I have been growing dahlias at Broadspear for eight years, since we first moved in. Every summer they reward us with an abundance of colour. They are such generous flowers: strong, productive plants that return year after year and, with a little care, multiply as they grow. In this weeks newsletter, I am sharing all that I have learnt about Dahlia's from their varieties, to caring and storing them all year long. For any of you that are interested in buying your own, I purchased my dahlia's from Farmer Gracy!
... ps this isn't an ad, I just love the quality of their produce!
Varieties
I grow many different varieties of dahlias at Broadspear, choosing them for their wonderful range of colours, shapes and sizes. Each one brings something different to the garden, from soft, romantic blooms to richer, more dramatic flowers. The varieties that I have pictured here are 'Mango Madness', 'Café au Lait Rosé' and 'Otto's Thrill'. I am also growing 'Strawberry Cream', 'Wizard of Oz', 'Dark Spirit', 'Chocamocha', 'Café au Lait', 'Café au Lait Royal' and 'Café au Lait Supreme'.
One of the joys of growing dahlias is that they become more generous over time. The tubers get bigger each year and multiply underground, so when I lift them for winter storage, I can divide them and create new plants. In this way, my collection of dahlias grows every season — I usually end up with at least twice as many plants for the following year.
Care
Dahlias are wonderfully robust plants, but there are two things that make the biggest difference to their flowering: water and deadheading.
They need plenty of water, particularly during dry spells. Keeping them well watered helps them produce their best flowers throughout the season.
I also deadhead regularly, removing each flower as it begins to fade. This encourages the plant to direct its energy into producing more blooms rather than setting seed. The more you pick and deadhead, the more flowers you will enjoy.
Storage
Once the dahlias have finished flowering for the year, and just before the first frost, I lift the tubers from the ground. Tubers are the plant’s roots, and lifting them protects them over winter so that they can be replanted the following spring.
After digging them up, I clean the tubers and allow them to dry thoroughly. I then store them in layers of straw in the glasshouse, where they stay nice and dry through the winter months.
After the last frost in spring, I replant them and wait for another glorious season of flowers. It is a simple rhythm that I look forward to every year: lifting, storing, dividing and replanting — and seeing the dahlias return, bigger and better than before.
