MIXED DAHLIAS

MIXED DAHLIAS, MIXED VARIETIES

• CATEGORY                          “DAHLIAS”
• VARIETY                               MIXED VARIETIES
• DESCRIPTION                      RAINBOW MIXTURE
• HEIGHT                                 50-100 CM
• SIZE                                       GRADE 1
• BLOOMS                                ALL SUMMER LONG UNTIL THE FROST
• QUANTITY PER UNIT            1, 3, 5, 10 OR 15

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

PLEASE MAKE SURE WHEN BUYING THESE TUBERS THAT YOU DON’T BUY CHEAP GRADE 2 TUBERS WHICH ARE VERY SMALL AND FLIMSY WE ONLY SUPPLY GRADE 1 TUBERS TO ENSURE AN EXCELLENT FLOWER.

ALTHOUGH THE DAHLIA ORIGINATED IN MEXICO, IT FLOURISHES IN ALL SORTS OF CLIMATE, BUT IT IS DOUBTFUL WHETHER IT FLOWERS BETTER ANYWHERE THAN IN OUR COUNTRY. IN ALL KINDS OF WEATHER IT CAN BE RELIED UPON TO PRODUCE AN EYE-CATCHING FEATURE IN ANY GARDEN. THE DAHLIA IS NOT PARTICULAR AS TO THE SOIL IN WHICH IT GROWS AND BLOOMS OF HIGH QUALITY CAN BE GROWN BY ANY NOVICE.

DAHLIAS CAN BE GROWN IN AN HERBACEOUS BORDER, IN MIXED BEDS OR AS A DEDICATED DAHLIA DISPLAY. DAHLIAS ALSO DO VERY WELL WHEN GROWN IN LARGE POTS OR GARDEN BOXES. THIS IS A GOOD STRATEGY IF YOU HAVE LIMITED SPACE AND WANT TO USE DAHLIAS AS PATIO DECORATIONS. THEY DO BEST IN CONTAINERS THAT HOLD 30-35CM (12-14”) OF POTTING MEDIUM. SMALLER CONTAINERS WILL REQUIRE MORE FREQUENT WATERING.

ALTHOUGH DAHLIAS WILL GROW WELL IN ANY SOIL THEY THRIVE BEST IN RICH SOIL WITH GOOD DRAINAGE. EVEN THOUGH DAHLIAS BENEFIT FROM COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF WATER, THEY DISLIKE STANDING WATER AND GOOD DRAINAGE SHOULD BE ENSURED.

YOUR DAHLIAS WILL LOOK BETTER AND MORE MANAGEABLE IF YOU PLAN TO PROVIDE SOME SORT OF SUPPORT FOR THEM. DAHLIA BLOOMS CAN BE HEAVY AND NOTHING IS MORE DEPRESSING THAN HAVING A BEAUTIFUL NEW BLOOM CRASHING TO THE GROUND BECAUSE IT WASN’T STAKED.

STAKES SHOULD BE DRIVEN AT THE BASE OF THE PLANT AND BE 1-2’ SHORTER THAN THE EXPECTED HEIGHT OF THE PLANT. TIE THE PRIMARY STALK TO THE STAKE IN ONE OR TWO SPOTS AS THE PLANT GROWS. MAINTAINING YOUR PLANTS SO THAT THEY GROW UPRIGHT, RATHER THAN SPRAWLING WILL ENSURE STRONG GROWTH AND MAXIMUM FLOWER PRODUCTION.

DAHLIAS ARE THE PERFECT CUT FLOWER PRODUCER. THEY RESPOND TO CUTTING BY PRODUCING MORE BLOOMS DAHLIA PLANTS THAT HAVE BLOOMS REMOVED REGULARLY WILL PRODUCE MORE THAN THOSE THAT HAVE BLOOMS LEFT ON THE PLANTS

FOR EARLY FLOWERING, TUBERS MAY BE STARTED OFF IN BOXES IN APRIL, USE A LIGHT SOIL MIXED WITH COMPOST. KEEP SLIGHTLY MOIST, COOL AND FREE FROM FROST. WHEN THE DANGER OF FROSTS HAS PASSED, PLANT OUT THE SPROUTED TUBERS. IF USED AS A CUT FLOWER, CUT THE STEMS ONLY WHEN THE FLOWER HAS FULLY DEVELOPED.

PLANT AT LEAST 15 CM DEEP AND AFTER FLOWERING LIFT THE TUBERS AND STORE FROST FREE IN DRY COMPOST OVER WINTER.