For large dahlia varieties with a lot of branches, consider using a heavy wire tomato cage to keep the plants upright. Tip 2: Deadhead. As soon as the flower has faded, use a sharp pair of pruners to trim the flower stem off just above the point where it emerges from the main stem.
Removing spent flowers regularly encourages the production of more blooms and eliminates seed production, a process that saps a lot of energy from the plants and reduces future blooms.
Tip 3: Fertilize. I fertilize my dahlias with a liquid organic fertilizer every two weeks, at the same time I feed my container plantings. Tip 4: Watch for fungal diseases. While dahlias are fairly trouble-free, fungal issues do sometimes strike.
Bud blast will cause the flower buds to flop over and rot before they open, and leaf spot foliar diseases can easily mar the foliage. To keep these issues at bay, give your dahlia plants plenty of room to grow and be sure to keep other plants from crowding in around them.
Trim nearby foliage to increase air circulation around the plants. If you happen to spot any diseased foliage on your dahlias, promptly trim it off and discard it in the trash.
Tip 5: Irrigate. Larger species of dahlias can grow quite tall, and they get thirsty as they grow. Be sure to keep your dahlia plants well watered, especially during times of drought. Mulch the plants with a few inches of shredded leaves, leaf mold or compost to help retain soil moisture.
Here are five key dahlia growing mistakes to avoid and what you can do instead to ensure they produce a full show of blooms for you.
Dahlias demand bright sunlight for at least 6 hours a day to produce flowers. The more sunlight the better in many regions, with 8 or more hours best in cool areas. In hot regions, such as the South and Southwest, 6 hours of direct sun during the first part of the day is helpful for protecting the blossoms from baking in the intense afternoon rays. Dahlias send up shoots and unfurl new foliage quite quickly. All that growth requires a hefty amount of water. Dry soil stymies vigorous growth and bloom production.
Aim to keep soil around dahlia tubers consistently moist after the first leaves emerge. However, tubers are susceptible to rot in saturated soil, so be careful not to go overboard. Deep, thorough watering once or twice a week is usually just right for dahlias.
Top the soil with a 2-inch-layer of mulch to help retain moisture between waterings. Dahlias demand nutrient-rich soil to fuel their rapid growth and exuberant blooms. Fertilizer helps supplement nutrients already in the soil , but it becomes troublesome for dahlias when your fertilizer is high in nitrogen the first number in the N-P-K ratio on the product packaging.
Excessive amounts of nitrogen encourage plants to produce lots of leaves and few, if any, flowers. While we have made every effort to ensure the information on this website is reliable, Sun Gro Horticulture is not responsible for any errors or omissions, or for the results obtained from the use of this information.
Use of this site is subject to express terms of use. By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use. They produce the air we breathe and even make us smell pretty. Her degrees were bolstered by internships at Longwood Gardens and the American Horticultural Society. She has since worked for many horticultural institutions and companies and now manages communications for Sun Gro Horticulture, the parent company of Black Gold.
Her joy is sharing all things green and lovely with her two daughters. Leave a Reply Cancel reply You must be logged in to post a comment.
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