When to plant dahlias for seedlings and whether to pinch seedlings. How to grow annual dahlias in a summer cottage How to grow annual dahlias from seeds

Dahlias are annuals, planting and caring for which are easier than perennial varieties, this is the best solution for beginner gardeners. These varieties are also suitable for cold climates where it is not possible 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 are propagated by seeds, which can be purchased at the store or collected by yourself after flowering. There are no special requirements for the composition of the soil - the plants take root well and bloom in almost any conditions.

Seed selection

The stores sell various varieties of dahlias and their combinations. Before buying, you should decide for what purpose the flowers will be grown. There are a huge number of varieties of plants that differ in height and shape. On sale you can find collared annual dahlias, as well as cactus and other varieties. The best option for decorating a garden is fees marked "Mix". They contain seeds of different varieties, approximately the same in height. If you plant them in open ground, the flower beds are lush and bright.

Taller dahlia bushes have one feature - they begin to form buds later than undersized 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 prior preparation. The procedure is carried out in May, when the soil warms up enough. If the seeds are planted before the air temperature rises and remains stable at 20-25 degrees, they may not sprout.

Planting annual dahlias and caring for them is carried out in several stages:

• the soil is pre-loosened, you can add a small amount;
• 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 intensively, they get rid of the weakest representatives so as not to interfere with the growth of healthier plants;
• dahlias are periodically watered in drought conditions.

The main difficulty is when to plant annual dahlias when growing from seed. May is the best time in a temperate climate, but you should be guided by the temperature of the air and soil. In addition, with this method of planting, the time for the appearance of buds is shifted. The first flowers begin to bloom in August, when the rest of the summer plants are already beginning to fade, and remain until the onset of frost.

Growing seedlings

A more time-consuming way to grow dahlias is with seedlings. It is chosen so that the first bright inflorescences appear in late May or early June. To do this, it is necessary to prepare separate pots or boxes for seedlings, soil and seeds at the beginning of spring.

When growing annual dahlias with seedlings, it is worth acting according to a certain algorithm:

• in April, the seeds are scattered on the surface of the soil in one large box, they are covered with earth from above and tamped a little;
• the first sprouts will begin to appear in a week, and the plants may become crowded 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 consistently high and will not decrease at night, seedlings can be planted in open ground. Medium varieties of dahlias are located at a distance of 30-60 cm from each other, but this figure depends on the type of plant. Before planting in the soil, seedlings of annual dahlias must be hardened. To do this, it is worth leaving a container with young flowers on open balconies or first taking them out into the street in the daytime.

Caring for annual dahlias

Annual dahlias are easy to care for. Unlike perennial varieties, they do not need regular fertilizing, because they do not have time to use up soil reserves. If other plants previously grew on this land, organic fertilizers (humus, compost), as well as mineral potassium or sodium mixtures, can be applied during the planting of dahlias. During the flowering period will be useful.

There are several rules for caring for annual dahlias:

• it is worth watering the flowers only when they suffer from a severe drought;
• if you periodically pinch the tops of the shoots, the bush will grow more magnificent;
• the earth in the flower bed should be regularly loosened, while trying not to damage the rhizome;
• after flowering, you can collect seed boxes and plant them next year.

To decorate the garden, it is worth choosing exactly annual varieties of dahlias. In addition to ease of care, they are distinguished by longer flowering. The first buds appear in early June, and the last ones wither only with the onset of frost.

Which variety to choose?

Before planting, you should familiarize yourself with 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 decorating bouquets. Tall varieties can reach up to 70-90 cm in height and can form a real hedge. Among the most popular varieties of annual dahlias are:

Growing annual dahlias is an easy way to get vibrant flowers without much expense or preparation. Tall plants make beautiful bouquets or hedges, and undersized annual dahlias form small borders. They are easy to care for, do not require preparation for winter and fertilization. In addition, the seeds of the plant can be collected independently and left for planting next season.

Annual dahlias in the country - video

Many gardeners are forced to abandon this wonderful flower just because there is nowhere to store the tubers. The way out is annual dahlias. They, of course, are not as stately and majestic as perennial species, but they are easier to grow, and they take up less space. They make excellent carpet beds and borders, the undersized varieties can be grown in containers and look great in compositions with other flowers. And there are so many varieties that your eyes run wide!

Vegetation features and advantages of annual species

All existing dahlias are root-tuberous, and all can be propagated by seeds, but a) not every one of them blooms in the first year after sowing, and b) retains the characteristics of the mother plant. An extensive group of crop varieties with these abilities are called annual dahlias.

The plant quickly and amicably sprouts after sowing - at a temperature above 20⁰ C for 3-5 days. Simultaneously with the first pair of leaves, it forms two types of roots: nourishing - provide the sprout with the necessary substances, and storage - future tubers. Thus, a dahlia grown by seeds does not lose its ability to vegetative reproduction, and the next year, if desired, it can be planted with a tuber.

An annual blooms 55–65 days after sowing. If the seeds are sown immediately in open ground, you will not see flowers before August. It's too late. Moreover, many tuberous species bloom the first buds already in mid-July. The way out is growing through seedlings, which allows you to bring flowering closer to 1.5 months.

For a long time, non-double varieties of dahlias (Mignon, Topmix groups) have been grown by seed method, but in recent years many annual varieties with double flowers of spherical, cactus, pompon shape have been bred.

Annual dahlias, when grown from seeds, have a number of decorative and agrotechnical advantages.

• Plants form rather compact bushes: from 50-60 cm - the highest, up to 20-30 cm - dwarf. They will find a place even in the tiniest garden, flowers do not need to be tied up.
• With the seedling method of growing, annuals bloom much earlier than tuberous dahlias. The most "early" - dwarf, they are also potted, varieties.
• If faded baskets are removed in a timely manner, the plant blooms profusely and for a long time, without losing its decorative effect until frost.
• The culture is distinguished by affordable agricultural technology, unpretentious care.
• There is no need to mess with the tubers - dig, process, store them.

Annual dahlias are most often sold in a mixture of colors (mix). This is due to such a property of the plant as color variability during seed propagation, which never happens when tubers are planted. If you collect your seeds, then there is a high probability that some of the plants will not repeat the parental forms.

The technology of growing annual dahlias

If it’s quite simple, annual dahlias can be grown by planting directly into the ground, and then care is minimized. Earlier flowering is achieved by sowing seeds for seedlings. Let's consider both options.

seedling method

They start growing dahlia seedlings from the end of March. The seeds of the flower are highly germinating, so they are sown dry. But you can also soak it so that the seeds hatch. To do this, they are laid out on wet gauze and left for 2-3 days in a warm place.

The container is filled with a light nutrient mixture; it is best to use purchased soil for seedlings based on peat. Seeds are laid out in grooves 1–1.5 cm deep and at the same distance from each other. If you do not intend to dive seedlings, sow even less often.

Moisten the surface of the soil abundantly so that the land cover the seeds on all sides. Cover the container with a film or any transparent material, put it in a warm and bright place. In a mini-greenhouse, seedlings will appear very quickly. After that, the cover is removed.

Note! In a dahlia seedling, cotyledon leaves remain for a long time, quickly hatching, the sprout, as it were, stops growing. This is fine. At this time, roots grow, which then provide the plant with rapid development.

Dive seedlings of annual dahlias when the second pair of true leaves appears. They are transplanted into pots with a nutrient mixture and a drainage hole, buried to the cotyledon leaves.

Sowing (planting seedlings) in open ground

Before planting seedlings, it is desirable to harden it. If this is not possible, shade the bushes with a covering material after planting so that the leaves do not get a sunburn.

Dahlia seedlings are planted when the threat of frost has completely passed, because the plants are so tender that they will die even at 0⁰ C. The bed is loosened in advance if the soil is poor, humus, rotted manure are added to each well, thoroughly mixing it with garden soil. Planted seedlings are watered, the root zone is mulched with dry soil.

Sometimes it is practiced to sow seeds immediately in open ground, for example, if dahlias are to replace summer flowering plants. Do this together with the planting of tubers or a week earlier (from mid-May). They will bloom in August.

Advice! Choose sunny flower beds for one-year-olds, protected from drafts by tall trees and bushes, adjacent to the wall of the house, veranda, terrace. In the calm, they will bloom violently and for a long time.

Care of flowering plants

Annual dahlias take root quickly after planting and require minimal maintenance in the future.

Flowers are watered infrequently - once every 7-10 days, but plentifully. If the summer is rainy, then they do without additional moisture at all.

Feeding is also optional. But if the bushes bloom poorly, pour them with a solution of phosphorus-potassium fertilizers. You can ask the store for targeted fertilizers for flowering. Dahlias planted in containers need regular top dressing. They need to be watered with nutrient solutions 2 times a month.

Annual dahlias do not form and do not tie up. To stimulate the growth of new buds, it is recommended to regularly remove faded ones.

Selection of varieties

Of the huge assortment of annual dahlias, the most in demand are low, with early flowering - we have selected photos with the names and descriptions of just such varieties for our readers.

• Harlequin is a very elegant dwarf variety series. It forms bushes 20–30 cm high. The flower is semi-double, consists of 3 types of petals - reed along the edge, inner "collar" and tubular middle. The diameter of the basket is 8–9 cm. The coloring is the most diverse.
• Cheerful guys - a long-standing variety of simple dahlias, sold only in a mixture of colors. The height of the bushes is 40–60 cm, the inflorescences are single-row, 4–10 cm in size. They withstand drought, are not afraid of rainy summers, bloom until frost.
• Piccolo Mignon is an annual variety series of low-growing dahlias of the Mignon group. The flower is simple, single-row, similar to Merry Fellows, but the reed petals are not rounded, but pointed, and the plant itself is smaller (up to 35 cm tall). Another attractive feature is the bright, deep, saturated color, characteristic of the flowers of the Dutch selection. A flower with great potential to open, you need regular feeding and watering.
• Figaro is a variety series of annual terry dahlias. It impresses with a combination of a compact bush, not exceeding 35 cm, and large fluffy inflorescences (ø7–10 cm). And on a bush there can be up to 15 pieces at the same time. The variety is popular as a pot culture, widely used in vertical gardening. Represented in yellow, red, orange, white, purple.
• Fresco is another variety of terry dahlias, bred by the Dutch for annual cultivation from seeds. Compact bushes 25–35 cm high are literally strewn with large flowers. The plant is responsive to feeding and watering.

In addition to the listed varieties, tall annual dahlias with a spherical, cactus flower shape are increasingly appearing on sale.

Examples of varieties sold by seed are Pompom, Starry Carnival (cactus), Garden Pride Terry, Early Bird, Marquise.

Usually part of the flowers are left to seed. They are collected when the baskets are completely dry, stored in paper bags. You can also dig up the tubers. In the first year, they are small, but if they are dipped in melted paraffin or clay talker, and then dried, there is a chance to keep them until spring.

Annual dahlias:

Today, amateur gardeners can purchase many varieties of annual dahlias and plant them in open ground with seedlings or seeds.

Many gardeners prefer to plant annual dahlias in open ground with seedlings. To this end, they prepare a place on the site where annual dahlias should grow.

Planting site selection and soil preparation

The place for planting dahlia seedlings should certainly be sunny, and the soil should be neutral or slightly acidic. Before planting, you should dig up the ground with the addition of humus. If the soil is dense, then sand is added to it.

Prefer to plant conifers on your site? Read about growing.

Find out tips on planting and caring for jasmine.

Landing features

Planting annual dahlias in a permanent place as seedlings is considered the best option, since in this case flowering can begin in June. To this end, the seeds are first sown in seedlings with soil, and then in open ground.

As a soil, a mixture of peat, sand and perlite will be the best option. The earth should be watered first. If the landing container is plastic, then it is advisable to make holes in it. From above, the planted seeds are sprinkled with sand interspersed with soil and sprayed from a spray bottle.

There are almost never problems with seedlings. It develops well and tolerates picks well.

It is important to prevent waterlogging of seedlings by watering it moderately.

Sowing seeds for seedlings can be done at different times, from March to April.

After planting the seeds, the containers should be covered with glass or plastic bags, and then placed in a bright, warm place. Shoots will not keep you waiting. They will appear in a few days. When shoots appear, the shelter is removed, but this procedure is done gradually as the seedlings germinate.

After the seedlings have grown, they dive into separate containers. During picking, seedlings deepen to the first leaves. The soil in this case is prepared from a mixture of sand and peat with the addition of less than half of the total amount of soddy land.

For early lush flowering, dahlia seeds must be planted in May.

After the dahlias take root, a top dressing should be applied, consisting of half the dose of any complex fertilizer. Soon you will need to pinch above the fourth pair of leaves.

Seedlings can be planted outdoors after all frosts have passed. The distance between the bushes should be 30-60 centimeters, depending on their size.

In order for the seedlings to take root well, it is recommended to cover it for a couple of days with a special thin covering material or, as many gardeners do, with dark plastic bottles in which holes are previously made for normal air ventilation.

It is recommended to plant seeds in open ground in central Russia at the end of May. This is due to the fact that planting seeds at a later date will lead to the fact that the flowering of dahlias will begin no earlier than August. Planted seeds should be covered with plastic wrap until germination.

For growing seedlings of annual dahlias, see the video clip:

reproduction

The most popular method of propagation of dahlias is the seed method.

Obtaining seeds of annual dahlias occurs in the fall. Ripe seeds are taken from the dahlia seed pods. Their ripening occurs thirty days after the dahlia has faded.

Care

Annual dahlias do not need feeding. They can easily grow and delight the eye with their flowering on poor soils.

The most important requirement that concerns the soil is that moisture should not stagnate on it and it should be loose.

Watering flowers is carried out only on dry days.

Pest and disease control

Dahlias, like any flower plant, are not protected from various diseases and pests. Therefore, the issue of protection should be approached responsibly.

In addition, it helps well in the fight against certain diseases, in particular, Fusarium, soil liming. From this unpleasant and fairly frequent disease, the tops and buds of dahlias begin to fade, and the lower parts of the plant turn brown.

Dahlia diseases should include fungal diseases, which are facilitated by shading and neglect of plantings. As a result of this disease, brown spots appear on the leaves, they gradually become dry and fall off.

Another disease is white rot, its signs of appearance are the withering of shoots with the formation of spots on the stems. Also, sometimes wet bacterial and brown rot, leaf spot and other diseases can appear on dahlias, which can be controlled with fungicides and other biological additives, as well as prophylactic agents.

The use of dahlias in landscape design

Dahlias, both annual and perennial, are widely used in the design of flower beds and rabatok. As a rule, they are planted in groups in which different varieties are combined. Separately planted dahlia bushes will also look beautiful.

Dahlia- a flower that is very fond of Russian flower growers. This is an unpretentious, beautifully flowering plant that deserves a special place in every site.

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 under certain conditions so that they do not deteriorate. If all this red tape does not suit you, then the real salvation is dahlia annual.

Dahlia annual - this is the same dahlia, but not requiring the above manipulations with tubers. Such dahlias propagate by seeds.

The dahlia is native to 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 the creation of various varieties and species of this flower plant, and now there are more than ten thousand species.

Choosing varieties of annual dahlias

Annual dahlias are undersized and medium-sized, therefore, it is worth paying attention to this. Undersized 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. Sredneroslye are used for landing in the middle plan.
Low-growing varieties of dahlias bloom earlier. And this must be taken into account.

The flowers of the annual dahlia are different in color., the shape of the petals and terry. The flowers are also large and small. Joint plantings of different varieties and types of dahlias look very good.

We sow the seeds of an annual dahlia for seedlings

Generally, sow dahlia seeds you can immediately and 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 should be done from the end of February to the end of March - the 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 ignite the soil in the oven and shed 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 the germination of the seeds and make the seedlings stronger.

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

For the fastest germination of seeds, the container with seeds is covered with plastic wrap. A greenhouse effect is created, which allows you to create the 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, they can also simply rot due to an excess of moisture and condensation.

Picking seedlings of an annual dahlia

Seedlings dive when the second true leaf appears. They are planted one by one in separate pots. Pots should be 10-12 centimeters high - this will allow the root system to develop well. In order not to damage 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 picking seedlings form the first bud at the end of May.

How to care for seedlings of an annual dahlia?

Quality seedlings can only be obtained with good care. Only strong plants will withstand all the difficulties that await them in the open field.

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

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

Humidity levels need to be maintained. Carry out regular watering. It is better if a spray gun is used for this purpose - this will prevent soil erosion. But stagnant water is unacceptable. Therefore, you need to water only as the soil dries.

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

In order to dahlia seedlings planted in open ground did not die, it needs to be hardened. You can start hardening from the end of April. To do this, pots with seedlings are taken out for 5 minutes in a room with a temperature of 12-15 degrees. Time is gradually increased.

We plant seedlings of annual dahlias in open ground

Plant prepared seedlings of annual dahlias in open ground possible only when the soil warms up well and the threat of frost passes. In the central and southern regions - this is the middle of May, in Siberia planted dahlias in early June.

To annual dahlias pleased you with abundant flowering, you need to take care of choosing a meta for planting them. dahlias very love warmth, light and sun, so plant them 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 put forward special requirements for flower growers in the soil, but the creation of drainage will not interfere.

Before planting dahlia seedlings in open ground, it is abundantly shed and waited for two hours. This method will reduce damage to the root system, and therefore, reduce the survival time.

How to care for an annual dahlia in the open field?

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 under the root early in the morning or late in the evening - this way you protect your plants from sunburn and do not let them boil.

Top dressing. Like all flowering plants, the annual dahlia requires additional feeding. You can feed with special complex fertilizers and growth regulators. Especially a lot of nutrients are required during flowering. During this period, potash fertilizers and phosphorus fertilizers are applied once a week.

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

Varieties of annual dahlia

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

most popular a type of annual dahlia is "Merry Fellows". Plants of this species are small: up to 70 centimeters in height. The flowers are single-row, non-double, but very bright colors, which 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, pompon, spherical flowers. Each species has an unimaginable number of colors.

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

Fine( 8 ) Badly( 1 )

A place of honor in many flower beds is given to the one-year-old dahlia. Flowers can decorate the site before the onset of the first frost. Planting them is recommended near the beds with vegetables. This stimulates pollination of vegetable crops, because bright flowers attract bees. The nuances of planting and caring for an annual dahlia are known to experienced flower growers. But novice summer residents need to figure out how to grow flowers from seeds and seedlings.

View Features

Dahlias are distinguished by bright colors, they can be double or semi-double. The most common flowers are spherical, pompom, simple, collared or cactus-shaped.

Characteristics of annual dahlias:

• plant height 35-120 cm;
• flower diameter - up to 12 cm;
• up to 15 buds can form on each shoot;
• flowering begins in June-July and continues until frost.

To understand which species are best planted, beginner flower growers try to deal with plant varieties. Information about the types of annual dahlias with names will help.

Funny boys

The most common is Funny Guys. These are dwarf annual dahlias, which are easy to grow. By color, flower petals are yellow, burgundy, cream, green.

Pompom Mix

A popular large species is the Pompom Mix. Plants reach a height of 120 cm, more than 10 flowers are formed on the stems at the same time. They are most often grown for the purpose of further cutting.

Figaro

The dwarf variety Figaro is grown along the borders. It is distinguished by early flowering and rich color of flowers.

Landing Rules

Experienced summer residents know that only those dahlias that were grown in seedlings will begin to bloom in June-July. If you plan to grow annual dahlias from seeds, you will have to figure out when you can plant flowers on the street. Experts recommend doing this no earlier than the last days of May.

A warning! When planting seeds in open ground, plants will bloom only by August.

It is best to figure it out, annual dahlias for seedlings. Seeds are sown in containers or special seedling boxes. After sending the seed to the soil, you need to cover the containers with the ground with a film to make a mini-greenhouse. The optimum temperature for germination is 25-27°C.

When to sow annual dahlias for seedlings? This must be done at the beginning of April. But if flower growers want to get tubers from annual flowers, then experts recommend planting seeds for seedlings of annual dahlias to start in early March. If planted early, the flower will have time to form a tuber. It can be dug up and planted next spring.

Having figured out when to plant annual dahlias on seedlings, they begin to choose the soil mixture. The soil made of sand, peat and perlite is best suited for flowers.

The containers in which the summer resident plans to sow one-year-old dahlias for seedlings must be thoroughly washed and disinfected. They can become a source of some diseases. Pests sometimes remain in the walls of clay pots. There should be drainage holes at the bottom of the prepared seedling boxes.

Having decided when to plant annual dahlias for seedlings, pre-soak the seeds overnight. It is best to use warm water diluted with aloe juice in a ratio of 2: 1. This procedure speeds up the spitting of sprouts. To disinfect the seeds, you need to soak them briefly in a dark solution of potassium permanganate.

How to plant annual dahlias? Seeds are laid out on the ground at a distance of 3 cm from each other, sprinkled with a 1 cm layer of earth and watered. The container is covered with glass (film) and placed in a warm, bright place.

Features of growing seedlings

After the appearance of the first shoots, the film is removed. This usually happens 2-3 days after landing. Watering young shoots is advised with a spray bottle. This method prevents soil erosion.

Attention! As soon as the seedlings grow up, it is necessary to dive. If the flowers are not transplanted into separate containers, they will grow slowly. Many plants are stretched, become unviable.

When do annual dahlias dive? Experts recommend doing this if 2-3 true leaves appear on the seedlings. They usually grow 2 weeks after germination. When picking, they are well deepened, the stem with the root part descends to the first leaves.

The picking of an annual dahlia is carried out in seedling pots or plastic cups. They are pre-filled with soil, consisting of 50% sod land, 25% peat and sand. The resulting substrate should be nutritious, loose. 2-3 days before picking, the ground must be disinfected. For these purposes, it is watered with a dark solution of potassium permanganate, which is preheated to 70 ° C.

After picking, the plants and soil are sprayed. In the future, watering is carried out as the soil dries. After the seedlings take root, carry out planned feeding. Plants respond well to various complex fertilizers for flowers. In order not to damage the delicate roots of the seedlings, experts advise making a weaker solution for the first feeding. It will be enough ½ of the dosage recommended by the manufacturer.

To get strong sprouts at the level of 4 pairs of leaves, experts advise pinching the top of the plant.

Transplant to the ground

If at the stage of growing seedlings there are no problems for beginner summer gardeners, then many plants die during transplantation. It is not enough to figure out how to plant annual dahlias from seed. Seedlings need to be hardened off before planting outside. For this purpose, it is taken out into the street and placed in places where the sun will shine. On the first day, a 5-minute "walk" will be enough for the plants. Every day, the time spent on the street is increased by 5-10 minutes. If possible, in the rooms in which the seedlings are kept, they begin to gradually reduce the temperature, bringing it closer to the street.

Before planting annual dahlias in open ground, the ground in pots is well watered. This is necessary so that the earthen ball easily moves away from the walls of the containers, and the roots are not damaged. If the cultivation of seedlings of annual dahlias was carried out in paper or peat pots, then it is not necessary to fill the soil. Plants are transplanted together with the indicated containers.

Advice! The optimal period for transplantation is considered the last days of May - the beginning of June. It is important that the threat of frost has passed, and the soil is already well warmed up.

How to plant annual dahlias? When transplanting into prepared holes, experienced flower growers are advised to add ash and humus. It is important not to damage the root system, otherwise the condition of the flowers will noticeably deteriorate. When planting seedlings between bushes, leave at least 20 cm for dwarf varieties and 50-70 cm for large ones. And the ground around the hole must be mulched.

Location selection

Grown annual dahlias are not demanding on the soil. They can grow on slightly acidic and neutral soils. Well-fertilized, loose soil is best suited. For planting choose sunny places that are protected from drafts.

In the fall, the area where dahlias will be planted needs to be prepared. Organics and mineral fertilizers are applied to the soil. Soil acidity can be reduced by using lime.

There will be no abundant flowering in the shade under trees, shrubs. Annual dahlias will begin to stretch, the green part will be weak. But if the grower wants tubers to form on the plant, then shaded areas are suitable for growing.

Care rules

To figure out how to grow annual dahlias from seeds, you should familiarize yourself with the basic rules of care. After transplanting tall varieties into the ground, a support for the stem is immediately installed.

In order for summer residents to enjoy the flowering of annual dahlias for a long time, attention should be paid to the features of growing and caring for them. You will have to deal with the nuances:

• glaze;
• fertilizing;
• mulching;
• hilling;
• pest and disease control.

Caring for annual dahlias consists in timely hilling plants, removing weeds, and loosening the soil. If the beds are mulched immediately after transplanting, then there should be no problems with weeds. With the help of mulch, moisture is retained in the soil longer, and the earth remains loose.

Important! Adopted seedlings must be fed immediately. Complex plants for flowers are introduced under the root. Immediately after top dressing, you need to water the beds. With this approach, it will be possible to avoid burns of the root system.

After transplanting into unprotected soil, fertilizers are applied at least 3 times. Some recommend doing plant nutrition every 2 weeks, alternating mineral fertilizers and organics. You can make an infusion of mullein, diluted with water at a concentration of 1:10. If flowering has begun, then it is better to refuse organic matter. Dahlias require sufficient amounts of potassium and phosphorus. They stimulate active and long flowering.

Annual dahlias do not need excessive watering. It is enough to water them only during dry periods. The situation is slightly different in the southern regions. During prolonged hot weather, the earth needs moisture.

If you plant seedlings of annual dahlias obtained at home in the middle lane, then it is better at first to cover young plants with agrofiber overnight. With sudden night frosts, it can be used to save plants.

After the start of flowering, you should regularly check the condition of the plants. When wilted buds appear, they are immediately cut off. This stimulates the growth of new and enlargement of existing inflorescences.

Judging by the reviews of annual dahlias, when growing, some are faced with certain types of diseases. Most often, plants suffer from:

• fusarium;
• white rot;
• gray rot.

When infected with rot, spots appear on the leaves, which gradually increase in size. Over time, damaged leaves dry out and fall off. With Fusarium, the root system suffers. Plants begin to rot at the base. You can prevent the development of these diseases if you do not overmoisten the soil, do not plant flowers in wetlands.

Annual dahlias can be damaged by bedbugs, slugs, and aphids. Various insecticides are used to control. All infected plants should be destroyed.

You can see when to plant annual dahlias for seedlings, how the process of planting and caring for plants is carried out, in the video:

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