Dahlias ∗ The 10 best care and planting tips (georgines)

Plant dahlias properly

With a professional planting you set the course for a dreamlike dahlia bloom well into autumn. Pay attention to the following process, put georgines in the best flowery mood right from the start:

The planting time for georgine tubers begins at the end of April
Propelled Dahlias do not plant out before mid-May
In the sunny, warm and freshly moist location, prepare the soil to make it finely crumbly
Work sifted compost, guano granulate and horn shavings into the clod
Plant each flower at a distance of 50-100 cm so that the upper tuberous base is covered with soil 5 cm high
Equip tall growing varieties with a ring support or tie them to a stick

Care tips

In terms of willingness to flower and persistence, georgines can hardly be topped as summer flowers if they are given the following care:

Keep dahlias constantly slightly moist and allow the substrate to dry out in the meantime
Organically every 14 days from May to July fertilize with compost, guano,(€ 9.82 at Amazon *) Bark humus or horn shavings
Immediately clean off wilted and faded parts for a long flowering period
Before the first frost, cut off each flower to within 10 cm and dry it upside down

Dahlias are best overwintered in the dark basement at temperatures between 4 and 8 degrees Celsius. Place the tubers on a grid or in a sandpit.
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Which location is suitable?

At home in the sun-drenched regions of Mexico, georgines develop their optimum in a sunny location, without accumulating heat at noon. In partially shaded locations, the blossoms usually fall short of expectations. The flower feels comfortable in an airy place as long as it has a support and cannot tip over. In addition to the sunny, warm location, the soil should be well-drained, humus and rich in nutrients. Dahlias never want to be confronted with permanently moist soil or even waterlogging.
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The correct planting distance

The height of a dahlia defines the planting distance. Medium-sized georgines with a height of up to 120 cm are set at a distance of 40-60 cm. If the stature height of dahlias goes beyond this, choose a distance of 100 cm to the neighbor. In dwarf dahlias and in Flower box(€ 149.00 at Amazon *) a planting distance of 15-20 cm is sufficient.

What soil does the plant need?

For georgins, choose a soil that is both loose, humus and rich in nutrients. A sandy-loamy structure without the risk of waterlogging is ideal. If in doubt, optimize compacted soil with sand and enrich sandy soil with compost or leafy soil. A soil acid test rounds off the choice of location with regard to its best possible quality. A score of 6.5 to 7.5 is considered ideal.

What is the best time to plant?

Dahlias do not tolerate permafrost. Therefore, the time window for planting opens at the end of April at the earliest. To be on the safe side, we recommend setting the planting date on a day from mid-May. Once the cold Sophie has said goodbye, experience has shown that there is no longer any risk of frost. Be particularly careful when planting drifted georgins.
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When is the flowering time?

The flowering period of georgines extends from July to October. The flower can only survive this long phase without interruption if you take the following measures to heart:

Immediately switch off dead flowers
Avoid nitrogen-stressed fertilizers, as these only drive the foliage growth
Support tall cultivars right from the start, as prostrate shoots will hardly flower
Break out buds in the leaf axils to save energy for the large, terminal flowers

Trimming dahlias properly

With the Secateurs significantly regulate the growth and abundance of flowers in georgines. Once the young plants have established themselves well and have reached a height of 15-20 cm, cut off the tips of the shoots in order to force bushy, flower-rich growth. If there are more than 4 or 5 main shoots on a flower, trim off the excess if you want extra large flowers. In the course of the long flowering period, withered heads of a flower should be cleaned immediately to attract fresh buds. Shortly before the first frost, shorten all georgines to 10 cm before they move to winter quarters.

Water dahlias

Georgines prefer mild humidity. Therefore, water regularly without drowning a flower in the water. Avoid wetting the foliage or even the flowers. If you water directly on the root area, cunning fungal spores will settle less often. If the lush flower in the pot spreads an idyllic ambience on the balcony, the substrate should be checked daily so that it can be watered immediately when it is dry.

Fertilize dahlias properly

The proper supply of nutrients to georgines requires a sure instinct. If the flower receives an excess of nitrogen, the leaves grow as hard as they can and the flower lags behind. You can avoid this dilemma with organic fertilizers. How to do it right:

From May to July fertilize every 14 days with compost and horn shavings
Provide georgines in the bucket with liquid, organic fertilizer

The application of fertilizer ends by the end of July at the latest, so that the tuber of each flower can mature well before winter.
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Diseases

Although lovingly cared for georgines are largely disease resistant, the following health problems can occur:

Leaf spot disease: Avoid dark, wet locations
mildew: treat with repeated milk-water injections (ratio 1: 9)
Bulb rot: Avoid waterlogging at all costs; create a drainage system in pots

Pests

A dahlia's worst enemy is slippery and extremely voracious. Unfortunately, georgines are at the top of the menu for snails. So surround the bed with a walking barrier or a snail fence. Collect the cold-hardened pests in the early hours of the morning. If the infestation gets out of hand, set up crack traps with slug pellets.
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Overwinter

If the first frosty night is approaching, the tubers are picked up to move to winter quarters. Cut each flower back to a height of 10 cm and then dig them out. Any earth still adhering to it is shaken off. In the following days, the georgines dry upside down until all moisture has escaped from the remnants of the stalk. Be sure to leave this stem on the tuber, otherwise no shoots will form in the next year. This is how winter storage in the cellar works:

Fill wooden boxes with peat or sand and put the tubers in without them touching each other
Ideally, spread the flower bulbs out on a grid
Store in a dark, cool room with temperatures between 4 and 8 degrees Celsius

If you don't have a basement, a frost-free garage or an unheated stairwell are a sensible alternative.
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Propagate dahlias

To propagate georgines, after overwintering at the end of April, divide the tubers in half. Very large onions can be cut into several segments, as long as each piece has at least 2 eyes. Another option is to cut cuttings when driving the georgines on the windowsill. In February / March, cut the cuttings off the tuber at the bottom and place them in a potting soil-sand mixture so that they root by mid-May.
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Are Dahlias Poisonous?

Georgins are not only completely non-toxic, they have been used as food for generations. Unfortunately, it has been a little forgotten how tasty the tubers are. Not to forget the delicate aroma of the flowers, which also create a magical decoration for salads and cold buffets. So don't worry about settling the flower in the family garden.
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Dahlias don't bloom

When a dahlia does not like something, the flower signals its displeasure by refusing to flower. With the help of a structured root cause research, you can quickly track down the cause in order to quickly find a remedy. The most common triggers for a failure to bloom with tips can be found here at a glance:

Unsuitable location: move the flower to a sunny and air-bathed place
Drought stress: water regularly as soon as the substrate surface has dried
Nutrient deficiency: fertilize organically every 14 days from May to July
Excess nitrogen: avoid mineral fertilizers in favor of compost, guano and horn shavings

Also check the pH of the soil. If the result is well below 6.5, give a portion of vital lime or Rock flour(€ 12.33 at Amazon *) into the substrate.

Can dahlias hibernate outside?

If you enjoy the privilege of cultivating your garden in a wine-growing region with mild winter, you can dare to experiment. Before the first frost, prune each flower back to a height of 10 cm. Then pile up the georgines with a layer of leaves, straw and needles at least 30 cm high. Spread over that Garden fleece or bubble wrap. Put georgines in the pot together with the container in the soil in a dry location, cut back the flower and spread the protection described over it.
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Nice varieties

Kaiser Wilhelm: Historical splendid flower from 1881 with picturesque flower balls in yellow and red-brown; Height of growth 120 cm
Bishop of Llandaff: classic among the peony-flowered georgines with bright red flowers; Height 90-100 cm
Karma Serena: Fantastically beautiful flower with white, double flowers and a yellow heart; Height 90 cm
Cheerio: Imposing cactus dahlia with carmine-red flowers adorned with white tips; Height of growth 80 cm
Mount Noddy: Decorative dwarf dahlia for the flower box with red flowers; Growth height up to 30 cm
Libretto: Impressive ruffle dahlia with two-tone flowers in white and pink; Growth height 60-80 cm
Roter Schorsch: Red dwarf dahlia with yellow flamed flowers, which was named Balcony Plant of the Year in 2009