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In the cultivation of dahlias, there is one fundamentally important point – the temperature regime. This is especially true in the cold season, when the weather brings unpleasant surprises for this flower: strong winds, high humidity and frosts. In this article we will tell you how to prepare dahlias for winter.
Taking care of the cold
Dahlias are flowers of the Asteraceae family. They prompt many to memories of childhood, the first bell at school, and their beloved teacher. These plants are very popular among flower growers. Their main features are a long flowering period and relative unpretentiousness. Flowers can adapt to almost any environmental conditions. As for lighting, the flower feels great both in sunny areas and in solid shade.
Autumn is the time to prepare dahlias for winter. It is this period that is decisive in the future fate of flowers, because the key to a successful wintering and rapid spring development is proper autumn care.
Autumn care for dahlias includes digging up tubers and storing them. To determine the timing of digging, you need to focus on the condition of the flower. Dry stems and a brownish tint indicate that this is exactly the time. In the Moscow region and the middle lane, this period falls on November. In northern latitudes – at the end of October.
Video “Preparing dahlias for winter”
From this video you will learn how to prepare dahlias for the winter period.
Preparatory stage
Before digging up the tubers, the bush must be prepared. With the onset of the first frost, they begin to clean the soil near the dahlias. All weak, old and injured stems are removed from the soil. Stems affected by a fungal disease should also be removed, as they can provoke the spread of pests to healthy flowers. Sick stems are dug up together with an earthy clod and burned. In about five days, watering the plant completely stops. Digging is carried out after the onset of severe frosts.
Digging out
This process is relatively simple, but includes several important steps in which the sequence of execution is fundamentally important.
For beginner gardeners, there is a step-by-step “recipe” for digging up tubers:
- The earth around the bush is dug up – this allows you to get access to the roots of dahlias.
- With the help of a shovel, carefully pry the bush, and holding it by the stems, remove it from the soil.
- The roots are carefully inspected for rot and damage. Diseased roots are separated and discarded. Very long roots are slightly shortened. This procedure will give the tubers compactness, as a result of which it will be more convenient to store them.
Tuber division
Much depends on how to prepare dahlia tubers for storage in winter: the activity of shrub growth in spring, the splendor of flowering, and the general condition of the stems. That is why neglecting the sorting of tubers is highly discouraged. This procedure is a cutting of the rhizome into several parts, which will subsequently be planted. Sorting is carried out in the fall, as in the spring the roots become quite coarse and it is problematic to separate them. First, they deal with small and thin roots. They are not subject to sharing, so they are stored in whole groups.
Each delenka needs to leave a piece of the neck, otherwise the root may not germinate in the future. The resulting roots are washed well under running water and re-examined to make sure there are no damage and rot. As a disinfectant, the roots are soaked in a solution of manganese, and then dried well. Large tubers are slightly cut in length. If the color of the cut is brownish, with rust, this means that rotting processes have begun there. Such a tuber is cut until the cut is clean. If most of the tuber is lost as a result of shortening, it is discarded.
Marking and storage
Marking plays an important role in autumn care. The main task of the gardener who marks the tubers is to indicate the maximum information for further identification of the dahlia variety. There are also particularly strong roots. After all, later they can be cuttings.
The main aspect of the storage of dahlia tubers is the temperature regime. The thermometer mark in the room where the roots hibernate should not fall below 1 ° C, the humidity indicator should also be stable – 75–85%. If these norms are not observed, the roots can either freeze or rot.
The main storage methods for dahlias include:
- garden soil. The tubers are placed in a box and sprinkled with a small layer of wet sand, peat or soil. The thickness of the layer should not exceed 10 cm. This can be called wintering in the natural habitat. In addition, thanks to a thin layer of shelter, the roots receive a sufficient amount of oxygen.
- Moss, sand. Tubers placed in a container are covered with sphagnum or sand. It is important to ensure good ventilation.
- Vermiculite. This is a material resembling porous pebbles. The roots are stored in plastic containers filled with vermiculite. The downside is the ability of the material to produce moisture, which can provoke the processes of plant decay.
- Cooling chamber. In the absence of a cellar, some flower growers store tubers in the refrigerator. They are placed in a bag filled with sawdust and placed in the vegetable section. In the package you need to make several holes for oxygen access.
Alternative approach
There is a rather unusual way of storing dahlia tubers. It consists in using paraffin as a protective material. The roots are prepared in the usual way, dried well and dipped in melted paraffin. After it hardens, the roots are wrapped in paper and sent to the box.
With a properly organized wintering, the tubers sprout rather quickly in the spring.
In addition, the shrub grows resistant to various kinds of pests and environmental factors. And this is a guarantee of lush and colorful flowering.