WONDERFUL DAHLIAS – Great colors in the garden

I used to dislike dahlias; I found them stuffy and old-fashioned.

But it is probably less due to my changing taste than to the incredible variety of varieties that breeding has produced in recent years that these late summer, colorful flowers now enchant me so much. But older varieties have also suddenly been rediscovered, like the legendary "Café au lait", which dates back to 1968.

It is not entirely clear how many varieties there are today. The numbers vary between 20,000 and 57,000.

Photo: Janina Laszlo

Normally I like "easy-care, once-planted-always-enjoyed" flowers. This warmth-loving lady is not necessarily one of them. The frost-sensitive bulbs have to be replanted every spring and dug up again in the fall. And yet there is no getting around my late summer splendor of color and nothing in the world can stop me from replanting them every year. And because I love them so much, I have even dedicated a BOOK to them .

Planting Dahlias

Depending on the variety, dahlias bloom from June until the first frost. You can plant the tubers in pots indoors from March and start growing them. However, they need a lot of light when they emerge from the soil. During the day, if the weather permits, they should definitely be exposed to daylight (or you can use plant lamps). So my big piece of advice is: take your time and don't start too early.

Or plant them directly in the ground at the end of April/beginning of May (the Ice Saints cannot really harm them, as the ground no longer freezes through), although starting them in a pot offers some significant advantages:

1. They bloom earlier and therefore longer.

2. The already larger plants have a better chance against the voracious snails, which will not ignore a young dahlia.

3. If there is a sudden frosty night, the dahlias in the pot can quickly spend the night in a garage or in the house.

Photo: Janina Laszlo

Caitlin's Joy - her color changes throughout her blooming period. At first a strong coral, then powdery pink and finally pastel pink. You can get her HERE .

In a pot or directly in the soil

You can either leave it in the pot (assuming it is big enough) or plant the young plant in your bed. Sometimes I also put the dahlia in the pot directly in the bed, which makes digging it up in the autumn much easier. If you cover the pot with Schnexagon you can protect them well from snails.

In the pot, however, the plant needs additional nutrients. It is best to use good compost or organic fertilizer.

If you plant the tuber directly in the soil, make sure that the cut stem from the previous year is facing upwards and cover everything with about 3 cm of soil. You can work compost or horn shavings directly into the planting hole.

And VERY important : Please be very sparing with watering before the tubers have formed roots and the first green shoots appear from the soil. You can water them, but then please don't water them again until the plant appears.

Photo: Michaela Eriksson

I got it again! The beautiful Penhill Watermelon is available again.

Caring for Dahlias

A sunny spot is important, the dahlia is definitely not a plant that feels comfortable in the shade. It tolerates partial shade, but then it will not bloom quite as profusely. Since many varieties can grow quite tall and large, you should support them or tie them down in summer. It is best to stick a stick in the ground when planting, then you do not risk accidentally skewering the tuber later. Regularly removing the faded flowers will make the dahlia bloom more and for longer.

Dahlias do not have any special soil requirements; any normal garden soil is suitable. It should just be permeable, otherwise the tubers will rot.

Unfortunately, they are not winter hardy, so you have to dig them up after the first frost (after the first frost is enough; if you dig them up earlier, you might miss out on your last flowers...) and store them in a cool but frost-free place. To do this, cut the above-ground shoot to about 5cm above the ground and then carefully remove the tuber from the soil. I put mine in wooden boxes lined with newspaper, ideally you cover them with sand. This prevents them from getting moldy or drying out.

Then they go into the cellar until March or April.

pinching

I recommend pinching dahlias. You will be rewarded with significantly more flowers, even if it is a little later. As soon as the shoots have reached a size of 20 - 30 cm, cut the main shoot with sharp scissors or a good knife directly above a pair of leaves.

This takes a little effort, but it causes the dahlia to form more shoots and branches below the cut. The dahlia also grows stronger and the flower stems develop more sturdily.

Photo: Syl Gervais

Dividing dahlias

You should keep dividing your tubers so that they don't get too big, otherwise they will eventually be exhausted. You will also get more plants that way. The ideal time is from March onwards, when the tubers start to sprout and have formed what are known as eyes during winter storage, from which the young shoots grow.

If you have trouble seeing eyes, bring the dahlias into a warm place and let them grow for a few days.

Then simply pull the tubers apart or separate them from the mother tuber with a sharp knife. Very important: Make sure that at least one eye is visible on each piece, because this is where your new, magnificent dahlia will grow. Treat the cut area with charcoal if necessary. The dahlia should then be planted relatively soon.

Dahlias and insects

Photo: Seila Malo

Dahlias often have the unjustified image of not being insect-friendly. Of course, at first glance, open specimens are better for our buzzing friends, but many double specimens also open when they bloom and provide a good source of food. Here Bishop of Leicester and Edge of Joy .

And look here, Rocco :

First it's closed and shut. And then the sweet nectar buffet opens.

snails and dahlias

Unfortunately, dahlias are at the top of the menu list of our slimy garden residents. Therefore, they should definitely be protected from them. I sometimes put untreated sheep's wool around the stem of my freshly planted dahlias. A nice side effect is that the wool is an excellent fertilizer. But traditional snail collars also keep the voracious beasts away, at least until the plant is big and strong enough. And in fact, I have observed that when the plant is bigger, the snails also lose interest in it.

If you have voles in your garden, protect the tubers with wire baskets.

Dahlias and their companions

Together with asters and autumn anemones, rose hips and blackberries, they always enchant me with their wonderful play of colors in the autumnal cottage garden.

I also like to combine my dahlias with Argentine verbena or cosmos ( all information about cosmos and their cultivation HERE ). And my new favorite combination is dahlias with ornamental carrots and/or carrots .

Photo: Janina Laszlo

White and green tones such as sage, shrub ivy, white scabious and light cosmos (such as Double Dutch White or Tetra Versailles Flush ) as well as silvery mugwort go beautifully with pale pink dahlias .

Photo: Janina Laszlo

Dahlias in a bouquet

Dahlias are wonderful cut flowers. Last year I even planted my own raised bed with dahlias just for cutting into bouquets. It is important to cut the dahlias in the morning with a sharp knife and then put them in water immediately (!).