Most dahlias are perennial varieties that will beautify gardens and balconies for many years. The long-blooming summer flowers do not need much care. What you need to know to properly care for your dahlias.

Dahlias need water regularly; cutting off faded blooms prolongs flowering

Are the dahlias watered correctly?

Dahlias should be neither too moist nor too dry. Let the soil in the garden or pot dry out a bit. But then it is high time to give water again.

The dahlia tubers do not tolerate waterlogging at all. However, there is no danger on a permeable soil.

You should always water georgines from below. Since the flowers like to be in direct sunlight, there is a risk that damp leaves will burn them.

Do dahlias need to be fertilized?

Dahlias prefer nutrient-rich soil. If you enrich the soil with compost, cattle manure (€18.80) and horn shavings (€32.93) before planting, this is usually sufficient for the entire gardening season.

If you want to fertilize additionally, only use organic fertilizers so that the georgines do not get too much nitrogen. They then hardly develop flowers.

From August on, you shouldn't fertilize dahlias at all, as they are over-fertilized very quickly and the tubers will not survive the time in the winter quarters.

Can dahlias be transplanted?

Since the tubers are dug up in the fall anyway and planted again in the spring, you should avoid transplanting them altogether.

Are dahlias pruned?

During flowering, you should immediately cut faded flowers. This extends the flowering period.

In autumn the plant is cut down before it is overwintered. But leave a root collar of at least two inches, as the new shoots will grow from the root collar.

What diseases can georgines develop?

  • leaf spot disease
  • mildew
  • viral infections
  • blight

Viral infections and leaf spot disease usually occur when the dahlias are too shady and too humid. Especially in rainy summers with strong temperature differences, powdery mildew is very common.

There is not much that can be done against viral diseases, which can be recognized by yellowish-green spots. Infested georgines should be disposed of with household waste.

Dry rot affects the dahlia tubers in winter quarters. It is probably caused by a virus. Affected tubers must be discarded.

What pests do you need to watch out for?

Snails especially like to eat the young shoots. Aphids are also common. Voles give the georgines a lot of trouble. They eat the tubers and damage them so badly that the plant dies.

How are dahlias overwintered?

Since dahlias are not hardy, they must be dug up in autumn and the dry tubers overwintered in the cellar or in another place, cool but frost-free.

tips and tricks

The botanical name of the dahlia is Dahlia. The ornamental plant got its name in honor of the Swedish botanist Andreas Dahl.

Category:

Vegetable garden