Prune Dahlias: [Importance, Time, Tools, Considerations and Steps]

Dahlias are flowering plants that are often used to decorate the garden during spring and summer.

Because they require little maintenance, they can be kept in perfect condition even for beginners in gardening.

If you have some specimens in your garden, you should know that pruning dahlias represents a good part of the actions to enjoy great flowering.

Sometimes doubts may arise about the best route to follow so that this process is truly profitable. That is why today we want to give you all the necessary information so that you can execute it without complications. Shall we start?

Why prune dahlias?

Dahlias pruning needs serve two main purposes: to ensure that it is healthy and to stimulate good flowering.When they have been established for some time, it is common for wilted parts to be generated that must be paid attention to remove them.

In the same way, if it presents a very harmful plague or disease, it is necessary to act by eliminating those affected parts to prevent them from spreading.

When is it better to carry out pruning dahlias?

The pruning of the dahlias will have to be carried out at the beginning of spring, ensuring that there is no risk of frost.

Thanks to the fact that during the flowering season the plant recovers very quickly, it will heal the wounds and continue with its cycle without worries.

What tools should we use when pruning dahlias?

Depending on the part of the plant that is going to be pruned, the use of tools will be necessary or not.One of the actions that is usually recommended with greater interest is to pinch the most tender branches at the top to stimulate flowering.

In this case, it is an action that will be executed with the index finger and thumb. When it comes to working other areas with more woody and thick branches, the use of pruning shears will be the most recommended.

Remember that it is very important that everything you use to prune must be well disinfected so that harmful organisms do not lodge in the wounds. In the same way, it is recommended that the scissors are well sharpened so that they apply clean cuts and the plant does not suffer excessively.

What considerations should we take into account when pruning dahlias?

The only action necessary at the beginning of the pruning is related to assessing its characteristics well to plan the parts that will be removed.This will avoid overly affecting your structure and concentrating time and energy on the areas that really matter.

How to prune dahlias without damaging the plant?

To carry out a good pruning of dahlias, you must follow the process detailed below:

1. Cut the leaves, branches and buttons that you see in poor condition. Although it is the first task with which winter pruning begins, it is important to repeat the process as many times as necessary during the flowering cycle. Flowers that show some brown area on their petals, even if it is very small, should also be included here.
2. Locate the longest stems, approximately 40 centimeters, and pinch the tips to promote flowering. The exact point for this action to have the desired effect is counting from the base to do it over the 4 sets of leaves that will grow.
3. Define the number of stems you want to grow on the plant. If you leave less (about 5) you will get bigger and more beautiful flowers because more energy and nutrients will be concentrated in producing them. If you leave more stems, you will have more flowers, but they may not be as big.
4. Remove the flowers as they fade. This is a strategy that helps new flowers to be born and that will allow you to enjoy a correct and abundant flowering throughout the summer and even the autumn.

Dahlias reproduce through bulbs that you can also remove from the roots in late fall as a pruning. The idea is to store them in the winter to enjoy a new plant next spring and the gift of its bloom.

This action is necessary especially in areas where winters tend to be very cold and frosts are a regular part of the season. In any case, remember that pruning dahlias is not the only action that will help the flowers to be bigger and better.

You must also ensure compliance with other care such as fertilization and the irrigation cycle, in addition to humidity and light conditions. If you have chosen dahlias for your garden, congratulations! You made a great decision to beautify it without having to generate a lot of work for its maintenance.

• How to Fertilize Dahlias: The Complete Guide – Sembrar100
• Dahlias Care: [Earth, Strengthening, Humidity and Pruning]