Grow
Dahlias
For a time dahlias were far from the top of the hit parade but for some gardeners they never went out of favour. Still, garden fashions come in cycles and there’s no doubt that, right now, dahlias are back in vogue. Their vibrant colours suit modern gardens and dark-leafed dahlias, particularly, are featured in many trendy landscapes.
This is the ideal time of year to get dahlias started, either from tubers or from seed. They love warm conditions and will rapidly grow into substantial plants.
Dahlias from seed
Yates packet seed range includes the dwarf dahlia called Cinderella (pictured). Its semi- double flowers in a wide selection of colours are dotted on top of low-growing bushes that reach up to about 40cm. Now that the soil has warmed up Cinderella dahlia seeds can be sown straight into the soil in a sunny, well- drained garden bed. Why not pop a few seeds in clumps in various parts of the garden?
Dahlias from tubers
Dahlia tubers are available in packets ready for planting, or you can scrounge some from a generous friend. Make sure when you’re dividing clumps of tubers that each piece has some stem and at least one of the ‘eyes’, the buds where the shoots will emerge. The tubers themselves are just storage organs and won’t grow if they’re completely detached from the plant.
Take the opportunity to prepare the soil well before planting by digging in well-aged compost or cow manure, some Dynamic Lifter pellets and, in acid soil areas, a sprinkling of lime or dolomite. Tall-growing dahlias will need staking and it’s a good idea to put the stake in at planting time when there’s little chance of damaging the underground parts. Tie the shoots to the stake with strips of old panty hose.
Pruning
As the dahlia plant grows it’s helpful to pinch out the growing tips to encourage bushy growth. And, of course, at the end of the season when the plant dies off completely, it should be pruned back to ground level.
The great thing about dahlias is that, as long as the soil doesn’t stay wet or cold for too long during winter, the tubers will re-shoot year after year and the bright summer/autumn flowers will be with you forever. However In cold areas it’s best to dig the clumps of tubers and store them in sand for the winter months.
Pests and diseases
Succulent young dahlia growth is irresistible to snails and slugs. Sprinkle Blitzem or Baysol pellets around the plants or surround them with a moat of sawdust but remember, in order to be effective, the sawdust must remain dry.
Mites can cause problems for dahlias, particularly if the weather’s hot and dry. Mite- damaged leaves look discoloured and have a slightly sandblasted feel. Yates new Natrasoap is a non-toxic miticide, or you can use Yates Rose Gun which contains a combined low toxic miticide/insecticide and an effective systemic fungicide that controls the rust and powdery mildew diseases that can spoil these plants.
Comments (2)
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Lesley
Yates site member
11:22, 17 November 2009
Thank you. I have a wonderful display of dahlias each year, but find it difficult to stake the plants high enough to support them. Can I cut the higher stems back as they start to exceed around 5'? Also, some of the flower stems become thin, not able to support the flowers. Would cutting back as above help? Thanks for your advice. :)
Kerry
Yates site member
20:39, 14 April 2010
Hi Lesley. Rather than stakes, I use a circle of large meshed animal netting around my dahlias. The branches grow through the top and sides of the netting, obscuring the netting and providing solid support.
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