Dahlias stand out noticeably among any flower garden. Regardless of the variety, they are always spectacular and stately. Gardeners especially value dahlias not only for their beauty, but also for their long flowering period. Today, dahlias, bred at the end of the 18th century, number about 30 species and more than 15,000 varieties. Below we will look at a charming representative of the mixed type of these flowers - the Vancouver dahlia.
Characteristics of the variety
The Vancouver dahlia is a decoration for any garden or flower bed. This flower has a rather impressive height - from 100 to 120 cm. Moreover, despite this height, Vancouver has strong and durable stems with dark green thick leaves. Unlike other tall dahlias, the Vancouver variety does not require additional support.
The flowering period for Vancouver dahlias begins in July and ends in early or mid-September. All this time, beautiful and lush flowers of lilac color are formed on the Vancouver dahlias, which smoothly flows into a milky white shade at the tips of the petals. During complete dissolution, the Vancouver inflorescence can reach a diameter of 20–25 cm. In addition to its extraordinary beauty, the flower exudes a light, pleasant scent. Each inflorescence retains its beauty for 2–3 weeks.
Vancouver dahlias look great not only in the garden, but also in a bouquet. Cut flowers are distinguished by their stability, and their freshness will remain for 5-7 days.
Recommendations for cultivation
Dahlias of the Vancouver variety can be propagated both by seeds and vegetatively. Most often, gardeners choose the second method, using tubers or prepared cuttings as planting material. When planting seeds in Vancouver, it is worth preparing the seedlings in advance. Seeds for it are planted in March or April.
Vancouver dahlias are very sensitive to cold weather. Therefore, it is recommended to plant them no earlier than the end of April–beginning of May. In this case, the landing site must satisfy the following conditions:
- be sunny;
- have a light structure and rich soil composition;
- be protected from the wind.
Before planting dahlias, it is worth preparing the holes in advance. Each of them should be three times larger than the root system of the flower. In most cases, a hole of 40x40 cm will be sufficient. It is also important that after immersing the roots in the ground, another 5-7 cm remains above them. Manure, compost or nitrophoska can be placed at the bottom of the hole. Before immersing the Vancouver seedling into the hole, the fertilizer must be lightly mixed with the soil. After planting, the seedlings should be well watered and the soil mulched.
Further care for Vancouver dahlias will include:
- Polivé. In this case, it is necessary to focus on the condition of the soil, avoiding its drying out and waterlogging. Without rain, these flowers will need 1-2 waterings per week.
- Mulching. This procedure will relieve the gardener from the need to weed and loosen the flower bed. In addition, mulch will protect flowers from slugs.
- Feeding. Vancouver needs to be fertilized every 2 weeks throughout its growth. For best results, mineral fertilizers should be alternated with organic ones. Before the first buds appear, it is worth using ammonium nitrate, tincture of mullein or bird droppings. With the appearance of buds, it is recommended to change these fertilizers to superphosphate or fertilizers containing potassium.
- Pruning. Removing excess shoots is necessary for Vancouver dahlias to form larger inflorescences. Due to this, pruned bushes become more decorative. In addition to unnecessary shoots, it is worth removing some buds. It is recommended to leave 1 or 2 buds on each peduncle.
After flowering ends, Vancouver dahlia tubers need to be dug up for winter storage. To do this, in mid-September, when the first frost is likely to occur, the stems of dahlias should be cut, leaving 15 cm above ground level. After a few days, the tubers of these bushes can be dug up and stored for the winter at temperatures from +5 to +3 degrees.
You can learn more about how to prepare dahlias for wintering from the video:
