In any flower bed there are flowers that create the background, and there are pearls that attract all eyes. These are the flowers that dahlias are. varieties Dana. This incredibly beautiful variety, belonging to the cactus dahlia family, will decorate any flower garden.
Characteristics of the variety
Dahlia Dana is an annual tuberous plant. It is impossible not to notice this flower, because the height of this dahlia is almost 120 cm. The bushes of Dan's dahlias are very branched, but despite this, they are compact in size. The stems of this variety are hollow and strong with many feathery leaves of a dark green color.
Cactus dahlias, which include Dana, got their name for a reason. The photo below shows that the petals of these flowers are curled into tubes, thereby making the flower look like a prickly cactus.
The size of the flowers of this variety is not inferior to the size of their stems. The diameter of Dana's inflorescence can be from 15 to 20 cm. This dahlia variety has a very interesting color. The bright pink color of its petals changes to yellow as they approach the center of the inflorescence, forming a sunny core.
Dana can be grown with equal success as part of a flower bed or as a cut flower. Dahlia Dana blooms for quite a long time - from July to September.
Recommendations for cultivation
Dana is undemanding to the composition of the soil, but it will do best on light and cultivated soil.As for the landing site, you should give preference to a sunny flower bed, protected from the wind.
This variety is very sensitive to frost. Therefore, it is worth planting Dana in the middle zone only after they are completely finished. As a rule, this period occurs at the end of May - beginning of June.
When planting tubers, you must adhere to the recommended planting scheme:
- between plants there should be from 30 to 40 cm;
- the height from the tuber to the ground surface should be no more than 7 cm.
Caring for young shoots and adult flowers is simple. It will consist of the following procedures:
- Watering. It must be carried out regularly. Dahlia dahlias do not like the soil to dry out.
- Top dressing. Dahlias should be fertilized only after watering. To do this, use mullein infusion, superphosphate with the addition of ash and potassium sulfate. The regularity of fertilizing should not exceed 1 time in 10 days.
- Mulching. Laying mulch on the flowerbed will reduce moisture evaporation, thereby protecting the soil from drying out too much.
- Removing side shoots. This procedure is necessary for early and longer flowering of dahlias. In this case, shoots must be removed up to the 4th pair of leaves.
In the fall, in mid-September or early October, dahlia tubers need to be dug up. If this is not done, they will freeze over the winter. Dug up tubers should be stored in sand or peat at a temperature of +3 to +7 degrees.
We also recommend that you watch the video, which clearly shows the process of planting dahlias:
