Timely germination of dahlia tubers will make it possible to get lush bushes
The charming dahlias in the flowerbed with their pomp resemble the magnificent queen at the Vienna Ball. To get bright, lush blooms, gardeners prepare tubers in the fall, and in early spring they germinate dahlia tubers. They cut off healthy fleshy parts and paraffin them, and in spring they give an impetus to development.
The storage conditions of the obtained copies depend on the degree of humidity in individual regions. The higher it is, the lower the air temperature should be - within 4-8 ° С.
When to germinate?
It is necessary to take out the planting material from the cellar no earlier than mid-April. Feeling warm and getting into the light, the rhizomes instantly begin to sprout. The buds hatch through the wax shell without any problems. Therefore, it is not necessary to remove it. The roots are so powerful that they freely pierce the film.
Florists recommend removing the wax shell. They do this carefully, trying not to hurt the plant.
The sprouts will be good if the dahlia tubers are placed in a warm microclimate 2-3 weeks before planting. Then they have time to germinate. You should not rush in this matter, since too intensive bud formation will lead to the death of the flower. In the middle lane, gardeners plant a crop in mid-May. Therefore, March is too early for such a thing.
For the brave
Some gardeners want to propagate the variety they love. In this case, they prefer to do cuttings, which are advised to start in early spring. From one tuber, several separate bushes are obtained at once. For this you will need:
- choose rhizomes with 5-6 regrown shoots;
- cut a drain hole in the container to avoid stagnant water;
- prepare a substrate from a coconut mixture, sawdust or wet sand, plant;
- when long stems appear, cut them off with a sharp blade along with the "heel" (a blunt instrument makes lacerated wounds in which pathogenic spores settle);
- cuttings are placed in a mixture of neutral peat and cover with a transparent lid;
- when they take root, they are transplanted into open ground.
The tubers are able to withstand drought because the fleshy growths contain a sufficient supply of moisture. However, they begin to rot if they are in a humid environment for a long period.
The rhizomes with sprouted sprouts are stored for the first time in a cool place: a refrigerator or a cellar. If there are already too long processes near the root collar, then they can be broken off. Perhaps they will start new shoots again. Still, some people feel sorry for breaking this idyll, then the plant has to be planted in a container. Then the florist needs to carefully transfer the planting material from the container to the open ground. Despite such drastic measures, dahlias will still be gorgeous.