Planting bushes of tall dahlias on the site, I want to get lush buds of bright colors. But not all gardeners know how to shape dahlias for large flowers. Perennial crops, to which this plant belongs, need to process shoots. If carried out regularly, dahlias will delight you with long flowering and luxurious flowers.
Why pinch a plant
Each shoot of a plant requires nutrition and energy, especially for spreading bushes. If the dahlias do not remove the lateral shoots, the flowers will be frail and dim. This affects the number of flowers - well-crafted bush studded with buds. Knowing how to cut dahlias for better flowering will improve the appearance of the plant and its resistance to diseases and pests.
Dahlias
Dahlia stepsoning pursues another goal - the formation of a bush, it becomes slimmer and taller. An overgrown groomed bush may not survive the cold winter: few nutrients will remain in the roots. Weak tubers rot more often, instead of lush flowering, a frail plant will be obtained that needs treatment.
Proper processing will allow you to get a hat of large flowers
Important! Knowing how to plant dahlias is useful only when growing tall bushes - about 1.3-2 m tall.
Formation Methods
The formation of dahlias is not the only step in caring for this perennial plant. Watering, top dressing, mulching and processing play an equally important role in obtaining the final result. However, without the formation, tall bushes will not be lush, so the skill must be mastered. There are several ways to do this - a good grower combines them.
Topping
Before pinching dahlias for many years, you need to familiarize yourself with weather forecast. The procedure is performed only in dry weather. Otherwise, the ends will become damp and rot may begin.
The main problem for the formation of dahlias is the rapid growth of side shoots. It is enough to leave 2 pieces, the rest will only do much harm. Pinching a dahlia is the process of removing processes from the sinuses between leaves. Everything that grows below the internode before the bud is plucked.
Pinching should be done carefully, taking care not to damage the stem
How to pinch dahlias according to the rules:
- The cutting procedure is carried out in dry weather, immediately after drying of the morning dew.
- Faded buds are removed from the plant.
- Leaves on the bottom of the bush cover the roots, so they need to be plucked.
- From the top of each shoot, remove all leaves growing after the 4th pair.
- Short bushes do not pinch.
Pinching perennials improves their decorativeness, and also saves energy on the development of buds and a strong stem. If the plant is diseased, the formation of dahlias is carried out only after its cure.
Tip. Many gardeners are concerned about the question, when did the dahlia pick up the buds, do I have to pinch it or is it too late? The buds need and can be removed - usually this falls to the middle, smallest in the inflorescence.
Stepson
This is the name of the process of removing shoots in pairs of leaves - we are talking about extra shoots. They slow down the flowering of the bush, and the root system weakens, which is dangerous for wintering. This method of formation is carried out several times a month. Shoots grow quickly, so it is advisable to remove them immediately after emergence. The upper shoots must be left, and the lower ones must be planted.
Do not be afraid that the bush will lose foliage and will look sparse. On the contrary, large buds and the top will make it brighter and visually more magnificent.
When properly planted, buds rise above the foliage
If the bush is not stepson, its foliage will become very bulky, and the buds will become tiny. The formation of a dahlia bush is carried out step by step until the buds appear - this is an important difference from pinching. Stepsons should be broken off at the stem itself, otherwise they themselves will break off under their own weight. This is fraught with the appearance of rotting at the place of breakage.
Bud removal
The barely planted bush should be checked for excess buds and removed. If the plants bloomed at the time of purchase, cut off all the buds, leaving the largest. They are easy to find and recognize - in dahlias they are located on the edges of inflorescences. For perennials, this process is more important than for annual plants.
The scheme for pinching dahlias is quite simple - it is carried out in early July before flowering. Bushes can have different heights, you do not need to pay attention to this. After the procedure, the culture must be fed with mineral fertilizers and vitamins.
Dahlia stepsoning in the process of growth
If the flowers are grown for sale, dahlia stepsoning is carried out in order to obtain large buds. Form a plant begin in the early stages of development. It has only one stem, on which a mass of shoots grows. At a height of 20-25 cm from the soil they need to be stepson.
Important! Break off stepchildren as close as possible to the place of growth.
Lush foliage forms on the bush. To prevent fungal infections, it must be thinned out. There are 3 ovaries on each stem; the grower must leave one, the strongest. The culture grows strongly up, so it must be tied up. A good result will be a tall bush with 1-2 stems and lush buds with a diameter of up to 25 cm.
Stitching buds will create several large healthy flowers
When removing shoots, there is a risk of infection. After removing the leaves from the bottom of the bush, the root neck must be treated with a disinfectant.
During the flowering period, the plant must be fed. In early July, after herding, the flower is also fertilized with mineral compounds.
Important! If the culture is grown with the aim of obtaining seeds, and not for beauty, the bush can not be formed.
Tips from experienced gardeners:
- Pasynkovka is best done at 9-10 in the morning after the dew has dried.
- On the day the bush is treated with scissors, it is not necessary to water the plant.
- Garden tools must be washed and wiped with a disinfectant before work.
- Before any shoot removal procedure, you need to inspect the plant. If pests or signs of disease are found, the bush must first be cured.
- After the formation is completed, it is advisable to spray the plants with fungicidal agents. This will prevent the appearance of fungus and pests.
In the process of growth, the plant must be tied
The formation of dahlias is an integral part of caring for tall bushes. Instructions on how to pinch dahlias, described in detail above, will help to get a beautiful slender bush, strewn with buds. In the process of removing excess shoots, we must not forget about the safety of the plant.
