Feeding Dahlias with Artificial Dahlias
by: Helen Dakota on Thu, 5 Mar 2009 at: 10:29 PM Go to: Previous Article Next Article
If the idea of using artificial fertilisers appals, the old gardener's recipe can be used, that is, a bag of soot and well rotted manure is suspended in a large tank or bath filled with water, and allowed to stand for some weeks before use. The resultant evil smelling liquid is diluted to a pale straw colour before application to the ground. If this is used it is essential that additional feeding with potash is given at least twice during the season.
The extremely quick acting, highly soluble, liquid fertilisers are not really suitable for feeding dahlias throughout the season as it will be found that where these have been used the tubering and the keeping qualities have been adversely affected. In any case, they are extremely useful in the early part of the season for giving a start to plants which seem to be hanging back.
The rectification of soil deficiencies is without doubt the most important aspect, as soluble elements sprayed on to the foliage will be assimilated into the sap stream in a matter of hours. For diagnosing deficiencies this method is ideal; if for example it is thought that magnesium deficiency is causing poor colour, then the leaves can be sprayed with a solution of 1 ounce to the gallon of Epsom salts, and it will be possible within approximately a week to see some improvement in colour if the diagnosis is correct.
The form and shape of the dahlias need consideration, for the ball type dahlias and the pompons tend to be a little heavy and so have a rather limited appeal, unless used carefully in the more solid arrangements, whereas the cactus and the looser petalled decoratives can be used to create quite fairy like floral arrangements.
Iron and manganese deficiencies cannot be easily settled by this method as iron and manganese sequestrenes, the quickest acting form in which to apply these chemicals, are liable to cause scorch. However if applied to the roots they react as quickly as if applied to the leaves, and it will be soon apparent whether or not this was the cause of bad colour or leaf chlorosis.
As far as colour is concerned, the general colour scheme of the house will have a great bearing on the choice of material; rather dull coloured rooms, for instance, are an ideal setting for the scarlet hued varieties and the brilliant yellow and orange shades, while pink and salmon shades look exceptionally well in the light modern rooms in which the decorations are of a neutral tone or consist of pale greens and fawns and so on.
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Garden dahlia can be used to decorate your home.
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