Dahlia’s Planting & Management

Prior to Tomb-sweeping Day, the young seedling roots, 60×70cm in the plant / row spacing，will be buried with their sprouted ends inclining upwards and 5cm to the surface of the fertile plot or dooryard where they are buried. The appropriate basal dressing and convenient irrigation and drainage shall be wanted, too.

2.1 Management in growing stage: The period from the sprout’s coming up out of soil to the 1^st bud’s appearance is called Growing Stage. The view and admiration shall, hereby, be affected if many sub-branches and buds are permitted to grow freely during it. The series of steps, for example the branching in terms of certain conditions, should be taken as follows: For each Dahlia’s 5cm high seedling, only one main stem will be allowed generally, namely the other stems must be cut off with exception of a stocky one. Both branching and bud’s removing shall become vital as long as the first bud appears. The first and the second pair of buds below the top one should be removed so that the top one can be well fed. In the meanwhile，the customer shall decide flowers number and their positions by his aim and Dahlia’s variety. The big flowers may be seen as long as no more than four buds to bloom simultaneously. The flower’s position depends on Dahlia’s variety. As for varieties with stocky and shorter peduncles, such as “Yunsuolianfeng”、“Yanhuofeijian”, their first bud should be dismissed.

2.2 Management in blooming period: The period from first bud blooming, second one appearing to the falling of First Frost is called Blooming Period. The above-mentioned steps should be engaged while the top bud appears on the side stem being reserved in the first blooming stage. It’s important that no many sub-branch stems to be permitted except for 1－2 ones left in support and the remnant flowers to be cut off as well( the above removed twigs can be engaged in the stem planting) .

The water manure is important to Dahlia. Keeping soil humid and 1-2 times of top dressing prior to blossoming. Removing both axillary shoots and buds on the 4-layer leaves, so as to no flowers hiding among leaves. On the medium-layer places, only 2-4 branch stems shall be reserved in support of the reflorescence, those on the lower 1-2 layer leaves shall be removed. As for the varieties with longer peduncles, such as“Yulourenzui” ,“Xianheling”, their axillary shoots and buds on the 4-layer leaves below the top flower should be removed, and only a shoot may be reserved in support, so as to keep the first flowers continuous on the 3^rdor the 4^th-layer leaves. No other branch stems will be allowed except for 2-4 ones on the medium-under layer leaves to be left in support of reflorescence (for the purpose of getting Dahlia’s stocky variety).

Dahlia shall want less and less watering while its growing stage ends. Prior to falling of First Frost, to tag the variety at Dahlia’s stem base and then to lift tuberous root with its main stem be cut off from the place 10cm high above the ground and ball clay at the root to be reserved. As the winter comes, to store them, layer by layer, under sandy soil and sawdust (2-4 layers ) in doors of 5℃ in temperature after being dried for 2-5 days. During the overwintering, 1-2 times of inspections may be wanted on schedule to get rid of broken roots.