Dahlias are very beautiful and long-blooming flowers. The variety of shapes and shades is striking in its number. This allows you to use planting dahlias to decorate flower beds, border frames, and even in separate pots.
To better determine the types of dahlias, you need to list the main groups into which these wonderful flowers are classified:
- simple;
- anemone;
- collar;
- peony;
- decorative;
- spherical;
- pompom;
- semi-cactus;
- cactus.
Such a number of types of dahlia allows you to choose a flower for every taste. After all, they differ in the size and shape of the inflorescences, the height of the bush, therefore they will satisfy the needs of every grower.
Today we will get acquainted with the Bohemian Spartacus variety. Dahlia Bohemian Spartacus begins to bloom in July, and the last buds survive until the first frost.
Growing a dahlia does not require tremendous effort and a lot of knowledge, so we will try to briefly dwell on the main points. The diameter of the flowers of this variety of dahlias reaches 25 cm, and the height of the plant itself is 110-140 cm. Refers to the type of decorative dahlias.
How to grow a luxurious dahlia on your site
For the successful cultivation of a beautiful flower, you will need to purchase high-quality tubers. After that, we proceed to prepare the dahlia planting site. When choosing a site, you need to know that:
- dahlias and drafts are incompatible;
- plants grow well in a sunny and calm place;
- the soil will have to be prepared.
For the soil, the conditions of good drainage, water permeability and nutritional value are observed.
Seed material is best purchased in specialized stores to be sure of the quality of the variety. Dahlia Bohemian Spartacus grows well in soil with a slightly acidic or neutral environment.
For planting, choose a sunny place, protected from the wind, with drained and nutritious soil. To keep the varietal dahlia from possible diseases, change the planting site every year. You can return the dahlia to its former site after three years. Asters are undesirable predecessors for the variety.
Preparing dahlia tubers for planting consists in removing damaged areas and dry roots.
Plant the nodules in a planting container with nutrient mixture for two weeks at an ambient temperature of 18 ° C. In this case, you need to make sure that they protrude 2.5-3 cm above the ground. After the buds appear, the tuber is planted as soon as the ground warms up. This usually happens in late May or early June, depending on the climate of the region. The planting hole should be 3 times the size of the tubers. Humus or compost is placed on the bottom, then a layer of earth and the tuber is laid. For the Bohemian Spartacus variety, a support for the future stem is immediately attached, the dahlia is poured with cold water and mulched with bark or sawdust with a layer of 5 cm. The sawdust is pre-mixed with compost or peat.
How to care for a lovely dahlia
The list of works includes names familiar to gardeners:
- Mulching... Protects the dahlia from slugs and rapid drying of the soil. For a grower, it will reduce labor intensity - weeding and loosening will be needed much less often.
- Top dressing... They are carried out every 14 days, they must withstand the alternation of organic matter with mineral compositions. From organic fertilizers, infusions of mullein (1:10) or poultry droppings (1:20) are used.
- Pruning... In order for the dahlia inflorescences to please the whole season, more than three shoots are not left on the bush. Otherwise, the decorative effect of the flower will be lost. No more than 2 buds are left on one peduncle. As soon as the Bohemian Spartacus bud fades, it must be removed immediately, otherwise it will delay the growth of a new one. The lower side shoots of the dahlia are also removed during the season. Many gardeners use them as cuttings to propagate their favorite dahlia variety.
- Support design... The stems of the Bohemian Spartacus dahlia are hollow; in heavy rain and wind, it can break. If this happens, place a tire on the damaged stem and secure it to the support.
When growing a Bohemian Spartacus dahlia, you should carefully monitor the appearance of slugs and earwigs that damage the plants. To do this, inspect the flowers regularly. When pests appear, treat the dahlia with the appropriate formulations.
In preparation for winter, the stems of the Bohemian Spartacus dahlia are cut off and the plant is immediately covered to protect it from decay.
This will happen if moisture gets on the stem.
Tubers are dug in dry weather, dried, and impurities are removed with water.
During storage, the required parameters of temperature (4 ° C) and humidity (65%) are maintained.
The simple requirements of agricultural technology allow you to grow a beautiful Bohemian Spartacus dahlia in any summer cottage. He will delight you all season with his beauty.
