Ask an expert if it is too late to plant a dahlia.
Beautiful blooms can be seen from mid- summer through fall.If you grow tomatoes in your garden, you can grow dahlias.You can use the following notes to add blooms and color to your garden.
There are many colors and forms of dahlias.There are many examples on this website.You can choose from the pictures on the bags or from a friend's recommendations.Pick a couple and get going!From mid-July through the end of the growing season, you will be able to enjoy spectacular color, variety and abundance of blooms.
There are many ways to get your first plants.The easiest way to get started in a major garden center is to sell dahlia tubers.
Many societies have tuber and plant sales, and they also welcome guests to those events.There are a number of advantages to this approach if you are near a club.The availability of expert advice on your choices is perhaps the greatest benefit of that source of plants.Q&A sessions are a regular feature of many local society meetings.The tubers will likely be grown in the area and of good quality.
Small businesses that specialize in selling dahlias by mail order or internet can be found on this site.The products of these suppliers are reliable and of good quality.
There is little chance of frost when the ground is warm in the spring.It's a good idea to plant in the same time frame as a tomato.You can start the tubers indoors about a month before planting time if you want blooms as early as possible.At planting time, you will have a small plant ready.Most parts of the country can be planted with dailies as late as mid-June.
There needs to be a site with good drainage and partial to full sun.Pots are a popular way to grow dahlias.More information on growing dahlias in pots can be found in other articles on this site.
Before planting a dahlia, you may want to plant a sturdy stake.If you put the stake into the ground after the plant is growing, take care to avoid damaging the tuber or root system.A tomato cage is a simple approach to staking.
The tuber should be in a hole several inches deep and facing up.The crown is the point on the shoulder where the tuber comes from.
To give each plant room to grow, the dahlias should be separated by 2 feet.
Small plants are vulnerable to damage.It is a good idea to manually remove the slugs early in the morning.
Japanese beetles like eating blooms when they are ready for a bouquet.One of the best ways to control the beetles is to put them in a bucket of soapy water.
If you want your blooms to be perfect, you might want to use an insecticidal soap or a commercial pesticide.If you choose to do that, follow the directions carefully.
There is an organic approach to gardening.They grow a lot of blooms, including large blooms.They do well in soil with lots of organic material.Pest control can be done without resorting to chemical pesticides.
Deer are damaging suburban shrubbery and gardens.The good news for dahlias is that they are not on the deer's favorite foods list.In parts of the country where deer prefer to eat plants other than dahlias, they are considered to be so.
Young dahlia plants don't need a lot of water, which can lead to rotting of the plant.If the rain is less than one inch in seven days, a good rule of thumb is to water.Pots need more frequent watering.
The best way to determine the pH of the soil is to perform a soil test.The plants will benefit from regular treatments with a watersoluble or granular fertilizer if they don't have that information.The traditional wisdom for dahlias is to treat with high nitrogen in the middle of the season but reduce it at the end.
Plants can be maintained for show blooms with a substantial regimen.There are two relatively simple actions that you can take to enhance the appearance of the plant.As the plant grows, it needs to be tied to the stake several times.The stake should be secured with the first tie.The branches should be secured with subsequent ties.A tomato cage can be used to support the plant.No tying may be required after that.