Among the variety of ornamental dwarf plants, dahlias "jolly guys" can be especially noted. The unique variety has a long period of bright and lush flowering. In addition, these plants are quite unpretentious, and therefore even a novice grower can handle their cultivation.
Variety description
Dahlias "jolly guys" - a mixture of annual varieties of dwarf dahlias that begin to bloom in the year of sowing. In the process of growing these flowers, you can collect the resulting tubers, which are suitable for further planting. However, this requires a mild and warm climate, which far from all regions of our country are rich in. This plant is used to decorate flower beds, as well as to create living borders along garden paths.
As shown in the photo of "jolly guys" dahlias, its large inflorescences, whose diameter reaches 9 centimeters, have a rather rich color scheme - snow-white,yellow, pink, lilac and red. The stems of the plant are very strong and powerful, and the leaves have a juicy green color. The total height of the bush rarely exceeds the mark of 30 centimeters, but with especially careful care, you can grow a bush about 70 centimeters high. One bush produces from 3 to 7 flowers, which retain their appearance for an incredibly long time even when cut.
Place and time of boarding
The main requirement for the landing site is the presence of sunlight. Thanks to continuous illumination, the plants develop evenly, the stems become strong and straight. By sowing dahlias in the shade, you will achieve a tall bush, the stems of which will stretch towards the light source, however, the flowering of such a plant will be very weak. In addition, such a bush will have to be tied up.
As for the soil - here dahlias are completely undemanding and can withstand even a long drought, for which they are loved by many gardeners. If you plan to plant flowers in seedlings, then the seeds are sown at the end of March. And already in mid-May, transfer to open ground. But even in warm weather at night, it is advisable to cover the plants with a film.
Sowing process
Growing dahlias "jolly guys" from seeds does not provide for preliminary preparation of planting material. This means that the seeds do not need to be soaked or frozen before planting. The main condition for successful seedlings is absolute maturity. Harvesting too early increases the risk of getting empty seeds. The main seeding process isnext:
- Sowing seeds is carried out in prepared soil at room temperature to a depth of no more than 2 centimeters. It is best to use peat pots, with which the plant is then transplanted into open ground.
- After this, the plantings are well watered. Re-watering is required for plants in another 5-7 days.
- To stimulate the appearance of sprouts, the soil can be treated with growth stimulants, and the container with future seedlings can be covered with glass or film.
- The first shoots begin to appear after 1-1.5 weeks. And after the appearance of the first leaves, you can thin out the seedlings, leaving the strongest sprouts.
At the end of May, the finished seedlings are transferred to open ground. The root system of the sprout is buried in the soil by no more than 2 centimeters. With a deeper planting, the root system of "jolly guys" dahlias begins to rot. The distance between plants should be about 30 centimeters. Closer planting threatens sluggish flowering. After transplanting, the seedlings are watered, the soil around them is mulched.
Irrigation
The main care measures are watering and fertilizing. Dahlias are not at all demanding for watering. Plants, in general, are very unpretentious in their care. Dahlias "fun guys" tolerate drought well, but do not tolerate high humidity. Regardless of the age of the plant, whether it is young seedlings or adult bushes, weekly abundant watering is sufficient. Immediately after watering, the area around the plant is loosened withfollowed by mulching to retain moisture. But in rainy weather, it is better to refuse mulching, as this will provoke root rot due to excessive soil moisture. In August, watering is completely stopped, since the growth of the plant stops and it has enough rainfall.
Feeding
In general, "fun boys" dahlias do not require fertilization or top dressing. They successfully grow and bloom even on the most infertile soils. But to get a more lush, bright and abundant flowering, you can even in the fall, when digging, add a small amount of fertilizer. It is best to use compost, manure or humus, which will have time to decompose by the time of planting and will serve as excellent growth activators.
Collecting seeds
To collect planting material, you should wait until the end of flowering. A few inflorescences are left uncollected for seed ripening. After full ripening, the flowers of the bush are carefully collected, after which the petals are carefully removed, and the seeds are shaken off into paper bags. It is best to carry out this procedure in a dry and warm room. Seeds are stored in paper bags for 2-4 years, fully maintaining their suitability for sowing.
You should not rush to collect planting material, because seeds that are not fully ripe may simply not sprout. In this case, you will have to buy new ones and land again, which takes a lot of time and effort.
Features of propagation by tubers
Even thoughthat the main method of reproduction of dahlias "jolly guys" is the seed method, some flower growers still prefer tuber propagation.
Harvesting of tubers begins after the first frost. Choose a strong and he althy bush, from which all flowers and the green part are removed. The bush is carefully dug up, large clods of earth are removed, and the tubers themselves are transferred to a warm and dry room to dry. To preserve internal moisture, they can be covered with a small layer of clay. Storage during the winter is carried out in cardboard boxes, moreover, the layers of tubers are shifted with paper. It is advisable to wrap each copy in paper for more careful preservation. Throughout storage, tubers should be carefully inspected for rotting and mold. The affected areas are cut off, and the places of the cuts are sprinkled with ground charcoal. When planting "jolly guys" dahlias in the spring, the tubers do not dig too deep.
This method has a significant drawback - the loss of decorative qualities every year. Therefore, this propagation method is used for no more than three years to avoid complete degeneration of the plant.
Diseases and pests
One of the main diseases affecting dahlias "jolly guys" is gray rot or botrytis. The first signs of the disease appear as gray-brown spots on the leaves, which gradually spread to the entire plant, even to the buds. The main causes of the disease:
- poorly selected area underlanding;
- high soil moisture;
- excess nitrogen;
- weeds.
Various insecticidal preparations help to cope with gray mold. In addition, the infested area is unsuitable for planting similar crops for four years.
To get rid of thrips, earwigs, spider mites and caterpillars, spraying with Karbofos and Fitoverton helps. Aphids and gall nematodes can be overcome with the help of a carbothionic solution and "Spark".
