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Many gardeners with great success grow dahlias on their plots - perennial varieties and annuals. Dahlias "Merry Guys" are representatives of dwarf varieties. They differ from their counterparts in that they do not form a tuber, so it will not work to grow this variety as a perennial one. This type of dahlia is found everywhere. On flower beds and borders, in flower pots and on terraces, bright, elegant inflorescences can be seen everywhere. Many do not even know what these flowers are called, but they love them very much.
Their popularity is due to the ease of care and the fact that this variety of dahlia does not require winter storage. For those who have not yet grown dwarf dahlias, we offer a photo of "Cheerful guys":
The decorativeness of dahlia flowers is provided by large inflorescences and bright green leaves. The diameter of one flower reaches 9 cm. Varieties with different shades of inflorescences are usually on sale.
In one package, you can purchase white, red, pink, yellow flowers to decorate your summer cottage. Dahlias also differ in the shape of the inflorescence. They can be double or plain.
Dahlias "Merry Guys" breed exclusively by seeds in a seedling and seedless way.
The nuances of growing seedlings of funny dahlias
Annual dahlias "Merry Guys" are very fond of light and warmth. They calmly tolerate a short drought, but without good lighting, the stems of the plant will be weak and elongated. Therefore, it is not recommended to plant the "Merry Guys" variety in the shade. How to grow seedlings of "Merry Guys" for your plot on your own? Of course, keeping all the requirements of agricultural technology of annual dahlias. First of all, let's talk about sowing seeds.
- Timing... When sowing dahlia seeds for seedlings, they try to withstand the early dates - the end of March, April. Sowing immediately into the ground is carried out after there is confidence that there will be no frost. Of course, direct sowing into the ground will delay the flowering period, but dahlias will have time to please you with their beauty. Plants sown directly into the soil will require close attention at first. Seedlings are sheltered from a possible cold snap until they get stronger. Seedling makes it possible to speed up the flowering of dahlias.
- Seeds... They buy seeds of "cheerful" dahlias in specialized stores or from their neighbors in the country. Plants that you often like migrate from one site to another. Before sowing, the seeds can be kept in a solution of aloe or formalin juice. But this is an optional procedure. "Cheerful" dahlia has excellent germination, and the seeds do not require additional preparation.
- Priming... For dwarf dahlias, loose, slightly acidic or neutral soil is suitable. When growing seedlings, it is better to prepare a mixture of sand, perlite and peat.
- Seedling containers... Peat pots and tablets, paper or plastic cups, wooden boxes and pots are great help out.
We proceed directly to the procedure for sowing dahlia seeds.
- The soil is spilled with a weak solution of potassium permanganate or other disinfectant. If you ignite it, then for the plants it will only be better. The prepared soil mixture is poured into a container. Spread the seeds, lightly sprinkle with earth and watered sparingly.
- Re-watering is carried out no earlier than 5-7 days later.
- The container is covered with glass or polyethylene - this will accelerate the germination of seeds.After emergence, the film is removed.
- Seedlings are thinned out in a week.
Further care is to comply with the standard requirements for growing seedlings:
- watering;
- temperature regime (27 ° С) and lighting;
- picking;
- hardening.
For experienced flower growers, the "Merry Boys" dahlias, the cultivation of which we describe, are problem-free flowers. Planting and caring for a dwarf variety is straightforward. Beginners in floriculture need to closely monitor the seedlings of dahlias during the growing period in order to change the parameters in time.
We plant annuals in the ground and take care
The optimal time for disembarkation is the end of May. At the location you have planned for planting flowers, prepare the soil in advance. Dig up the area, loosen and fertilize with humus or compost.
Seedlings are planted to a depth of no more than 2 cm. If you deepen the root system further, this can lead to decay of the root collar.
The planting pattern is maintained at 30x20, be sure to keep a neat row. Add a little humus and wood ash to each hole to provide the plants with useful components as much as possible. Variety "Funny guys" - lush flowers and require sufficient distance between the bushes. This rule can be omitted when sowing directly into the ground, given that you can always thin out the seedlings and transplant to another place.
The planted seedlings of "cheerful" dahlias are watered and mulched. This technique allows you to retain moisture, reduce the number of watering and reduce labor costs for gardeners.
Permanent presence in the beds is not required, but the basic parameters for caring for the "cheerful" dahlias will have to be fulfilled.
Watering
"Merry fellows" do not impose increased demands on watering. They can withstand short drought well, but excessive moisture is undesirable for them. Therefore, weekly abundant watering is the most optimal solution. It is not necessary to follow the schedule exactly in rainy weather. Waterlogging leads to rotting of stems and roots, plants may die. In August, plant growth stops, and the need for watering is significantly reduced.
Top dressing
If you have fertilized the soil beforehand, then this will be quite enough for "Merry Guys" dahlias. The only condition is that the fertilizer must have time to decompose so that the nutrient components become available to the roots. Therefore, fertilize the soil in the fall. If necessary, get more lush flowering in flower beds, carry out three times a day feeding dahlias:
- The first is an infusion of mullein or ammonium nitrate two weeks after disembarking at a permanent place of residence.
- The second is potassium salt or superphosphate after budding.
- The third is organic matter in the dahlia flowering phase.
We decorate the site with bright colors
In July, "Merry Boys" dahlias begin to bloom, which continues until frost.
Knowing the height of the bush, you can plan planting in flower beds, to decorate garden paths or bright spots on the lawn.
This is done over the 4th pair of leaves. It is also necessary to remove faded inflorescences in a timely manner. If you plan on harvesting your seeds for next season, leave a few on the bush.
As soon as flowering stops, they will ripen. In cool weather, remove the inflorescences from the bush and place in a warm and ventilated place. But you definitely need to let the seeds ripen on the bush, so that next year you will not be left without your favorite flowers.
The Jolly Guys have a hard time making good tubers for planting.It is important to carefully observe the sowing and planting dates so that the tuber can form over the season. Dig them out after the first frost on the ground. Now it is necessary to properly preserve the tubers of the "merry" dahlia until the new season. Some gardeners, after drying, coat them with clay to retain moisture, then place them in cardboard boxes and lower them into the basement. Be sure to sign the shades of flowers in order to properly plan the planting for the next year.
Tubers that survived the winter are planted in open ground in May.
Unpretentious dahlias "Funny guys" will help you create beautiful elegant flower beds on your site without much time, effort and money. Bright and lush flowering will make the site more elegant and cozy.
