Dahlias for Days!

Dahlias for Days!

We love dahlias!  These vibrant and versatile blooms are one of the most dramatic plants in the Summer and Fall garden. Dahlias can be easily cut and used in bouquets to brighten up your home. August is a tough month for gardening here in Arlington, Va. Its hot. The weeds and mosquitos can make the garden overwhelming. Happy Dahlias can be low maintenance and prolific. A little extra attention in late summer can make a huge difference to your Fall flowers

Here’s some tips to make sure you get tons of blooms until your first frost.

Café au Lait Paris - Dahlia Tubers

Café au Lait Paris - Dahlia Tubers

Cut and Cut Again

  • When it comes to growing dinner plate Dahlias like Café au Lait Paris, a little extra support is needed. We recommend using a tomato cage to provide the necessary support for these tall and elegant flowers. This will ensure that they grow upright and avoid any damage. Stake and support when planting. By August, Your Dahlia may have overwhelmed its supports. You can cut it back as much as 2/3. This will protect it from toppling in summer storms.
  • Check your water. Dahlias need at least 1” of water a week. Summer in Virginia is wild. One week it rains every day and then hot and dry for the next. Keep an eye on your totals and water dahlias deeply once a week in drought.
  • Fertilize! Dahlias have similar needs to tomato plants. A regular NPK fertilizer and supplemental Calcium will give your plants a boost for lots of blooms and resilience to bug pressure. We like Neptunes Harvest Rose and Bloom with a bit of soluble Gypsum. Tomato Feed is another good option.
  • Cut away! To encourage more blooms, it is recommended to cut the flowers often. Fill your house with dahlias! Regularly harvesting the blooms not only allows you to enjoy them indoors but also stimulates the plant to produce more flowers, extending the blooming season. Every couple weeks cut every spent flower off.

When cutting Dahlias, make sure to cut deep into the stem, close to the base of the plant. This will encourage branching and result in more flowers with longer stems. Remember to always use clean and sharp tools to prevent any damage to the plant. Cut dahlias on dry days. Water in hollow stems can cause problems. 

A word on bugs. We try not to treat our dahlias for bugs. At all. They can get really buggy in July. Instead of fighting it with pesticide we focus on dahlia health and cut away all bug damage often. The bug pressure reduces when the weather cools. If your dahlia is being overwhelmed by bugs we recommend Arber Bio Insecticide 

Whether you're a seasoned gardener or just starting out, Dahlias are a wonderful addition to any garden. Their beauty, versatility, and ability to produce an abundance of blooms make them a must-have for flower enthusiasts. 

Cheers,

HHF 

Dahlia Pre Sale begins October 1, 2023

For more information or to purchase Café au Lait Paris - Dahlia Tubers, visit our product page.

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