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Dahlia flowers funny guys planting and care. Annual dahlias are funny guys - a bright flower garden design. Caring for dahlias

Dahlias "Jolly Fellows" are increasingly found in urban flower beds and well-kept country gardens, thanks to their rich brightness and ease of care.

Description of the variety and characteristics

The flowers themselves are a type of perennial plant, have a varied range of colors and are much easier to tolerate the period of summer drought. Moreover, the variety is an annual dwarf plant. Their flowers must be cut off in the first year after planting to prepare seeds for the next sowing.

The height of dahlias of this variety can be about 25 - 70 centimeters, while the stems themselves are incredibly strong, and the leaves are emerald green. The colorful buds reach 9 centimeters in diameter. If you choose the right varieties, then next summer you will be able to enjoy the colors of pink, lilac, white, red and many other shades. At the same time, the flowers themselves come in both simple and terry-textured petals.

The inflorescence of these plants is a basket, inside of which there are tubular-type flowers, and along the edge there are reed-shaped petals.

Dahlias have one peculiarity: the lower the bushes of the plant, the faster it blooms.

Features of cultivation

In order for flowers to delight with their beauty, it is necessary to follow not only easy care rules, but also choose the best time for planting. The advantage of choosing dahlias of this variety is their rapid growth and the duration of the flowering period.

Multicolor in one package

Since the seeds of these flowers come in a wide variety, it is extremely important to study the packaging with the ready-made mixture. It is there that information about the shelf life of seeds and the optimal period for sowing them should be indicated. The choice of simple and double plants deserves special attention, since the former grow up to 30–40 centimeters in height, while the latter are slightly taller, but with fewer inflorescences.

Soil requirements

Dahlias of dwarf varieties will be able to please with a large number of inflorescences if their seeds germinate in fertile soil. It should be as neutral in composition as possible and not be oversaturated with moisture. Ready-made soil can be purchased at a specialty gardening store or you can prepare it yourself. For the second option, it is necessary to prepare in advance fertile soil, sand, pre-heated, as well as peat, which, if necessary, can be replaced with humus. Each of the ingredients is taken in equal proportions with the others. Immediately before sowing the seeds, it is recommended to calcinate the prepared soil and thoroughly treat it with a solution of potassium permanganate in order to disinfect and additionally protect the plants themselves.

Features of choosing a place for future sowing

For bright and long-lasting flowering of dahlias of this variety, you will need a spacious plot of land, since the bushes themselves grow quite densely. Ideally, there will be a distance of about a meter between future bushes. At the same time, the site itself should remain open to sunlight, especially in the first half of the day. Dahlias easily tolerate prolonged drought, but can die from constant drafts. It is not recommended to plant plants under fences, trees or any other structures that create shade.

Dahlia seeds "Jolly guys"

The plant's strong stems and rich green leaves with bright inflorescences germinate in sufficiently lit areas without drafts.

If plants are sown in places with insufficient lighting, then there will be much fewer flowers on the bushes, while the stems themselves will stretch towards the sun, becoming thinner and more fragile. The first flowering should be expected by the end of August.

Planting seeds in open ground

Typically, planting is done by sowing seeds. Since plants are very afraid of frosts and strong temperature changes, it is recommended to sow at the end of May or early June, when the threat of possible frosts is practically zero.

An important point in preparing seeds for planting in open ground concerns their additional processing in a 10% formaldehyde solution, after which the seeds themselves must be thoroughly dried.

Growing seedlings and planting them

To speed up the process of obtaining the first colorful blooms, it is recommended to replace sowing seeds by planting seedlings in open ground. To do this, the seeds must be in the ground already at the end of March or at the beginning of April. It is most effective to use large plastic containers with transparent lids or special wooden boxes for growing seedlings. In the second case, seeds sown in the ground can be covered with ordinary clean film. In this case, the soil must be sufficiently loose and necessarily warmed up.

For the dwarf dahlia variety, it is best to place the seeds at a depth of 2 centimeters. At the same time, it is important to maintain a distance of about 3 centimeters between the seeds themselves. A small handful of sand and peat is poured on top of the seeds. Only after this can the soil be watered with a small amount of warm water.

If all the rules for growing seedlings were followed and the containers with soil were in a warm room at a temperature of 25 - 27 degrees Celsius, then the first shoots can be expected by the end of the second week after sowing. Picking can be done only after the height of the plants is at least 10 centimeters and the stems have at least two leaves. Plants can be planted in a spacious box at a distance of 10 - 15 centimeters from each other. But it is best to do this in separate small plastic or cardboard glasses. Peat pots, paper bags, and small flowerpots are suitable for such purposes.

After planting, the plants need to be watered extremely sparingly, since “Jolly Guys” dahlias tolerate drought more easily than stagnant water in the soil. Even before planting in open ground, it is recommended to accustom flowers to open air and sunlight. It is best to do this in early May. Pots with plants are taken outside in warm sunny weather.

Seedlings grown in separate containers have stronger stems and increased endurance.

Features of plant care

By providing the plants with all the necessary conditions for germination and development, you can expect bright, rich inflorescences from them. All that remains is to ensure proper care for them and sufficient watering.

Flowering and feeding of annual plant varieties

During their entire cycle, annual dwarf shrubs are fed, as a rule, three times. Moreover, the first such care should be carried out two weeks after planting in an open area or flowerbed. We are talking about fertilizing the soil under dahlias with special ammonium nitrate or so-called mullein.

The second stage of feeding is carried out with the appearance of the first buds. The soil is treated with superphosphate or a solution of potassium salt. The third moment of feeding occurs at the brightest moment of flowering.

The first flowers begin to appear on the bushes three months after sowing, at the end of July. Plants continue to delight with their rich brightness until the onset of the first autumn frosts.

The desire to overfeed plants with nitrogen can result in fewer open buds. That is why flower care should remain moderate.

Rules for watering plants

Since the plants themselves can easily tolerate prolonged drought, they are considered absolutely unpretentious in care. In addition, plants can die due to stagnant moisture, especially in the root system. When caring for young seedlings, watering should be done no more than once a week. You can water dwarf dahlias a little more and more often in the first days after planting them in open ground. The need for additional watering may arise during prolonged drought on the hottest summer days. As a form of care, you can saturate the leaves of the plant itself with moisture using a spray bottle. Minimal watering of plants is necessary already from the appearance of the first buds. In August, when dahlias begin to bloom, watering either stops completely or is done extremely carefully and moderately.

Peculiarities of reproduction of dwarf dahlias “Jolly Guys”

Since dwarf dahlias are annual plants, both seeds and root tubers can be used for their propagation, which must be stored separately from open soil in winter. It is the second propagation option that has the maximum transmission and saturation of colors, but it is important to prepare in advance and properly for their storage.

Collection and storage of seeds

You can collect seeds for further sowing and growing seedlings after they have finished flowering. For this purpose, you should choose the most beautiful and strong bushes. The inflorescences are first thoroughly dried and only then the petals are separated from the seeds. The best option for storing seeds is paper bags that allow air to pass through. If the seeds are stored at room temperature, they remain suitable for sowing for several years in a row.

It is logical that in each subsequent year more and more seeds can be collected.

Features of wintering tubers

The original beauty and lushness of dwarf dahlia blossoms can be preserved as much as possible by propagating them by tubers. In this case, it is extremely important to follow all the rules of care and wintering. It is recommended to dig up dahlia bushes together with a lump of earth when the first autumn frosts occur. The smallest root shoots and wilted stems are removed, and the root system is necessarily treated with a solution of potassium permanganate. To avoid confusion during spring planting, labels indicating the color are attached to the tubers themselves.

First, the tubers are dried together with a lump of earth, and then everything is sent together into pre-prepared wooden boxes, the bottom of which should be covered with paper. All laid tubers are covered with a mixture of sand and peat. The optimal temperature for storing them is considered to be 8 degrees Celsius.

When storing tubers, it is necessary to periodically check them for mold and rot. To protect the tubers from drying out, it is recommended to treat them with a spray bottle once a month.

Rules for growing plants from root tubers

With the onset of the first spring warmth, the tubers are taken out and carefully examined. In this case, all damaged areas must be removed, and the remaining ones are sprinkled with coal powder or treated with phytosporin. Too large tubers can be divided, leaving 1 - 2 root tubers together.

Planting is carried out directly in open areas of soil in the month of May. You only need to navigate the color scheme, according to the labels that were hung earlier. This approach allows you to create whole patterns of different colors and their combinations in flowerbeds and gardens. When planting tubers, they are sprinkled with soil on top to the level of the sprouts.

The use of dwarf dahlias in landscape design

Dwarf dahlias look harmonious both as a frame for paved stone paths in the yard, and as part of a colored pattern on an entire area with a flower arrangement.

How to store dahlias “Jolly Fellows”?

Since these plants tolerate cold extremely poorly, they must be stored in rooms with above-zero temperatures. If this concerns seeds, then clean paper bags and an air temperature in the region of 25 - 27 degrees Celsius are suitable for them. If propagation of dwarf dahlias is carried out by tubers, they need wooden boxes covered with paper and an air temperature of at least 8 degrees Celsius.

If you are one of those who like luxurious large flowers that are easy to care for, the “Jolly Guys” variety is what you need. These bright flowers can be seen in city flower beds and front gardens. The brightness and splendor of double annual dahlias “Jolly Fellows” impresses everyone! The fact that the plant is an annual cannot be considered a disadvantage. The fact is that perennial varieties often dry out or rot after wintering, so new plants have to be planted.

Growing rules

In specialized stores, the seeds of such dahlias are sold in the form of flower mixtures, because the variety is distinguished by an abundance of colors in its inflorescences. The seeds of this variety are quite large, so there are no problems with sowing them. The best time to plant dahlias “Jolly Fellows” for seedlings (sow seeds) is the end of April.

First you need to prepare the soil. To do this, it is not necessary to buy the substrate in the store. It is enough to take soil from the garden and mix it with heated sand and humus. Experienced gardeners recommend pre-treating the mixture by calcining it in the oven and disinfecting it with a solution of potassium permanganate.

Seeds are placed in the prepared soil mixture, poured into wooden boxes, at a distance of 2-3 centimeters from each other to a depth of no more than two centimeters. They should be sprinkled with sand on top, compacted and gently poured with warm water (18-24 degrees). If the temperature in the room where the boxes are located is kept at 25-27 degrees, then after 6-8 days you will see the first shoots. After two to three weeks, when the seedlings reach a 10-centimeter height and acquire two pairs of leaves, they need to be pruned. You can plant young dahlias in a larger box at a distance of 10-15 centimeters from each other or place them in separate containers (or plastic glasses, flower pots or paper bags). It is worth noting that seedlings that grow in separate containers are more resilient and grow stronger faster.

Starting in May, seedlings must be periodically taken outside so that the plants adapt and harden. “Jolly fellows,” like other varieties of dahlias, react very poorly to temperature changes, and frosts are destructive for them. That is why before planting seedlings outdoors, you should make sure that there will be no more night frosts. The optimal time for planting is the second week of June.

Plant care

For planting and subsequent care of “Jolly Guys” dahlias, be sure to choose sunny places on the site. If you plant them under trees or along a fence that casts a shadow, the plants will stretch out, and you should not expect lush flowering. But any soil is suitable for dahlias. To make the flowering more magnificent, in the fall it is worth fertilizing the soil with humus or manure. When planting “Jolly Guys” on the plot, keep in mind that the bushes grow very quickly and densely, so the distance between the seedlings should be large (at least a meter).

At first, seedlings should be watered only once a week. If it's hot outside, you can spray them in the evenings or early in the morning. Please note that for dahlias, waterlogging is much worse than drought! That is why in August you should completely forget about watering the plants.

The dahlia “Jolly Fellows” blooms at the beginning of July. Until the first frost, you will watch how the colorful buds open one after another, pleasing to the eye. If you want to prolong flowering, cover the plants at night with film or non-woven material.

Once flowering is complete, be sure to leave a few of the bushiest bushes standing to collect the seeds. When the inflorescences on them are completely dry, carefully separate the seeds from the petals and dry them in the sun. At room temperature in paper bags they will keep for two to three years.

Currently, many perennial and annual flowers have been bred, which have large and small buds, rare and frequent colors and different heights. In almost any flowering garden you can find dahlias. They come in different varieties, colors, and are perennial or annual plants. The most popular annual variety is the “Jolly Fellows” dahlias. Getting flowering bushes is quite simple: you just need to buy seeds, grow seedlings, plant them in open ground in a flower bed and wait for them to bloom. Like any other plant, dahlias require some care.

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Description of "Jolly Guys"

Merry guys are a flowering plant that has perfectly adapted to growth in the middle zone. Due to harsh winters, dahlias can freeze in the soil, so these varieties are grown as an annual plant. The height of the bushes starts from 25 centimeters and ends at 70 centimeters. Simple types of dahlias can grow up to 30-40 centimeters in length and have a huge number of flowers. Terry options are slightly longer in length, and the number of colors is much smaller.

The dahlia flower consists of small yellow inflorescences in the center like baskets, surrounded by double or semi-double petals of yellow, pink, white, purple, and red shades. The flower reaches 8-10 centimeters in diameter. The stems of the bushes are very strong, the leaves are painted bright green. If the dahlia flower is dark red, then the foliage is brownish-burgundy.

Annual dahlias grow very quickly, bloom for a long time (until the first frost) and are distinguished by their unpretentiousness.

Dahlias are special flowers; those “Jolly Fellows” bushes, which are the shortest in stature, bloom quickly.

Dahlias in landscape design

Anyone, even the most inexperienced gardener, can have dahlias in their garden. The thing is that these are unpretentious plants and caring for them does not require enormous effort.

“Jolly fellows” look great in a flower bed, they are used to make flower borders, and they are planted on slopes in a continuous mass.

In addition to single planting, dahlias can be planted next to other flower crops. The plant combines very beautifully with petunia, asters, and marigolds. To highlight the beauty of a blossoming dahlia, you can plant seedlings next to flowers that have a less bright color. The annual flower will look good next to flowers of blue shades: sage, delphinium, flax and other plants.

Growing flowers from seeds

In order for the “Jolly Fellows” to grow and begin to delight you with their flowering, you need to buy fresh seeds. These dahlias come in a wide variety of colors, so the seeds are mainly sold as flower mixtures. The seeds of the flowering plant are quite large, so planting them will be very easy. The most favorable time to start growing seedlings is the end of April or the beginning of March.

It is this time of planting that is more optimal, because the sun becomes more active, and the hatched seedlings will not have time to stretch before planting in the garden soil.

Algorithm of actions for growing “Jolly guys”

It is best to propagate dahlias by raising seedlings from seeds at home.

Growing dahlias from seeds becomes a simple task if you follow the following instructions:

1. Soil preparation. It should be remembered that the soil for dahlias should be fertile, neutral and with a low level of humidity. Substrate for dahlias can be purchased at the store; specialized soil for this type of flower is perfect. If you wish, you can prepare the soil yourself. To do this, you need to take garden soil, one part of heated sand and humus in the fall. A few days before planting the seeds, it is necessary to disinfect the soil by heating it in the oven at maximum temperature, and then watering it with a manganese solution.
2. Preparing containers for planting. Dahlias can be grown in various containers: wooden boxes, plastic cups, pots and other plastic containers. Peat pots are great for planting.
3. Planting seeds. The soil must be filled into containers. The seeds should be spaced two or three centimeters apart. There is no need to plant seeds deeply; the maximum distance should be two centimeters. After the seeds are evenly distributed in the soil, they should be covered with sand and watered with pre-settled water. The water should be at room temperature (18 to 24 degrees). Boxes with planted seeds can be covered with film to create a greenhouse effect.
4. Plant dive. Seeds appear quickly if the room temperature reaches 25-27 degrees. Dahlias hatch within 6-8 days. The plant begins to grow actively, and within a week its height will fluctuate within 10 centimeters. At this time, you should start picking flowers. For replanting, you will need larger boxes, separate peat or flower pots, or plastic cups. Dahlias should be planted at a distance of 15 centimeters from each other. When planting seedlings in separate pots, their endurance increases and the plant begins to grow stronger. After transplanting the dahlias, you can start feeding them once every ten days. Watering the seedlings should be once a week. Dahlias tolerate drought much better than the bay.
5. Hardening of seedlings. With the onset of May, you need to start taking flowers outside (balcony) for hardening. This is necessary so that the plant gets used to direct rays of the sun. The flower itself does not tolerate sudden changes in temperature and severe frosts, so it should be taken out into the air when the temperature becomes above zero.

Transplanting seedlings into open ground

The optimal time for planting seedlings in open ground is the end of May, the beginning of June. At this moment, the seedlings hardened, became stronger, and developed a good root system.

Dahlias “Jolly Fellows” tolerate transplantation into open ground well. If the frosts have not yet subsided, then at night the plants should be covered with geotextiles. Southern regions can begin planting bushes at the end of May, and northern regions at the beginning of June.

You should consider what the soil should be like, how to properly water and feed the plant:

1. Planting site and soil. Dahlias tend to grow quickly and thickly, so it is best to plant them in a spacious place. Since the bushes love warmth and sun, they should be planted where the sun will be in the first half of the day. Dahlias need to be protected from drafts. Flowers should not be planted in a shady place, blocked by trees and fences, otherwise the plants will not bloom abundantly, and the stems will begin to stretch, become thin and fragile. “Jolly guys” love airy, loose, slightly acidic soil. If there is groundwater nearby, then the flowerbed with plants should be raised. Before planting seedlings, you need to dig several holes at a distance of up to one meter from each other. A mixture of ash, humus and nitrophoska must be added to the holes. Dahlias need to be replanted carefully, as they have a heavy root system. At the end of replanting, be sure to mulch the soil. You can mulch the soil with sawdust, grass, bark, wood chips or covering material.
2. Watering. The plant is watered most actively in the first two weeks after transplantation. You need to water the flowers abundantly. It is worth monitoring the soil on hot days. At such times, it is permissible to spray dahlias with water using a spray bottle. When flowering, watering the plant should be reduced to moderate. In August and September, watering should be rare. At this time, the flowers do not need abundant watering. It is worth remembering that dahlias do not like waterlogged soil. "Merry fellows" cope well with drought.
3. Feeding and flowering. After transplanting the flower into the ground, fertilizing is carried out three times. The first feeding occurs on the fifteenth day that dahlias are in the open ground. A mixture of ammonium nitrate and mullein will serve as an excellent fertilizer. The second feeding is done when the bushes have gained color. Superphosphate and potassium salt are suitable for this. The third feeding is done during the flowering period of the plant. The flowers are fed with organic fertilizers at this time. Nitrogen fertilizers should be avoided as dahlias will not bloom profusely.

The bushes produce abundant flowering if the soil has been previously fertilized with humus or nitrogen since last autumn.

“Jolly Fellows” begin to bloom three months after sowing the seeds (early July). This period lasts until the onset of frost. Tall bushes begin to bloom much later than low ones.

Before dahlias bloom, you should pinch the side shoots of low bushes during the growth period and the plant will begin to grow in width, which will ultimately produce lush flowering. Faded inflorescences must be removed from the plant. In order to prolong flowering, you can cover the plants at night with film or non-woven material.

Collection and storage of seeds

After flowering is completed, you need to leave several lush and strong bushes in order to collect seeds from them. You should wait until the inflorescences are completely dry, and then you need to separate the seeds and dry them in the sun. Seeds are stored in dry bags for two years.

At the end of the season, a previously purchased package of “Jolly Fellows” seeds yields a lot of planting material. Next year you can grow many more flowering bushes.

Dahlia propagation

You can grow “Jolly Fellows” dahlias not only at home. Any gardener can grow flowers from tubers and by planting seeds in open ground.

Planting seeds in open ground is considered easier than growing dahlias from roots. Tubers require storage until spring. Not all dahlias saved in the fall survive to be planted in the ground.

Planting seeds in open ground

Before planting seeds in the ground, they should be soaked in a ten percent formaldehyde solution for several minutes. This is necessary so that the plants do not get sick in the future. After drying the seeds, you can begin planting.

Seeds are sown in open ground at the end of May - beginning of June, when the ground has already warmed up thoroughly and the night frosts have subsided. You should maintain a distance of one meter between future flowers. Not everyone is satisfied with this planting method, since flowering will occur only at the end of August.

Tuberous propagation

With this method, dahlias become perennial. After some time, it is necessary to repeat sowing the seeds.

To grow dahlias from tubers, you need to dig up the roots in the fall along with a ball of earth, trim off the wilted stems and small roots, and disinfect the tubers with a manganese solution. To remember the color of the “Jolly Guys,” you can attach labels to the stumps indicating the color. Then put it in a cool place to dry for several days. The soil cannot be removed from the tubers, as it does not allow the roots to dry out. Afterwards, the tubers should be collected in wooden boxes or cardboard boxes. If desired, the roots can be covered with peat or sand. Tubers are stored at a temperature of 8 degrees. The basement or fruit and vegetable compartment of the refrigerator is a great place for dahlia roots. During storage, the tuber should not be allowed to dry out, so it is worth spraying it with water once a month. The roots need to be checked for rot and mold.

If the tubers are preserved until May, then they must be inspected, damaged areas removed, treated with phytosporin and sprinkled with charcoal powder. If the bush is large, then divide the roots into several parts (one part corresponds to one or two buds) and plant them in the ground. Disembarkation takes place in May. The bushes must be covered with soil up to the level of the sprouts. By planting in this way, you can achieve the formation of new roots.

“Jolly Guys” begin to bloom two weeks faster than varieties grown from seeds.

Dahlias on the balcony

To grow dahlias on the balcony, you need to store the flower roots in a cool place in the fall.

In the spring, the roots are brought into a warm room, the diseased areas are cut off, the cuts are sprinkled with talcum powder or coal crumbs and planted in boxes with soil for germination.

On warm sunny days, dahlias are taken out to the balcony to harden them. They should be planted in a permanent place in balcony boxes at the end of May, when the frosts have subsided.

Balcony “Jolly Guys” need regular watering, loosening the soil and fertilizing with mineral fertilizers.

Dahlias should not be planted on northern balconies, closed loggias and balconies with insufficient light.

Common diseases

Diseases that affect a flower can greatly harm it; in many cases, dahlias simply die. Several diseases that may occur in “Jolly Guys”:

1. Gray mold or botrytis. Signs of the disease are the appearance of brown spots on the leaves of annuals, which over time grow and cover the entire leaf. Damaged tops begin to dry out and fall off. In addition to the leaves, rot also affects the buds. They, like the leaves, dry out and fall off. The reason is waterlogged soil, dense planting and changing weather conditions. To prevent botrytis, there is no need to flood the plant; dahlias also cope well with aridity. To get rid of gray rot, you should treat the plant with fungicides according to the instructions: Fundazol, Rovral, Topsin, Benleit.
2. Fusarium. The disease affects the root system of the bush. Rotting occurs at the base of the plant. The affected bushes become covered with a pink coating, the leaves and buds fade. The cause of the disease is dense planting. Fundazol and Oksikhom will help in the fight against fusarium.
3. White rot or skerotinia. The disease affects individual shoots. A sign is the appearance of brown spots and white mycelium of the fungus on the stems. Flowers begin to die from the disease. White rot penetrates through cracks in the plant stems. Scerotinia can be combated by cutting the stems of the plant below the affected area and burning it. You will need to disinfect the soil with bleach.

To prevent disease, dahlias should be planted only in healthy soil and avoid high soil moisture.

Pests

In addition to diseases, dahlias are often affected by insects that feed on the sap and succulent tops of the plant:

1. Aphids. This insect affects not only dahlias, but also almost all cultivated plants. Aphids are white insects that can be seen with the naked eye. The first signs of aphid infestation are curled and yellowed leaves. Honeydew (sticky liquid) can be found at the bottom of the leaf. To destroy aphids, you can use chemical insect repellents: Fitoverm, Actellik, Iskra. If the aphids have just appeared, then you need to cut off the affected areas of the flowers and burn them.
2. Slugs. The plant is attacked by gastropods that feed on dahlia foliage. On the leaves you can find gnawed longitudinal stripes, which over time turn into holes. You can rid the plant of slugs by collecting pests manually. It is recommended to use superphosphate, red pepper and sawdust. Sawdust must be placed between plants. The slugs' tentacles become irritated when they move over such material, and they leave the flower.
3. Plant bugs. Such pests love to feed on the juice of the leaves of “Jolly Fellows”. The leaves begin to turn yellow and the plant is covered with brown spots. Dahlia leaves curl and holes form on them. It is necessary to fight bedbugs in the morning. Excellent products are Karbofos, Decis, Phosphomid.

Active control of insects will allow the plant to delight any gardener with flowering.

Conclusion

Dahlias “Jolly Fellows” are annual, beautifully flowering, unpretentious plants. They can be grown in different ways: through seedlings, planting seeds in open ground and tubers. Although the annual flower is an unpretentious plant, it, like any other living creature, needs proper care. When growing seedlings at home, you need to maintain temperature, humidity and watering. When planting in the ground, you should take into account the characteristics of the flower, its heat-loving nature and begin to properly water it, fertilize it, prune it in time, and, if necessary, take preventive measures to combat pests and diseases. If you follow all the rules for planting and caring for dahlias, they will delight any gardener with abundant and bright flowering.

Dahlias “Jolly Fellows” are dwarf forms, up to 70 cm in height. They received their name “Jolly Fellows” from the bright, varied, cheerful colors of the flowers. Dahlias are perennial, herbaceous root-club plants.

But in the climatic conditions of central Russia, all dahlias, including “Jolly Fellows,” are grown as annual crops. The stems of “Jolly Fellows” are strong, the leaves are bright green, but they can also be brownish-burgundy in color in plants with dark burgundy flowers. Flowers can be simple or double, semi-double. The color is very diverse: white, yellow, red, burgundy, pink, lilac.

The “Jolly Fellows” flower is essentially an inflorescence of a basket, in the middle of which there are tubular flowers, mostly yellow. Along the edges there are reed flowers of various colors.

The flower size is up to 8 – 10 cm in diameter. “Jolly Guys” bloom all summer and autumn: from July until frost. Dahlias "Jolly Guys" demanding on soils. The soil should be fertile, moderately moist, neutral.

Plants are very light- and heat-loving. They cannot tolerate even light frosts. “Jolly Fellows” are propagated by seeds through seedlings, which are sown in March - April.

Dahlia seedlings Cheerful guys

They are planted in open ground as soon as the threat of frost has passed in May - early June. Under certain storage conditions, you can save the “Jolly Fellows” tubers and plant them the next year. To do this, the dug tubers are washed, small roots are cut off, and disinfected in strong potassium permanganate (purple) or a solution of the drug “Maxim”.

Then the tubers need to be dried for several days. The dried tubers are placed in a cardboard box and completely covered with dry sand and peat. Store at a temperature of 6 - 8 degrees. The fruit room of the refrigerator may be suitable for this purpose.

Dahlia Dahlias Cheerful guys

It is necessary to ensure that the tubers do not dry out. For this purpose, once a month you can moisten the contents of the box with a spray bottle. Experience has shown that if the tubers have been preserved, the next year they will grow into a powerful dahlia bush “Jolly Fellows”. You can save a link to the article:

Dahlias are funny guys

How to decorate the garden in summer? A bright flock of “Jolly guys” Perennial dahlias are undoubtedly a spectacular decoration for any garden. But they are not convenient for everyone, because tubers need to be stored in winter.

There is an annual version of these flowers, one of the varieties of which was given a surprisingly accurate name - “Jolly Fellows”. They do not have the solemnity of perennial dahlias, but they also know how to please the eye.

Dahlia seedlings

It is not advisable to sow seeds in the ground, because this can only be done in May, and the plants will bloom in August. Experienced gardeners prefer seedlings. Then sowing is done in April or even at the end of March. Seedlings need fertile soil.

It can be found where nettles grow. If possible, add peat. Three days before sowing, the soil is disinfected: steamed or spilled with a hot, dark pink solution of potassium permanganate. Plastic cake boxes are useful as containers.

Large dahlia seeds are laid out on moistened soil and covered with a thin layer of sand. If it is not there, the same soil will do. By the fifth day (at a temperature of about 25°) shoots will appear. After two weeks they are picked.

A thrifty housewife will always have large plastic cups for sour cream or yogurt. They are best suited for seedlings.

Plants develop faster in them than in boxes. (Compare life in a communal apartment and in a separate apartment.) It is necessary to water as the soil dries out. Every 10 days, fertilize using liquid fertilizer.

Transplanting dahlias into the ground

All dahlias are afraid of frost. The “cheerful guys” will cope well with moving to the “dacha” in early June. But the weather in recent years allows them to be planted in the ground as early as May.

To ensure complete comfort for the plants, you can place them in a greenhouse or greenhouse for several days before planting. Annual dahlias do not like shaded and low damp places. In such conditions they stretch out and bloom weakly.

The soil is prepared in the fall by adding organic matter: manure, compost, humus. It is recommended to throw a handful of ash, humus and a teaspoon of nitrophoska into the hole for seedlings. Between plants you need to leave a distance of about 20 cm, for tall ones - about 40 cm. Groups of “Jolly Guys” form beautiful flower beds. But they do not shy away from their neighbors, especially if they are blue or light blue.

Caring for dahlias

The ground around the bushes can be covered with mulch, sawdust will do. Weeds, of course, need to be removed. Water dahlias generously about once a week until mid-August. Water should penetrate to a depth of 40 cm. In the heat, the “Jolly Guys” will be happy to be sprayed with water.

From the end of August onwards, water rarely, focusing on the weather. While the greenery is forming, the plants can be fed with complex fertilizer. At the end of June, dahlias bloom. To speed up this process and increase the size of the flowers, experts advise trimming the stepsons (except for low-growing varieties).

The best option for a plant is three stems. You can leave all the shoots. Then, to resist strong winds, the bushes need to be tied to pegs or a trellis. The faded heads are cut off.

If you need your own seeds, leave a few flowers. They will ripen in about a month. Then they are dried at home and stored in paper bags. But subsequent generations rarely repeat the characteristics of their parents.

This fact does not bother flower growers: every year the flowerbed is painted in new colors. Hereditary characteristics are transmitted by tubers that ripen during the season. They can be preserved like perennial dahlias. If there is a threat of autumn frosts, the flowers can be covered at night. This will prolong the joy of communicating with the “Jolly guys”.

Dahlias "Jolly Guys" Photo

Dahlias Cheerful guys - care features

A summer cottage area decorated with multi-colored dahlias with semi-double inflorescences of rich colors becomes elegant and bright. Dwarf single-row dahlias are popularly called Cheerful Guys, and this name very accurately characterizes the cheerful appearance of this plant.

Feeding and flowering

General description of colors

Dahlias Merry fellows are grown as annuals in the middle zone. The height of dwarf dahlia bushes ranges from 25 to 70 cm. The stems of the plant are dense, strong, green or brown.

Flowers can be painted white, different shades of yellow, red, pink and lilac. In the middle of the inflorescence-basket there are tubular yellow flowers, whimsically surrounded by petals of different shades.

Growing from seedlings

Merry fellow seeds are usually sold in a mixture, and from one packet a gardener can get flowers of all sorts of colors. The soil for growing seeds must be prepared from equal parts of peat, sand and fertile soil.

Planting seeds for seedlings should begin in March - April. At a temperature of about 25 degrees, the seedlings will sprout on about the 7th day. After two weeks, they must be planted in separate pots.

It is advisable to feed growing plants at this stage at intervals of once every ten days, using liquid fertilizers. Dwarf dahlias are very delicate, and even slight frosts can damage the developing stems and leaves. Before transplanting into open ground, the plants need to be hardened off a little, gradually accustoming them to direct sunlight. Planting in flower beds and flower beds is usually carried out in May: on the one hand, frosts are no longer expected, on the other hand, the flowers begin to stretch out greatly due to the lack of light in the room.

Growing from seeds

You can grow plants from seeds by planting them directly in open ground in May. To prevent the flowers from getting sick in the future, it is recommended to keep the seeds for several minutes in a 10% aqueous solution of formaldehyde. After dressing, the seeds need to be dried.

Flowering with this planting method will not occur until the end of August.

Growing from tubers

If you wish, you can try growing dwarf dahlias from tubers. In the fall, they are dug up along with a lump of earth, disinfected with a manganese solution and put away in a cool, dark place. The tubers need to be monitored so that they do not dry out.

To do this, they are sprayed with water once a month. If the tubers have been preserved by May, then they, previously divided into several parts according to the number of buds, must be planted in the ground. Flowering of plants grown in this way occurs 2-3 weeks faster than those of seeded plants. With the described method, Merry Guys will turn into perennial plants, but after a couple of years, propagation by seeds will have to be repeated: with the tuberous growing method, the flowers gradually degenerate.

Soil requirements and watering

A place for planting should be chosen that is well lit by the sun in the first half of the day and closed from drafts. Do not use areas in the shade of large trees - this will certainly affect the abundance of flowering. The soil should be airy, loose, neutral or slightly acidic.

When groundwater is close, raised flower beds are usually used. Before planting seedlings, dig holes in the ground at a distance of 20 cm; it is useful to add a mixture of ash, humus and a little nitrophoska to each of them. It is advisable to mulch the soil with sawdust.

The root system of dahlias is very delicate, so replanting must be done carefully. During the first two weeks after transplanting into open ground, watering should be plentiful. It is especially necessary to ensure that the soil does not dry out on hot days.

At particularly high temperatures, spraying plants with water is recommended. As soon as the dahlia produces a lot of buds, watering should be reduced to moderate. It is even less necessary to water in August-September.

Feeding and flowering

Typically, the plant is fed 3 times during its entire life cycle. The first time - 15 days after transplantation, using ammonium nitrate or mullein. The second time - when the first buds appear: superphosphate and potassium salt will do.

The last fertilizing is carried out with organic fertilizers during the period of abundant flowering. It is important for gardeners to know that if dahlias are overfed with nitrogen, then lush flowering, as a rule, does not occur. Approximately 90 days after sowing, in July, the Merry Guys begin to bloom. It lasts for a long time, until the first autumn frosts.

The abundance of flowering directly depends on how well the bush of the plant is formed: the greater the height of the Merry Guys, the later the flowers will begin to bloom. If the plant is not very low, then during its development it is important to pinch the side shoots and the main one, above the 4th pair of leaves.

Faded inflorescences must be removed in time, leaving only a few to produce their own seeds. The duration of flowering of dwarf dahlias turns these plants into a wonderful decoration of flower beds, flower beds and borders. Due to the variety of shades of the Jolly Guys, an enchanting illusion is born that there is a real carnival of a variety of flowers on the site.

General information about the variety "Jolly Guys"

Dahlias are initially classified as perennial plants, but “Jolly Fellows” is an annual dwarf variety; the flowers are cut in the first year after planting. In the conditions of the middle zone, the dahlia cannot survive the winter, so it does not form tubers.

Once upon a time, this variety was the most common decoration for flower beds and flower beds; now it has been somewhat replaced by begonias and marigolds. The height of the bushes ranges from 25 to 70 cm, the plant has strong stems with bright green leaves. The diameter of the inflorescences can reach 9 cm; it is a very bright and noticeable flower, which can have white, pink, lilac, red and other shades.

Dwarf dahlias can be simple or double. These flowers are grown to decorate flower beds; they look great against the background of other, less bright flowers. A flower bed of dahlias turns into one of the most noticeable decorations in the garden, and it will not disappoint its owners.

Planting dahlias and growing technology

“Veselyye guys” is a heat-loving and light-loving variety that can tolerate even long-term drought. At the same time, they are undemanding to the composition of the soil, but they definitely need light: if you plant them, for example, in the shade of a fence, the stems will be too thin and fragile and you can’t count on lush flowering. It is recommended to pre-water the soil mixture with a solution of potassium permanganate, this will protect plants for various diseases. The main method of propagation is seeds, but you must follow the basic rules:

The best time to plant seeds is the end of April. The seeds are planted in the prepared substrate to a depth of 2 cm, the distance between the seedlings should be about 3 cm. The first shoots can be expected a week after planting the seeds. When the height of the plants reaches about 10 cm, they need picking: they can be planted in spacious boxes or in special peat pots, which are subsequently transplanted into open ground. Starting in May, it is advisable to take the seedlings out into the air so that they get used to outdoor conditions. Around mid-June they are finally transplanted into flower beds, and flowering can be expected by the beginning of July. When planting, you need to maintain a row: the distance between two plants should be at least 20 cm, as the bushes begin to grow quickly. Water them not often, but generously, especially if the weather is hot. It is advisable to mulch the root system, this is additional protection from drying out. For planting, stores most often offer a varietal mix: seeds with different bud colors are placed in bags, which will allow you to get a varied, bright flower bed. You can immediately sow seeds in open ground; it is better to do this in May, when there is no longer a risk of frost returning.

Caring for dahlias

The soil in which the dahlia will be planted should be pre-fertilized in the fall with manure or humus, this will ensure faster growth and lush flowering. The bushes begin to actively bloom in mid-July, and until the very first frost they will delight you with magnificent buds. Flowers bloom one after another, so flowering will not stop. To extend the life of the plant, cover the roots with film or special non-woven material at night.

It is important to know that dahlias are afraid of waterlogging, which is much worse for the root system than drought. At first, young seedlings are watered no more than once a week; you can also spray the bushes with water from a spray bottle. In August, plants do not need to be watered; at this time they least need water.

When flowering is complete, it is necessary to leave the strongest bushes standing to collect the seeds. They are carefully separated from the petals when the inflorescences are completely dry, after which they need to be further dried in the sun.

Seeds placed in a paper bag can be stored for several years if kept at room temperature. If desired, you can save dahlia tubers for the winter, which can also later be used for planting. They are removed from the soil before the first frost, the small roots are cut off, and to store the tubers, they need to be dried and covered with sand or peat.

Practice shows that from such tubers you can get powerful plants and achieve lush flowering the very next year. More information can be found in the video.

Description of the variety

"Jolly Fellow" dahlias are a mixture of annual varieties of dwarf dahlias that begin to bloom the same year they are planted. In the process of growing these flowers, you can collect the resulting tubers, which are suitable for further planting. However, this requires a mild and warm climate, which not all regions of our country are rich in. This plant is used to decorate flower beds, as well as to create living borders along garden paths.

As shown in the photo of the “fun guys” dahlias, its large inflorescences, the diameter of which reaches 9 centimeters, have a rather rich range of colors - snow-white, yellow, pink, lilac and red. The stems of the plant are very strong and powerful, and the leaves have a lush green color. The total height of the bush rarely exceeds 30 centimeters, but with particularly careful care you can grow a bush about 70 centimeters high. One bush produces from 3 to 7 flowers, which retain their appearance for an incredibly long time even when cut.

Place and time of landing

The main requirement for the planting site is the presence of sunlight. Thanks to prolonged lighting, plants develop evenly, the stems become strong and straight. By sowing dahlias in the shade, you will achieve a tall bush, the stems of which will stretch towards the light source, however, the flowering of such a plant will be very weak. In addition, such a bush will have to be tied up.

As for the soil, dahlias are completely undemanding and can withstand even prolonged drought, which is why they are loved by many gardeners. If you plan to plant flowers in seedlings, then sow the seeds at the end of March. And already in mid-May they are transferred to open ground. But even in warm weather, it is advisable to cover the plants with film at night.

Sowing process

Growing “jolly fellows” dahlias from seeds does not involve preliminary preparation of planting material. This means that the seeds do not need to be soaked or frozen before planting. The main condition for successful germination is absolute maturity. Premature harvesting increases the risk of getting empty seeds. The basic sowing process is as follows:

The seeds are sown in prepared soil at room temperature to a depth of no more than 2 centimeters. It is best to use peat pots, with which the plant is then transplanted into open ground.
After this, the plantings are well watered. Plants require re-watering after another 5-7 days.
To stimulate the appearance of sprouts, the soil can be treated with growth stimulants, and the container with future seedlings can be covered with glass or film.
The first shoots begin to appear after 1-1.5 weeks. And after the first leaves appear, you can thin out the seedlings, leaving the strongest shoots.

At the end of May, the finished seedlings are transferred to open ground. The root system of the sprout is buried into the soil no more than 2 centimeters. When planted deeper, the root system of dahlias “jolly guys” begins to rot. The distance between plants should be about 30 centimeters. Closer planting threatens sluggish flowering. After transplanting, the seedlings are watered and the soil around them is mulched.

Watering

The main care measures are watering and fertilizing. Dahlias are not at all demanding when it comes to watering. Plants, in general, are very easy to care for. Dahlias "funny guys" tolerate drought well, but do not tolerate high humidity. Regardless of the age of the plant, be it young seedlings or mature bushes, weekly abundant watering is sufficient. Immediately after watering, the area around the plant is loosened, followed by mulching to retain moisture. But in rainy weather it is better to avoid mulching, as this will cause root rotting due to excessive soil moisture. In August, watering is stopped altogether, since the plant’s growth stops and it has enough rainfall.

Top dressing

In general, “fun guys” dahlias do not require fertilizer or fertilizing. They grow and bloom successfully even on the most infertile soils. But to obtain more lush, bright and abundant flowering, you can add a small amount of fertilizer in the fall, when digging. It is best to use compost, manure or humus, which will have time to decompose by the time of planting and will serve as excellent growth activators.

To collect planting material, you should wait until after flowering. Several inflorescences are left uncollected for the seeds to ripen. After full ripening, the flowers of the bush are carefully collected, after which the petals are carefully removed and the seeds are shaken off into paper bags. It is best to carry out this procedure in a dry and warm room. Seeds are stored in paper bags for 2-4 years, fully maintaining their suitability for sowing.

You should not rush to collect planting material, since seeds that are not fully ripe may simply not sprout. In this case, you will have to buy new ones and plant them again, which takes a lot of time and effort.

Features of propagation by tubers

Despite the fact that the main method of propagation of “jolly fellows” dahlias is the seed method, some gardeners still prefer tuberous propagation.

Harvesting tubers begins after the first frost. Choose a strong and healthy bush, from which all flowers and green parts are removed. The bush is carefully dug up, large clods of earth are removed, and the tubers themselves are transferred to a warm and dry room to dry. To preserve internal moisture, they can be covered with a small layer of clay. Storage during the winter is carried out in cardboard boxes, and the layers of tubers are laid out with paper. It is advisable to wrap each copy in paper for more careful preservation. Throughout storage, tubers should be carefully inspected for rotting and mold. The affected areas are cut off, and the cut areas are sprinkled with ground charcoal. When planting "jolly fellow" dahlias in the spring, the tubers are not buried too deep.

This method has a significant drawback - the loss of decorative qualities every year. Therefore, this propagation method is used for no more than three years to avoid complete degeneration of the plant.

Diseases and pests

One of the main diseases affecting merry fellow dahlias is gray mold or botrytis. The first signs of the disease appear in the form of gray-brown spots on the leaves, which gradually spread to the entire plant, even to the buds. Main causes of the disease:

poorly chosen area for planting;
increased soil moisture;
excess nitrogen;
weeds.

Various insecticidal preparations help cope with gray mold. In addition, the contaminated area is unsuitable for planting similar crops for four years.

Spraying with Karbofos and Fitoverton helps get rid of thrips, earwigs, spider mites and caterpillars. You can overcome aphids and root-knot nematodes using a carbothionic solution and Iskra.

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