The content of the article:
Dahlias annuals, planting and care for which are more simple than for perennial varieties, this is the best solution for beginning gardeners. These varieties are also suitable for a cold climate when there is no way to grow plants in a greenhouse. In beauty and abundance of flowering, they are not inferior to perennial dahlias and have a large number of varieties and varieties.
Features of planting annual varieties of dahlias
Planting and caring for annual dahlias is not difficult. These plants multiply by seeds, which can be purchased at the store or collected independently after flowering. There are no special requirements for the composition of the soil - the plants are well established and blossom under almost any conditions.
Seed selection
The shops sell different varieties of dahlias and their combinations. Before buying it is necessary to determine the purpose for which flowers will be grown. There are a lot of varieties of plants that differ in height and shape. On sale you can find collar annual dahlias, as well as cactus and other varieties. The optimal option for decorating the garden is a collection marked "Mix". They contain seeds of different varieties, approximately the same in height. If you plant them in an open ground, the flower beds are lush and bright.
In higher dahlias there is one peculiarity - they begin to form buds later than low-growing varieties. If high representatives begin to bloom in July, then you can wait for the flowering of low shrubs in early summer.
Landing in open ground
Seeds of annual dahlias can be planted in open ground without any preliminary preparation. The procedure is carried out in May, when the soil warms up sufficiently. If the seeds are planted before the air temperature rises and stays stable at 20-25 degrees, they may not ascend.
Planting annual dahlias and caring for them is carried out in several stages:
- the ground is pre-loosened, a small amount of organic fertilizers can be added;
- seeds are placed at a distance of several centimeters from each other;
- After 7-10 days, the first shoots appear, and when they begin to grow intensely, they get rid of the weakest representatives, so as not to interfere with the growth of more healthy plants;
- Dahlias periodically watered in drought conditions.
The main difficulty is when to plant annual dahlias when grown from seeds. May is the optimal time in a temperate climate, but it is worthwhile to navigate the temperature of air and soil. In addition, with this method of planting, the appearance of buds shifts. The first flowers begin to blossom in August, when the remaining summer plants already begin to fade, and remain until the frost.
Growing seedlings
A more labor-intensive way of growing dahlias - with the help of seedlings. He is chosen to have the first bright inflorescences already at the end of May or the beginning of June. For this, it is necessary to prepare separate pots or boxes for seedlings, soil and seeds as early as the beginning of spring.
When growing annual dahlias, seedlings should act according to a certain algorithm:
- in April, the seeds are scattered over the surface of the soil in one large box, they are covered with earth from above and tamped a little;
- The first shoots will start to appear in a week, and the plants can become cramped in one container;
- when the first pair of leaves grows, each flower is placed in a separate small pot;
- already grown dahlias are planted in the ground at the end of spring, and very soon the first inflorescences begin to appear on them.
In May, when the air temperature becomes stable high and will not decline at night, the seedlings can be planted in the open ground. Middle varieties of dahlias are located at a distance of 30-60 cm from each other, but this indicator depends on the plant species. Before planting in the soil, seedlings of annual dahlias should be hardened. To do this, it is necessary to leave a container with young flowers on open balconies or pre-render them on the street in the daytime.
Care for annual dahlias
Annual dahlias are easy to care for. Unlike perennial varieties, they do not need regular supplementation because they do not have time to consume soil reserves. If other plants grew earlier on this land, organic fertilizing (humus, compost), and also mineral potassium or sodium mixtures can be introduced during the planting of dahlias. In the flowering period, wood ash will be useful.
There are several rules for caring for annual dahlias:
- watering flowers is only when they suffer from a severe drought;
- if you periodically peel the tops of shoots, the bush will grow more lush;
- the ground on the bed is regularly loosened, while trying not to damage the rhizome;
- After flowering, you can collect the boxes with seeds and plant them in the next year.
To decorate the garden, it is worth choosing one-year varieties of dahlias. In addition to ease of care, they are characterized by longer flowering. The first buds appear in early June, and the last buds fade only with the onset of frosts.
Which variety to choose?
Before planting, you should check out the varieties of annual dahlias with photos and names. Some of them will not grow more than 20-20 cm (undersized), so they are not suitable for processing bouquets. High varieties can reach up to 70-90 cm in height and can form a real hedge. Among the most popular varieties of annual dahlias can be identified:
- Figaro is a small shrub (up to 45 cm), on which lush, colorful inflorescences are formed;
- Piccolo - another small shrub (up to 40-45 cm), the flowers of which clearly stand out the core and petals;
- Unvins Dwarf - a taller plant, can reach 60 cm.
Growing annual dahlias is an easy way to get bright flowers without much expense and preparation. From tall plants, beautiful bouquets or hedges are obtained, and dwarf annual dahlias form small curbs. They are easy to care for, do not require preparation for winter and fertilization. In addition, plant seeds can be harvested independently and left for planting in the next season.
