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Hillside Greenhouse |
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DahliaThe Dahlia is one of my favorite plants. It comes in several forms including single, double, and spider flower forms. It also comes in several sizes from 14 inch bedding types to 4 foot cut flower types. The International Register of Dahlias lists over 20 000 different cultivars, but of course we can only grow a few of them.Colors include white and various shades of red, yellow, orange and purple. The Dahlia is native to Mexico and is actually a perennial in those parts of the world where the soil doesn't freeze. Dahlias do best in full sun but in an area where the roots are shaded or with a layer of mulch to keep the roots cool. They prefer a soil that is moist but not saturated. They are very frost tender, so don't put them out too early and be ready to cover them is a frost is predicted. Dahlias can be saved over winter if you dig up the tubers, with a couple inches of stem still attached, and store them in a cool but not freezing location. Even the dwarf types will usually produce a small tuber that can be saved if you are careful. They should be buried in some kind of moisture retentive material to keep them from drying out. Wood shavings, peat moss, or even shredded newspaper will work. If the tubers begin to shrivel, spray a little water on the packing material to keep them moist. The tubers can be seperated in the spring. By that time you should be able to see buds forming along the base of the stem near the tops of the tubers. Each tuber (or clumps of tubers) that you plant has to have a bud attached or it won't grow.
All sizes are approximate.
Oct, 2005 dahlis.htm |