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There are many annual and perennial varieties of dahlias. How to grow the first ones is clear - annuals reproduce by seeds, all that remains is to sow them in the ground. But with perennial varieties of dahlias everything is much more complicated, but the flowers themselves are larger, more interesting and brighter.
How to propagate dahlias, what methods of propagating these varieties exist, what to do to increase the number of plants while maintaining their decorativeness and quality - this is what this article is about.
Why do dahlias need reproduction?
Dahlias propagate in two ways: by cuttings and dividing tubers. You need to divide bushes not only to get more flowers next season.
Dividing tubers performs several tasks at once:
- the number of plants increases;
- the bush becomes healthier, since after cutting the rhizome, a protective reaction is activated - the plant intensively fights viruses and infections;
- the plant is rejuvenated, all regenerative processes are accelerated;
- inflorescences retain their size, color and number on the bushes, the height of the plants does not decrease.
At the same time, if you neglect the division of tubers, dahlia bushes will increasingly lose their decorative effect every year: they will become lower, with fewer flowers, which, in turn, will become smaller and discolored.
How does dahlia propagate?
Perennial varieties are propagated either by cuttings or by dividing the tuber. But it is quite possible to combine these two methods, which will help to get several flowers at once from one healthy and strong dahlia - from three or more.
The number of divisions depends on the number of buds on the rhizome. The buds are located at the top of the tuber, most often they are located around the dahlia stem. It is quite difficult to see these buds in their infancy; some beginners are not able to do this task.
In this case, you can use one of the methods:
- Divide dahlias in the spring, not in the fall. During this period, the buds will begin to sprout and become more noticeable.
- A few days before digging up the bush, trim the stem of the dahlia; this will also promote bud growth.
Cuttings of dahlias, in principle, do not perform other functions other than propagation of the flower. This method is also very effective - from each rhizome you can get as many cuttings as there are buds on it.
How to properly divide dahlia tubers
You can divide dahlia rhizomes in both autumn and spring. Most gardeners do this in the fall, citing the fact that this way the roots tolerate storage better, they are easier to process, and it is easier to divide the tuber because it has not yet hardened and has a thin skin. And, as a rule, gardeners have more time during this period than in the spring. Nothing prevents you from calmly examining the dahlia tubers, treating the cut areas, and disinfecting the “wounds.”
Before cutting dahlias or cutting their tubers, you need to dig up the rhizomes and process them properly.
Preparing dahlia tubers for division
Dahlia bushes need to be dug up when severe frosts begin. In most regions of Russia this is mid-October. By this time, the flower stem should wither or freeze, and the inflorescences should bloom.
To prevent dahlias from rotting and becoming infected with fungal infections, and to better withstand winter storage, stop watering the bushes 2-3 weeks before digging up the tubers.
To dig up a bush without damaging the tubers, you need to step back about 25-30 cm around the entire circumference and carefully dig under it with a pitchfork or shovel. This way, it will be possible to cut off too long roots without damaging the tuber itself.
Now the tubers need to be carefully turned over and allowed to dry with their roots facing up for several hours. If the weather is damp outside, the rhizomes are brought into a dry and warm room.
The following preparatory activities are carried out in the following sequence:
- Dahlia stems are trimmed to a height of 2-3 cm - this is just enough to attach a tag with the name of the variety to each tuber. If you leave longer stems, the dahlia tubers will begin to wither and rot.
- The tubers are thoroughly washed under high pressure water to rid them of soil.The fact is that there may be many infections, pests or their larvae in the soil, which will simply destroy the dahlias over the winter.
- Now you need to remove all the dry parts, cut off the roots, and remove the “dead” tubers.
- Large rhizomes are inspected to identify affected areas. This could be rot, disease infection, or traces of pest activity. All this must be cut with a sterile knife to the point where the cut is white, without damage. If it was not possible to save more than a third of the tuber, it is immediately thrown away.
- They also remove all flaccid and too light rhizomes - they will not be able to lie all winter and sprout new shoots. You can check dahlia tubers using plain water - if they float, you can safely throw them away. Only those specimens that sank to the bottom of the dish are left.
Propagation of dahlias by cuttings and tubers
Dahlias need cuttings in the spring, when the buds on the tubers begin to wake up and sprout. But it’s better to divide the tuber in the fall.
Prepared, washed and dried rhizomes, examine and count the buds in their upper part. Beginner gardeners are recommended to first divide each large dahlia root into two parts, trying to ensure that each of them has an equal number of buds.
It is necessary to cut the rhizome only with a sterile, very sharp knife. You can disinfect the blade with alcohol; calcining the knife over a fire helps.
First, the rhizome is slightly cut in the upper part (where the stem is located). Now they take both edges and carefully stretch them in different directions, tearing the dahlia tuber into two parts.
If necessary (there are more than two buds on the rhizome), each part is divided again. When the divisions are ready, their sections are treated by sprinkling with wood ash or other antiseptic preparation.
You can soak the cuttings in a strong solution of manganese, dipping them there for 15 minutes. At the same stage, you can check which tubers will float and which ones will sink to the bottom. After processing, the cuttings are dried, spread out on newspapers or cardboards. All sections should be weathered and dry, without dark spots or foreign inclusions.
Now the tubers can be stored for storage; in the spring, each of them will turn into beautiful dahlias.
Cuttings are another way to propagate dahlias. These shoots can be obtained at the stage of germination of tubers.
When the rhizomes they get it in the spring from the basements and garages where they were stored, they are inspected, damaged and withered specimens are rejected, and then germinated.
To grow a cutting, you can buy a special device or plant the tuber in a coconut substrate. The pot is filled with the mixture only halfway, the tuber is also not completely deepened - the upper part with the buds should be above the surface, only the roots are located in the soil.
After 2-3 weeks, the dahlia stem begins to grow from the bud; when it reaches 10-15 cm in height, it is carefully cut between the two buds using sharp scissors or a knife.
You can root a cutting in ordinary water - place the stem in a glass into which a lot of water is poured. In a few days the first roots will appear. Or you can immediately plant the cuttings in a substrate made of coconut fibers, sand and neutral peat.
Sprouted tubers and grown cuttings can be planted in the soil when the threat of severe frost has passed. In most regions of the country this is done in early May.
How to properly store dahlia tubers
If stored improperly, dahlia rhizomes can rot or turn into shriveled “mummies.” This happens due to temperature fluctuations and insufficient or excessive humidity.
There are several ways to store dahlia rhizomes:
- In vermiculite, when layers of this substance alternate with layers of rhizomes. Vermiculite retains moisture well, but when the room temperature rises, the tubers will immediately begin to germinate.
- Most gardeners use sand, sawdust or peat to store dahlias. This helps preserve the roots until the next season, but you need to carefully monitor the moisture level of the substrate. In regions with a dry climate, sand or sawdust must be moistened so that the tubers do not wrinkle or dry out.
- Particularly valuable hybrids, which can germinate as early as December, are stored in paraffin. The tubers are dipped one at a time in paraffin heated to 70 degrees. After the “crust” has hardened, preserved dahlias are stored in any boxes, bags or drawers.
- You can also preserve flower tubers using clay. To do this, the clay is diluted with water to the state of liquid sour cream and the rhizomes are dipped into it. In the spring, just tap on the crust, the clay will crumble, and the buds will be able to sprout.
If everything is done correctly, you can forget about buying new dahlia tubers - you will only have to go to the store for the latest varieties and exotic hybrids. Propagating perennial dahlias at home is quite possible - even a novice gardener can do it.
A video on this topic will help a beginner:
