Flower lovers are probably familiar with dahlias. They attract attention with their bright colors and incredibly delicate and fluffy buds. The color of dahlias is so diverse that everyone can find flowers to their liking. Experimenting with flowers, you can create whole compositions in your flower beds. Cactus dahlias look especially attractive, their pointed leaves leave no one indifferent. Also, seed producers have taken care, and produce a mixture of cactus dahlias. Dahlias of various colors are placed in such a bag with seeds. Agree that it is very convenient and also saves you money.
Characteristics of the cactus dahlia
The cactus dahlia is an amazingly beautiful flower. It belongs to the bushy perennial plants. Up to 15 peduncles are formed on each bush. The flowers are large, each petal twisted, with a sharp end. Colors can be very diverse: yellow, pink, white, orange, burgundy and red. There are two-color types of dahlias, when one flower can combine the petals of two colors, or smoothly transition from one color to another. Buying a package called “Dahlia Cactus Mix” at the seed store, you can grow flowers of several colors at once. The packaging shows exactly what colors are in it.
Dahlia is a compact plant. All bushes are about the same height. This allows you to use it for group plantings, bouquets and decorating flower beds. The height of the bushes can vary from 30 to 150 cm, and the diameter of the flowers is approximately 10 to 30 centimeters.
Cultivation and care
It is recommended to grow dahlias using the seedling method. But you can immediately sow dahlia seeds in the ground. If you chose the second option, then do not rush with sowing. This must be done in May, so that in July you can already admire the luxurious flowers. But sowing seedlings should begin in early April. At first, boxes with dahlias need to be covered with a film to create a greenhouse effect. For rapid germination, peat and sand are added to the soil.
When the first leaves appear on the stems, you should pick the plants into separate pots. But before that, the soil must be treated with a solution of potassium permanganate or steamed with boiling water. Before planting, the plants are hardened by taking them outside. The first day we keep the seedlings for only 5 minutes, every next day we increase the time by another 10 minutes. Some flowers may bloom at this stage.
You can start planting in open ground at the end of May, make sure that the frost has completely passed. For full growth, you need to plant flowers at a distance of 30 centimeters from each other. We leave about 40 centimeters between the rows of dahlias. Flowering may continue until frost. In this case, it is necessary from time to time to pluck dried flowers, as well as to loosen the soil. Water your dahlias as needed.
You can also grow dahlias from the rhizome. This method allows you to plant flowers year after year without spending money on seeds. Landing is carried out as follows:
- In April, the roots should be removed from the cellar and placed on sawdust or peat in a sunny place. Only with good lighting will the roots give healthy shoots. Due to insufficient sunlight, pale shoots will sprout, unable to grow.
- After the appearance of the kidneys, the rhizomes should be divided. Each tuber must have at least one bud.
- One rhizome is enough for planting 6-10 tubers. Each of them is placed in a box and sprinkled with earth. In early May, dahlias can be planted in a greenhouse. They can be moved to a flower garden or flower bed in early June.
- Tubers are planted in the ground to a depth of about 15 centimeters down with “eyes”. Next, you need to sprinkle it with soil and water it well.
Conclusion
Cactus-like dahlias can please our eyes all summer and even the beginning of autumn. These flowers are incredibly easy to grow. They are unpretentious to the conditions and do not require special care. Having dug up the rhizomes in advance, you can grow these flowers in your flower bed for many years. And by purchasing “Dahlias cactus-like mixture”, you can get just such beauty, as shown in the photo. A variety of colors will delight all your loved ones, and decorate your yard in an original way.
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