Garden Studios

But dahlias are far too useful to be relegated to the allotment because in their brilliance and strong habit of growth: they deserve an area in every garden.

This is their prime season of glory. It all started in July and may continue until the frosts which, in lots of years, don’t arrive until November. Any plant which can contribute to the garden for 5 months of the year should be very talked-about, and i have been a fan all my life.

The time to plant them as dormant tubers is in April. Growing plants may be put outdoors in late May when danger of frost is past. Stake them on the time of planting with stout canes to which the plants’ stems may be tied as they extend. Except this, they demand little or no within the way of cultivation. Cutting the flowers regularly for the home will keep them coming and, if you need really large flowers, Left: dahlia ‘B-Man’ nip out the side buds to let just the central one grow to maturity.

Provided they’re never allowed to dry out on the roots the plants would be perfectly happy, though an occasional liquid feed will do nothing but good. Bright light is what they want, so don’t plant them within the shade.

At this time of year, weekly feeding with dilute liquid tomato feed is worth it, in addition to tying in any new stems that look as if they want supporting.

Of course, you might imagine that each one this seems like lots of work, however the rewards for these little tricks of cultivation are tremendous and may yield flowers which might be the form of tiny pom-poms, spikey “cactus” dahlias, large round “decoratives” and a bunch of alternative attractive formations. Working among them is a pleasure and gardening, in fact, is ready tending to plants, not only them and allowing them to get on with it.

The only thing which will blight your blooms immediately of year is excessive rainfall, which might cause the buds to rot before they open properly (snip them of in the event that they are affected) or earwigs which nibble the flowers (trap them in small flowerpots full of straw and inverted on top of bamboo canes pushed among the many plants). As opposed to that, admire them and order new ones for planting next year.