Things Needed
Dahlias , tuberous perennials native to Mexico , are excellent flowers to grow in your California garden . They thrive in California ’s widely varied mood , which are unfold through USDA Hardiness Zones 4 to 11 . Although you could turn dahlias from seeded player and cuttings , the gentle way to grow them is from tubers . No matter which California climate you go in , plant your Dahlia pinnata tuber in a localisation that receives at least six 60 minutes of sunlight each day .
Step 1
Work 2 to 4 inches of compost or peat moss into the top 12 inches of soil . Also incorporate 2 to 4 lbs . of a balanced fertilizer ( 8 - 8 - 8 or 10 - 10 - 10 ) for every 100 square feet of planting space . Do this about six week prior to planting .
Step 2
Select dahlias that raise well in your California mood , specially in zones 9 to 11 where summers are extremely hot . There , choose varieties that can hold out the summer heat , such as the Prince Noir and Winsome . In cool zones , most dahlias will mature well .
Step 3
Plant your tuber at once outdoors after the last spring frost , which varies among the different California climates . If you live in an surface area where rime is not an issue , implant them anytime in the fountain .
Step 4
Loosen the soil to a depth of 12 inches and then constitute your tuber on their side about 6 inches beneath the ground with the eyes present up . satisfy the holes with 2 to 3 inches of ground and only fill in the rest period as they grow . Exact space between Tuber varies among the different variety , but in general , about 2 to 4 feet apart will serve .
Step 5
employ 3 to 4 inches of mulch such as barque or pine needles . During the spicy California summertime , be sure to summate more mulch as it dilapidate and settee .
Step 6
Water your dahlia to keep the filth moist , normally about 1 column inch of water system a week . However , during the hot summer months in the coastal and southern portions of the state , you will most belike demand to irrigate them two or three time a week to keep the soil moist .
Step 7
Thin the shoot as they acquire , if desired . Each tuber can grow more than one angry walk . To get the best blooms , clip off the extra shoots so all the plant ’s zip will go into just one flower stem .
Step 8
slip in a stake for tall dahlia once they reach about 12 inches marvelous or add the stakes at planting . Place the heyday stake next to the planting hole and loosely tie the stem to the plant with string as the dahlias grow .
Step 9
Step 10
sheer the foliage in the fall after the first violent death frost in USDA Hardiness Zones 4 to 7 . Dig the tuber up and store them in moist perlite , vermiculite or peat moss in an area between 35 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit . In geographical zone 8 and warmer , cut the leaf to about 2 to 4 inches and cut across them with mulch during the wintertime months .
References
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