Dahlias are loved by gardeners for abundant and long blossoming, big variety of forms and coloring of flowers. At cultivation of these plants it is important to provide correctly storage of tuber – quite often in the course of storage the tubers begin to rot or dry up, losing viability.
When it is necessary to dig out dahlias
Dahlias – long-term culture, but for the winter it is impossible to leave tubers in the open ground as they do not take out the lowered temperatures. After the first autumn frosts it is necessary to hill stalks of plants not to damage growth point frost. After stalks are beaten by frost, it is possible to dig out dahlias. Depending on the region, this time is necessary for the end of September beginning of October.
The tuber of this plant grows quite big therefore at outplanting it is necessary to observe extra care. It is better to dig out plant together. From all directions it is necessary to undermine flower, to take with root from the soil entirely and to allow to dry up. It is not necessary to pull for stalks – it can damage plant and in the place of break decay can develop subsequently. After that it is necessary to cut off secateurs plant stalks at distance of 15-20 cm from root neck and to bind labels with the indication of the name of grade or its characteristic – in this case when landing there will be no confusion.
After tubers have dried, it is necessary to clean off from them the excess earth, it is good to wash out in flowing water and to dry. Some flower growers recommend to make division of bush at once and to cut excess roots, but this procedure is fraught with complications and death of all planting stock. It is better to leave this work for the spring – before landing to examine and cut sore points, to cut excess backs, to make division of tuber. All cuts need to be powdered with wood ashes, and the knife has to be disinfected previously by alcohol or calcinating.
How to store tubers of dahlias
Before storage it is necessary to process tubers from infections. For this purpose it is necessary to place them for 10-15 minutes in strong solution of margantsovokisly potassium, then to dry within 7-10 days in shadow before full drying. If there is no special place for storage of dahlias, it is better to process tubers in liquid paraffin – in this case they will not dry, will not sprout ahead of time and will well remain even in room conditions. For this purpose paraffin needs to be kindled on water bath and to dip into it tuber entirely, including root neck. In the spring the appeared sprouts with ease will punch thin paraffin crust. If there is cold basement, tubers of dahlias need to be spread out in one layer in wooden boxes, to pour dry sand or sawdust from coniferous trees. Before storage it is possible to powder them wood ashes. The optimum moisture content for storage of tubers has to be within 55-60% and air temperature +4-6os. It is regularly necessary to check safety of planting stock in the winter, to reject or isolate the decayed or dried tubers. That tubers of dahlias were better stored, it is necessary to stop watering of plants in 2-3 weeks prior to outplanting. Before bookmark on storage, after processing of tubers it is necessary to estimate attentively quality of planting stock and without regret to reject doubtful copies with decay spots, symptoms of diseases. It is possible to use the following method: to lower tubers in the deep container with water. Those from them that remained on surface, do not suit for storage. Following these rules, it is possible to keep successfully tubers of dahlias for an appreciable length of time, without feeling disappointment.