YOUR ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO DAHLIA CARE
Graham Rice shares his tried-and-tested techniques
IT’S almost here – the countdown has begun to that most exciting time of the year when dahlias dazzle us with their months of brilliant blooms. From miniatures to monsters, the vast variety of their colours, their intriguing flower shapes and their simple enthusiasm for giving us more and more (and then even more) flowers right through to the frosts – well, it’s no wonder that dahlias are more popular then they’ve ever been.
Mine have been growing strongly since the nine I left in the ground over winter started peeping through almost three months ago. There was not a single casualty to our harsh winter, which left me with something of a problem at planting time as I was running out of space for my new purchases! However, I took a spade to a few plants that were not quite up to standard and squeezed them all in.
Of course, planting them was just the beginning. It’s not that dahlias are demanding divas; looking after them won’t take up much time, but they do need attention during summer and early autumn. Watering, feeding, picking for the house and deadheading, staking, checking for pests and diseases… A few small things done at the right time makes a big difference. It’s that simple.
After all, you don’t want your dahlias falling over and flattening their carefully cultivated neighbours, ruining the show in the border. And it’s important that they keep on flowering well, so regular picking or deadheading is crucial – isn’t it wonderful to have so many that you can give armfuls to your friends and family? It helps make up for all those bags of courgettes you keep dumping on their doorsteps!
You can still buy dahlias at this time of year. Visit any good garden centre and you’ll find short, bushy varieties, coming into flower, in two or three-litre pots – all ready to plant. Some even have their sparkling flowers set against deeply bronzed foliage. It’s ideal if you have a space that needs a sudden, summer uplift. Just don’t expect me to buy any – I’ve no room!