Flowering usually begins in the second half of summer and lasts about 60-80 days, until the first serious frosts. While most dahlias are perennials, there are also annuals that are re-grown annually from seed.
What do dahlias like sun or shade
Dahlias love quiet, sunny places with light shading during the midday hours, well protected from wind and drafts. But if the plants are exposed to the sun less than 6 hours a day, then they may not form buds. Dahlia soils prefer loose, fertile with a neutral reaction.
Dahlia does not like drafts, while excessive thickening and / or insufficient ventilation are undesirable. Dahlias do not tolerate stagnant water, so it is not recommended to plant them in lowlands or in areas with excessive moisture.
How to properly care for dahlias
Watering dahlias should be plentiful 1-2 times a week (if it doesn’t rain), but do not let moisture stagnate in the roots: dahlia tubers are prone to rotting. In extreme heat, hilling after watering helps to retain moisture. Before the next watering, the soil from the stems must be raked, watered, and then spud again.
How to feed dahlias when planting
The most suitable fertilizer for this purpose is manure or leaf humus and compost mixed with wood ash or stove soot. Add 3-4 tablespoons of ash to a bucket of humus or compost, mix well and pour about 1/4 bucket of the mixture into each hole, mix it with the soil and plant dahlias.
