erosion. But stagnation of water is also unacceptable. Therefore, you need to water only when the soil dries out.

Two weeks after the emergence of seedlings, they need to be fed with a universal fertilizer for seedlings or a special one for seedlings of flower crops, then this procedure is repeated, but only once a week.

In order to dahlia seedlings planted in open ground have not died, they need to be hardened off. You can start hardening from the end of April. To do this, the pots with seedlings are taken out for 5 minutes into a room with a temperature of 12-15 degrees. The time is gradually increased.

Planting annual dahlia seedlings in open ground

Annual dahlia seedlings

Plant prepared annual dahlia seedlings in open ground only possible when the soil will warm up well and the threat of frost will pass. In the central and southern regions - this is mid-May, in Siberia dahlias are planted V early June.

To annual dahlias If you are pleased with their abundant flowering, you need to take care of the choice of planting material for planting them. Dahlias Very love warmth, light and sun, so they need to be planted in well-lit places. Annual dahlias can withstand a little shade, but with significant shade the plant looks sick and weak, blooms poorly, and the flowers themselves become small and stunted.

Another condition for abundant flowering is good, nutritious soil. The plant does not make any special soil requirements for gardeners, but it would not hurt to create drainage.

Before planting dahlia seedlings in open ground, they are watered generously and waited for two hours. This method will reduce damage to the root system, and therefore shorten the survival period.

How to care for an annual dahlia in open ground?

Dahlia annual- This plant is unpretentious, but it also requires attention and care.

Watering. Dahlia does not like stagnant moisture, so watering should be moderate as the soil dries. You need to water with warm water at the root early in the morning or late in the evening - this way you will protect your plants from sunburn and don't let them cook.

Feeding. Like all flowering plants, annual dahlia requires additional feeding. You can feed with special complex fertilizers and growth regulators. Particularly many nutrients are required during flowering. During this period, potassium fertilizers are applied once a week and phosphorus fertilizers are applied once every two weeks.

Also, we must not forget about constant weeding and loosening.

Varieties of annual dahlia

Variety of annual dahlia “Jolly Guys”

This plant has a huge number of varieties and species, so every gardener will find something suitable for himself.

Most Popular a type of annual dahlia is “Jolly fellows”. Plants of this species are small: up to 70 centimeters in height. The flowers are single-row, non-double, but very bright colors what makes these flowers cute. The flowering period is very long: from June to September-October (or even November).

There are also semi-double, double, cactus-shaped, pom-pom, spherical flowers. Each species has an unimaginable number of colors.

Annual dahlia is a plant that deserves special attention. Its unpretentiousness, long flowering, variety of shapes and shades make this annual flower one of the best to grow in your garden. This plant will go well with almost any annuals and perennials. The annual dahlia will not get lost even among asters and petunias.

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Among the annuals in the arsenal of a modern gardener, there are types of crops that allow you to obtain amazing results with minimal cost. Annual dahlias in Lately were undeservedly “relegated” to the background due to the wide spread of tuber culture. However, you should not miss the excellent opportunity to get annual dahlias from seeds, because in this case a riot of different shapes and colors of buds will be guaranteed. Growing them from seeds to seedlings involves a long flowering period, starting from mid-June and ending in late autumn, until the establishment of snow cover. Dahlias are presented in a wide variety on the shelves in packets of seeds. The article talks about how and when to plant annual dahlias for seedlings in 2016 - advice from experienced gardeners will allow you to get the desired result if you follow the rules of agricultural technology. In the meantime, we suggest looking at the photo of dahlia varieties and their names:

Variety "Bright pompoms"

When and how to sow annual dahlias for seedlings in 2016?

This is the most important information for beginning gardeners. The more accurately the deadlines are met, the higher the likelihood of early flowering. You can calculate when to sow annual dahlias for seedlings in 2016 yourself, based on the manufacturer’s data given on the packaging. For example, a variety such as “Veselye guys”, according to the company, is ready to bloom buds 3 months after planting. The “Vasilisa” variety assumes even earlier flowering - 2.5 months after germination. By the way, seedlings appear very quickly - within 1 week after sowing. Using simple calculations, it turns out that dahlia seeds should be sown for seedlings in 2016 in the first half of March. And thus, by mid-June the plants will already be blooming.

Before planting annual dahlias as seedlings, you should properly prepare the soil and planting containers. It is also worth deciding on the varieties. They are described a little further on the page, which will allow you to get the most complete information about the culture.

Seed treatment is not required before planting. The soil should be light and well-structured, consisting of 1 part humus, 1 part sand and 2 parts turf soil. The soil is calcined in the oven for 3 hours, then poured with a hot solution of potassium permanganate and trichopolum diluted in water (can be bought in tablets at the pharmacy). Planting containers should be shallow, the height of the sides no higher than 7 cm. They are half filled with soil, which is compacted and watered. Seeds are laid out on the surface at a distance of 1 cm from each other. Dahlia seeds are quite large and it is easy to carry out similar manipulations with them. Then a layer of up to 1.54 cm of soil is sprinkled on top. Lightly top it up and put it under a film cover on the windowsill. Depending on the temperature environment Shoots appear after 5-8 days.

Picking seedlings of annual dahlias begins in the phase of 2 true leaves. To do this, you need to prepare peat pots up to 12 cm high and up to 300 ml in volume. 1 seedling is planted in the center of each, drop down to the cotyledon leaves. After picking, the box with seedlings should be placed in a cool, dark place for 24 hours. Then you can return it to the windowsill. Watering after picking is daily, but do not allow the soil to become waterlogged. The first feeding is carried out after 2 weeks, subsequent ones - once a week.

Planting in the ground is possible in the second half of May. Early transplantation requires film protection from frost.

Varieties of annual dahlias: names and photos, scope of use

The correct choice of seeds is exactly the event from which the future beauty of the garden plot begins. Varieties of annual dahlias are divided depending on the shape of the buds and petals, and their scope of use also differs. Let's try to understand all this intricacy. Choose suitable varieties of annual dahlias: names and photos will help you make the right choice.

The dahlia variety “Vasilisa” is a real find for those gardeners who, even in a city apartment, do not want to part with wonderful buds and bright colors. This variety is suitable for decorating balconies and loggias. It has a short and strong stem. The height of an adult bush rarely reaches 50 cm. More often these are compact, richly flowering bushes 40 - 45 cm high. They are sold in a mixture of colors, which is quite exciting. Look at the photo of this amazing variety of annual dahlia:

The dahlia variety “Jolly Fellows” is a real hit among gardeners. The plants are short in stature, which allows them to be used in flower beds, borders, garden paths, and balconies. They have a variety of colors. Simple form The bud has an elegant sophistication.

“Dandy” are semi-double buds with petals of different colors - from yellow to rich burgundy. A low-growing variety of dahlias is intended for balconies. The scope of use is not limited to this and can extend to garden beds, flower beds and mixborders.

“Bright pom-poms” allow you to get amazing round-shaped balls with a diameter of up to 10 cm. The main colors are blue, cyan, white, yellow and red. They grow up to 1 meter high, the stem is densely covered with dense dark green foliage. Flowering time is reached in mid-July. Suitable for growing along fences and building facades.

"Unwin's Dwarf" is a medium-sized dahlia variety with semi-double buds quite large in diameter. Flowers in bloom reach 10 cm in diameter. The coloring is different. This variety goes well with asters and coreopsis. Sunflower will be an excellent “frame” for it. Carmine shades will be a magnificent decoration for bouquet arrangements. Long flowering until the first frost allows you to create garden decor throughout the season.

“Bambino” is the name of a variety of annual dahlia, the photos of which are amazing. At making the right choice Planting sites for them can create a magnificent picture of long-lasting flowering. The height of the bushes is only 20 cm. But this circumstance does not prevent the blooming of large, up to 10 cm in diameter, terry-shaped buds for attaching petals.

Caring for annual dahlias when grown in open ground

There are some small peculiarities in organizing the care of this crop. Annual dahlias are resistant to adverse environmental conditions. They can successfully grow and develop both in the scorching sun and in the partial shade of their higher neighbors. Watering is required only in dry times, if the soil has dried to a depth of more than 5 cm. Caring for annual dahlias involves constantly loosening the soil and timely application of complex mineral fertilizers. This measure promotes brighter and longer flowering. When growing annual dahlias in open ground, it is important to properly prepare the planting site.
Enough deposit required large quantity organics. Application of fresh manure is not allowed. Humus is required at the rate of 1 bucket per 1 square meter for digging. Also in the spring, complex mineral fertilizers are applied in granular form. Digging is carried out to a depth of 25 cm.

Before planting, annual dahlia seedlings are hardened off for 2 weeks. For this purpose, it is taken out into the open air every day for 15 minutes, gradually adding 15 minutes every day. At the time of transplanting the seedlings, the holes are prepared. There is no need to remove peat and paper cups; you can plant them with them. But the plastic container should be removed. To begin with, carry out abundant watering, then, carefully pressing the walls of the glass with your hands, carefully remove it. Try not to damage the root system. Cover tightly with soil. In the first 3 days, shading or covering with film is required.

In regions with an early onset of spring, it is possible to plant an annual dahlia directly in the ground, bypassing the seedling stage. It makes sense to do this in those regions where you can start sowing in the second half of March. Later sowing delays flowering time.

Loosening the soil is best combined with watering. Loosening is shallow - 5-8 cm deep. After loosening, water and mulch the soil with rotted sawdust.

Possible problems and measures to combat them

Like any other flower crop, annual dahlias can be affected by diseases and pests. First of all, it is worth noting that they survive any transplant quite hard. Therefore, it is not recommended to move them around the site during the season.

Possible problems and difficulties include pest attacks. There are measures to combat them using chemicals. Often affected by aphids, especially when wet warm weather V rainy summer. The first signs include sharply yellowed leaves that curl into a tube due to the complete sucking of the juices from them. Aphids are visible to the naked eye. Cut off all affected and contaminated parts of plants with pruning shears and burn. Treat the remaining bushes with the insecticidal preparation Actellik. If there is no result, you can re-treat with Iskra, Grom, Fitoverm, Karbofos.

Slugs and bugs infect the plant less frequently. They can only be fought with karbofos or Iskra. The main signs are holes appearing on the leaves.

Among the diseases, mention should be made of botrytis or gray rot, which is visible in the form of gray spots on the leaves. Then the affected surfaces turn brown and dry out. The buds are falling off en masse. When infected with furasiosis, rotting begins at the junction of the root system and stem. The plant just falls over. It will no longer be possible to save him. The only control measure is to ensure good soil ventilation through loosening and mulching.