Dahlias are often found in flower beds; the Merry Guys variety is one of the most popular. The plant does not require any specific care. Even a beginner can easily grow flowers in their summer cottage. As a result, the flower garden will sparkle with bright colors and will help lift the gardener’s mood.
Cheerful guys are a popular dahlia variety. Colorful flowers attract special attention. One has only to look at the flowerbed and the variety of colors will give you a good mood.
Characteristics of the variety
Flowers are annual plants.
A dwarf variety that needs to be pruned for the winter. He will not be able to endure the cold season. Flowers reach a height of up to 70 cm. The stem is strong, the leaves are large. The bud has a diameter of up to 10 cm. During the flowering period, the petals have a bright color that immediately catches the eye. Please note that dahlias are available in different colors.
These are red, lilac, white, pink colors. Despite the variety of shades, they all belong to the same variety. Dahlias are used to decorate flower beds. They are used to create borders. Cheerful guys look interesting in single plantings. In addition, they can be in the neighborhood with other plants. Dahlias go well with sage, petunia, and asters. The variety is suitable for creating flower arrangements.
Reproduction
Reproduction of cheerful guys flowers occurs in two ways - seeds and tubers. Of course, it is better to choose the second option, since you can determine the quality of the planting material and make sure of the plant variety. However, tubers do not always take root in open ground. When purchasing seeds, there is a high probability that the flowers that emerge will not be the same as those shown on the package.
Seeds
To be sure that the dahlia seeds are exactly what you need, it is better to collect them yourself. To do this, wait until flowering ends and remove dried seeds from the strongest plants. Store them in a paper bag at a temperature of twenty to twenty-five degrees.
When to sow seeds in the ground? Sowing is carried out mainly at the end of April, when there is no longer frost outside.
It is best to grow annual dahlias through seedlings, then they will begin to bloom earlier. In the southern regions, sowing is done in March, and in the northern regions - at the end of April, when the frosts end.
- To grow each seedling, you need a separate pot with a capacity of 500 ml.
- The seeds should be placed in the soil to a depth of 2 cm, watered with warm water and covered with film.
- The room temperature must be at least 25°C.
- In the absence of the required amount of sunlight, it is recommended to use special lamps.
When the seedlings sprout (usually 5–6 days after planting), the polyethylene can be removed.
Tubers
As for propagation by tubers, the main rule is to choose the right time for planting. This will allow a good root tuber to form in one season.
In some cases, it is most convenient to propagate by cuttings. For example, there is only one tuber. A lone dahlia in the middle of an empty garden will look rather dull. And with the help of cuttings you can increase the number of plants.
The procedure algorithm is as follows:
- First of all, the root tubers need to be germinated. A mixture of sand and peat in a 1:1 ratio is ideal for this. It is recommended to keep containers with flowers in a bright and warm place for three weeks.
- When the emerging shoots reach a size of 10 cm, they can be cut into cuttings. It is recommended to do this with a sharp knife.
- The cut needs to be powdered with “Kornevin”, after which the plant should be planted in previously prepared containers. Neutral peat and sand are usually used to prepare the substrate. Seedlings must be covered with transparent caps to create a greenhouse effect.
- When the frosts finally recede, you can plant them in open ground.
When to dig and store tubers
When the first frosts pass, you can already start digging up dahlias. To keep flowers in good condition until the next season, several procedures must be carried out. First of all, to maintain moisture, the planting material is coated with clay.
After this, you should place it in boxes, preferably cardboard, and place them in a dark, cool room. It is best to choose a basement. Label the boxes with the shade of the dahlia, or better yet, stick a photo of the plant’s appearance so that when planting, you can correctly plan the area in relation to the color scheme.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
Cheerful guys are in great demand among flower growers. Experienced gardeners claim that flowers have a number of advantages over other plants. The main ones are the following:
- resistance to drought;
- the growing technology is quite simple;
- lush flowering;
- flowers look harmonious with other plants.
Although the Dahlia Jolly Guys have many positive characteristics, there are also some disadvantages.
Florists pay attention to the following:
- The variety is not resistant to pests. Therefore, the issue of plant protection should be approached responsibly;
- fungal diseases often affect crops. When damaged, brown spots appear on the leaves.
Why do the buds of dahlias turn black? Merry guys: causes of the disease, pests, treatment
Many reasons can cause a disease called botrytis . It first appears as dark spots on the leaves. Then it affects all parts of the crop, including the buds.
Sources of gray mold can be:
- Unfavorable areas for planting dahlias;
- Many weeds, humid environment;
- Excess of nitrogen-containing components;
- Bad weather conditions - frequent rains.
Fungal and viral pathologies affect the buds of the plant and lead to its death if no measures are taken in time.
When diseases appear, dahlias must be pulled out, then treated with insecticidal soil, and then changed where the plantings are planted.
A lot of different insects can infect the leaves, stems and even buds of the plant. To get rid of them, special means are used:
- Karbofos, Fitoverton, Rogorom - effective against thrips and cutworm caterpillars;
- Hyphen, Biotlon, Iskra - save plants from aphids;
- Activated creolin - destroys slugs;
- Karbofos, Keltan - effective against earwigs, red spider mites;
- Carbothionic solution - used against root-knot nematodes.
To prevent crop diseases and insect damage, it is necessary to inspect flowers on time. It is also recommended to do agrotechnical treatment.
Diseases of dahlias Cheerful guys
Requirements for soil composition
You need to choose soil for plants carefully. Dahlias will delight you with long-term flowering only if they grow on fertile soil. Particular attention should be paid to acidity; the soil should not be acidic.
To simplify the task, soil can be purchased at a specialized store. If you want to prepare the soil yourself, you need to mix fertile soil, sand, and peat. Each component must be taken in equal quantities.
Growing seedlings
To quickly get colorful blooms, you can plant seedlings in open ground. To do this, sow seeds in containers in April. After planting, the crops need to be covered with film.
The depth of planting seeds in the soil should not be more than 2 cm, the distance between sowings should be 3 cm. After which the seeds should be sprinkled with sand and peat and lightly watered.
In order for the crops to germinate, it is necessary to maintain the temperature within 25 degrees. Shoots will appear in 14 days.
As soon as the plants reach a height of 10 cm, picking is required. To do this, you need to prepare separate containers. It is advisable to use peat pots or paper bags.
Dahlias Merry fellows need to be watered sparingly. It is best to accustom them to fresh air. Already with the arrival of May, the crops need to be taken outside.
Landing
In May, before planting, it is necessary to prepare the plants for being in open ground. It is recommended to take the pots to fresh air - for example, to the balcony. It is understood that at this time there are no longer frosts and even at night the temperature does not drop below 10°C. In early June, dahlias can be planted in open space, and flowering can be expected in July.
When planting without seedlings, it is recommended to first dig up and loosen the soil, removing weeds and plant debris. For dahlias to bloom magnificently, they need soil rich in nutrients. Although “Guys” are unpretentious, loam or soils with a high sand content are not suitable for them.
The surface of the bed for sowing dahlias must first be leveled. Create shallow grooves at a distance of 20–30 centimeters. In a small area, sowing can be done in individual holes located at the optimal distance for the selected variety.
If possible, it is recommended to cover dahlia crops with a film, which will prevent the soil from drying out, speed up germination and protect young shoots. As soon as friendly sprouts appear, the shelter is removed.
How to care for flowers
Caring for dahlias is easy. It is enough to water and fertilize in a timely manner. The result will not be long in coming. Lush and colorful flowering will delight you with its splendor.
- Watering
For the first time after planting, plants need well-moistened soil. As soon as the buds appear, the number of waterings can be reduced.
On hot days, additional spraying is necessary. In August, flowers should be watered no more than once a week.
- Top dressing
Despite the fact that the plants are unpretentious, they still need fertilizer. Feeding should be carried out in 3 stages:
- 14 days after planting the seedlings in the soil. Mullein or ammonium nitrate can be used as fertilizers.
- As soon as the first buds appear. For fertilizer, you can use potassium salt or superphosphate.
- During the flowering period. It is best to fertilize using organic fertilizers.
- Weeding
When weeds appear, they must be removed immediately.
It is important that the flowering process can occur much faster if pinching is carried out. To do this, you need to leave only 3 stems of the plant.
Care after landing
For abundant flowering throughout the summer, it is necessary to weed out weeds, as they contribute to the emergence of diseases and block sunlight. You also need to fertilize in a timely manner using complex fertilizers for flowers. Organic fertilizers should be added to the soil 2 weeks after planting, and mineral fertilizers can be added after another 14 days.
Watering
Irrigate the ground under the plants once a week. Excessive moisture can lead to fungal diseases. Therefore, in case of prolonged rainfall, watering is adjusted. Annuals can withstand short-term drought.
Top dressing
The first fertilizing is done with nitrogen 2 weeks after planting. Next time they fertilize with potassium and phosphorus during the budding period. During flowering, dahlias need to be fed with organic matter. If the plants were planted in fertile soil, the first application of fertilizer is skipped.
Trimming
Cheerful guys form lush bushes on their own. A large number of buds grow on them. Therefore, these dahlias do not need to be shaped. They only require trimming of faded buds. You can pinch the top of the main stem once, and then the bushes will be even more magnificent and beautiful.
Picking
After planting the seed in the soil, when the seedlings grow to ten centimeters, the plants must be pruned. The seedlings are transferred either to peat pots or to a large planting box. It is advisable to place plants at a distance of 14 centimeters. Thanks to diving, the stem will become stronger, the plants will gain strength and become hardy.
Features of wintering tubers
In order for the tubers to be ready for planting, they must be properly stored during the winter. When the first frost occurs, you need to dig up the tubers you like. Lightly trim stems and roots.
The tubers should be immediately treated with a solution of potassium permanganate. This will protect them from fungal diseases. The tubers should dry out within a few days. They need to be left in the fresh air.
For storage you need to select wooden boxes and cover them with paper. It is important to ensure the temperature is within 10 degrees. Tubers should be checked periodically for mold. Damaged copies must be removed immediately.
Growing crops from root tubers
Dahlia Tubers Merry Guys should be planted at the end of May. First you need to prepare the holes. Their size should be 3 times larger than the planting material. Rotted manure and a layer of earth should be placed at the bottom. Carefully place the root in the hole and cover with soil.
At the end, the plants need to be watered well and mulched around. A mixture of peat and sawdust can be used as mulch.
Dahlias in landscape design
Flowers are often used to decorate flower beds. Since the plants are unpretentious, they are in demand among gardeners. Dahlias are grown in flower beds, garden beds, and on the lawn.
Flowers look interesting in single plantings. Bright inflorescences catch the eye and delight with their long flowering.
In addition, dahlias harmonize perfectly with other plants. Many gardeners make flower arrangements using asters, marigolds, and sage. Good neighbors for dahlias, which make the flower bed more attractive and bright.
Watering rules
At the age of seedlings, dahlias prefer irrigation instead of watering. It is carried out infrequently, but abundantly. After planting it in the ground, watering must be carried out abundantly throughout the entire growth period. But at the same time, do not allow the soil to become waterlogged. Dahlias do not tolerate this.
After the plants begin to budding, watering is switched to moderate. It is better for bushes to survive a slight drought than stagnation of water. When all the buds bloom and prolonged flowering occurs, watering is reduced to a minimum level. This period falls on August – September.
