How to propagate dahlias from cuttings? A detailed guide to the cutting method

In rural areas, the dahlia plant is just a kind of roadside wild grass, a wildflower; there are so many of them in the countryside. The dahlias planted in the flowerpots in our neighborhood have also bloomed, in a great many colors - red, white, yellow, pink - but these colors are not the ones I like, because the petal colors are too gaudy and too heavy, not the kind I like. On top of that, this plant blooms far too readily and grows so fast, so it is not the ideal type for a small flower.

But a friend of mine has one at home that was brought back when visiting relatives elsewhere; they said it was wild, and no one had ever seen one like it. The color is that kind of pale blue, very elegant and beautiful. So I snipped off a section of stem and took it home to root as a cutting, and unexpectedly it actually survived. It just so happened that a fellow flower lover also asked me whether dahlias can still be propagated from cuttings in this season.

Although the season is so hot right now, for this kind of plant, taking cuttings is no problem at all. For a plant like wild grass, cuttings are the easiest thing, and the survival rate for this kind of plant's cuttings is just like that of pothos - the survival rate is extremely high, almost every single one survives. Below I will share my little experience with taking cuttings.

Let me get straight to the main points, the things that need attention. The dahlia is the same as the dahlia (Dahlia pinnata), and belongs to the same family as the chrysanthemum. The flower colors are very numerous and the varieties are very many too. The large flowers can be bigger than a bowl's rim. As for the flowering period, there is no doubt it is very long - out of 12 months in a year, generally about half the year is spent flowering; the flowering period is just that long. Because the flowering period is relatively long, many parks like to plant this kind of plant, and added to the dahlia's cheapness - it is very inexpensive - it is planted quite a lot.

Right now the dahlia is in its flowering period, and even during the flowering period it can still be propagated from cuttings just the same, and the survival rate of the cuttings is not affected at all - it will still root as usual. The steps for taking dahlia cuttings:

Step one, trimming the stem: When taking cuttings of any plant, the choice of stem is the most important part. The quality of the stem determines the survival rate of the cutting and whether it can root within a short period. When choosing a stem for dahlia cuttings, the stem is best to have 2-3 buds, which is to say two nodes. When we prune the dahlia, the stems cut off are the most suitable for use as cuttings. Cut off half of the leaves on the stem.

Step two, choosing the medium: The medium is the soil for the cuttings. In general, the soil for cuttings can just be horticultural soil, with a little vermiculite added, or you can use pure water or sand for rooting. The soil for cuttings must be water-permeable and must also be sterilized and disinfected, otherwise it is prone to infection.

Step three, inserting the cutting: In order to root within a short period and get it into a pot quickly, we can apply rooting hormone to the stem. If there is no rooting hormone, inserting it directly also works; the rooting time may increase by 2-3 days. First poke a hole in the soil with your finger, then insert the stem into it. It will root in less than half a month.

When the roots of the young plant have grown to 3-5cm, we can divide and pot it up, and it will take another half a month to fully settle into the pot. The cycle is very short - in one month's time a new pot of dahlias will be ready, and the following year it will sprout and bloom normally.