Are you ready to start growing beautiful dahlias?
Just look at those healthy starter roots!!!
First things first, I am NOT an expert gardener. I am just passing along some of the things I have learned along the way of my 30+ years of gardening. This Blog is just my opinions and some of the all natural practices I do in my own garden. Now that that's out of the way...
I wanted to offer you a jumpstart this growing season to get you on the path to growing beautiful dahlias! Whether you've purchased one of mine or are growing your own Rooted Dahlia Cuttings, I thought I'd give a few pointers that I've learned "the hard way" on how to grow Dahlias here in East Texas.
"Did you know that there's not a single Dahlia Grower/Distributer registered here in Texas." I was warned that that they may not grow well here in my zone 8b, but I did it anyway!
Because, Like so many fans of Erin’s show, Growing Floret, I became enchanted with the dahlia and the different forms, colors and sizes. As I started to follow commercial and backyard dahlia growers on social media, it became clear that Dahlia Mania was a real phenomenon. Obtaining the varieties I wanted for my small farm business, Cold Creek Natural Farm, would be a year-long obsession.
I even set up a secret dahlia patch in my vegetable garden into a covert operation of colorful beauty! These are what I have growing so far...
Here's what I've learned so far...
1. Although Dahlias can handle the heat of summer, providing some afternoon shade in extremely hot climates is best.
2. Choose a place in your yard that gets a full 6-8 hours of sun and also drains well. Before you plant, take a peek at your forecast. If there is a lot of rain predicted, it may be better to wait to plant, depending on your soil. They do not like to be sitting in water, their tubers they form in their roots will rot. Here is another great source of information about many common diseases Dahlias can have and some treatment plans.
3. Dahlias get bushy and tall, so you'll want to stake your plant when it's less than 12" tall. I use a bamboo stalk they can last for many growing seasons and are inexpensive. Watch out, slugs, snails and grasshoppers love tender dahlia seedlings. I check my garden very early in the morning and multiple times during the day and remove any bugs I find.
4. To boost flower your production and promote sturdy stems, pinch your plants. When the plants reach 6 to 12 inches in height, trim the top 3 to 4 inches with sharp pruners just above a set of leaves. This action stimulates the growth of multiple stems below the cut.
5. Water your plants when the surface 2" feels dry. I personally don't use commercial fertilizers, I use my own organic liquid fertilizer you can purchase some for yourself.
6. Unless you’re leaving the dead flowers to produce seedpods, remove spent blooms often so the plants put their energy into flower production rather than making seed.
7. Enjoy your Beautiful Dahlias they are a true treasure.
We welcome your questions and comments and would love pictures of your progress and of coarse flower pictures!
🌱Nurture yourself with Nature
X0 Cheryl