How To Take Care Of Dahlia Flower

The Dahlia plant attracts everyone through its various colors and shapes of flowers.When it is grown in a backyard within a flower bed or even in a container of your balcony, it will beautify that area.

Combining different dahlia varieties and growing them together will give a different texture to your garden.Dahlia flowers available from small size that is of 5cm to the plate size which can be upto 30 cm.

PLANTING PERIOD 

Dahlia flowers do well in the winter season in India from mid January to April it will bloom upto 120 days.The frost threat should be gone as that will cause rot of bulbs.

SELECTION OF DAHLIA BULBS

Select the bulbs which are not wrinkled or seem rot,any sign of green sprout in a bulb is considered good.

First of all, have a look at its flower size,shape,colors and then select which type and where you want to grow your Dahlia flower.

SOIL MIX

Dahlia loves well drained and moist soil but not too soggy as too much water in soil will cause bulbs to rot.To make it porous add compost,coco peat or sand.

LIGHT

Dahlia flowers need direct sunlight of 6-7 hrs for the full bloom.so make sure to place the plant where direct sunlight is coming.

FERTILIZER REQUIREMENTS

Dahlia needs fertilizer for its full growth as it is a big feeder.But at the time of flowering ,nitrogen content should be low in fertilizer.

Remember don't over fertilize plants  as it can also cause less flowering.

PESTS 

The most common pest which attack on Dahlia flower are

• Aphids
• Mites
• Leafhoppers
• Thrips

To prevent damage of Dahlia from these pests treat plants with neem oil periodically while watering it.And don't keep plants too densely as it will be favorable for these pests and  hard to kill them.