How to germinate dahlias correctly after winter?

To germinate dahlias after winter, you need to get the tubers about 3-4 weeks before the expected planting date. Most summer residents know that this plant belongs to the thermophilic species and, for safety, in the fall, its root tubers are dug up, and in the spring they are planted on the site again. Planting dates depend on the climatic characteristics of the region, so the tubers are removed from storage at different times.

When to get dahlias after storage?

Regardless of the variety and variety of dahlias, growing a plant and storing tubers will be the same. Even in the southern regions of Russia, dahlia does not hibernate in the ground. On the eve of frost, the plants are dug up, the stems are cut off, the nodules are dried and harvested until spring.

A basement, a cellar and even a compartment of a household refrigerator can become a storage place. If root tubers are reached too early, the sprouts that have hatched will stretch out and may break when planting. Late withdrawal from storage will result in a subsequent delay in flowering.

Germination start dates by region:

• in the middle lane (in the suburbs) - mid-April;
• in the Leningrad region - early May;
• in Siberia and the Urals - mid-May;
• in the South of Russia - the beginning of the third decade of March.

In warm climates, dahlias are more often planted in a flower bed without germination. Be sure to pay attention to the weather conditions of the current year. Spring may be early or late. In this case, the timing will have to be adjusted.

Preparing for germination

Tubers are usually stored at 4–8 ° C. In the spring, it is not recommended to abruptly transfer them to a warm place. The temperature should be raised gradually. Let the root tubers lie for 2-3 days in slightly warmer conditions than in storage. To prevent moisture loss, the planting material is covered with a film. Then the root cones are brought into the house and examined.

It will be necessary to remove the remnants of old dry roots, cut out rotten areas, if any are found. Dangling tubers, weakly attached to the root collar, are separated and discarded, since they still do not have their own buds and will simply rot in the ground. All growth points are concentrated precisely in the root collar.

After that, the root tubers need to be disinfected using a weak solution of potassium permanganate or foundationol, soaking them for 30 minutes. This procedure is mandatory. Delenes that have several growth points should be divided into parts with 1-2 buds. If you plant a whole large nest in the ground, the plant will grow weakened, it will bloom worse.

The division promotes the renewal of tubers. All sections must be powdered with charcoal powder (you can use activated carbon in tablets). Such tubers must be kept for a day before planting for germination so that the wounds dry out.

How to germinate tubers correctly?

At home, root tubers are provided with a bright, warm place with a temperature of 20 ° C. A variety of materials can serve as a substrate for germination:

• loose and light soil;
• sawdust;
• coconut fiber;
• river sand;
• perlite.

The main thing is that the soil is good for air, water and is disinfected.

It is convenient to germinate dahlias in wooden boxes, plastic containers, old basins. The bottom of the container is covered with a small layer of soil. Root tubers are laid out on it so that they do not come into contact with each other. Then the nodules are covered with the remaining substrate, not deeply deepening.The main goal is to place them in a moist environment conducive to sprouting. Flower pots can be used to germinate small numbers of tubers. In the future, the plants are simply transplanted to the site by the transfer method.

Dahlias can also be germinated in trenches 40 cm wide and 30–35 cm deep. The dug groove is covered with loose soil, in which the tubers are slightly buried. Arcs are installed on top and covered with film. Watering is best done with a spray, this method will help to avoid waterlogging. With this method of germination, the sprouts are stronger.

Conditions of detention

The tubers are kept indoors until germination. It is necessary to monitor the moisture content of the substrate, but watering should be scanty. It is recommended to use a spray bottle and water the dahlias by spraying. They will survive a short-term drought due to the moisture content in the tubers, but from excess water they can rot. At this stage, the plants do not need feeding.

When sprouts emerge from the substrate, it is advisable to move the box to a cooler place with a temperature of about 15 ° C. In a warm environment, shoots will grow too quickly, which is undesirable. When the threat of frost disappears, you can start planting in open ground. If the storage of tubers did not take place in ideal conditions, and they sprouted on their own, they are allowed to color before planting in the light and then, without dividing the nest, are planted in a flower garden.

Landing in the ground

A flower bed for dahlias is prepared in the fall. You need to dig up the earth, pick roots, add compost or humus. If the soil is heavy, dilute it by adding peat or sand. Dahlias grow worse on acidic soils. In this case, when preparing the flower bed, you need to add chalk, limestone or dolomite flour.

In the spring, it is enough to simply loosen the ground before planting. For tall varieties, you need to dig in the supports in advance. In the soil, holes are made commensurate with the root tubers and dahlias are planted. The planting scheme depends on the variety. An interval of 60–100 cm is left between plants located in the same row. When planting in several rows, it is necessary to make one meter row spacing.

The tubers are planted next to the support. After planting, the root collar should be 4–5 cm below soil level. For the first month, dahlias are actively growing and need abundant watering (taking into account weather conditions). In the future, plants need fertilizing, mulching, and the formation of a bush. Faded buds need to be removed regularly, not allowing seeds to set, then further flowering will be abundant.

Germination helps to produce strong, beautiful, healthy dahlias that will better withstand diseases and adverse conditions. Flowering in this case will come 2-3 weeks earlier than usual. The procedure is not particularly difficult and does not take much time, so it is worth including it in the list of mandatory activities for preparing dahlias for planting, especially in regions with a short summer.