Jessica Spring is coming, and this is a great time of year to plant and grow dahlias. They will flower in the summer months, so you can begin to think about planting them towards the end of the spring season, once the ground has warmed up sufficiently. Dahlia bulbs can be purchased from many reputable gardening retailers, which you can then plant directly in borders, or wherever else you want to plant them in your garden.
If you want to grow dahlias, they are a great choice for your garden because they come in different varieties and colours. They will bloom in the summer season and into the beginning of autumn, which is when many flowers are past their best.
These are the most popular types of dahlia bulb you can buy:
• Large-flowered dahlias, like Chat Noir or Honka Surprise
• Decorative dahlias, like Melody Gipsy or Cafe Au Lait
• Dahlia Karma, like Karma Pink Corona or Karma Choc
• Bedding dahlias, like Pink Princess or Toto
The type of dahlia bulbs you choose will all depend on how you want your dahlias to look – the growth is very similar.
A guide to planting dahlia bulbs successfully
Here is what you need to do in order to get success from your dahlias:
• Dahlias will need to be planted in an area that gets plenty of sunlight. They will need moisture, yet also good drainage, from their planting site.
• Make sure you plant dahlias once the chance of frost has minimised – usually around March or early April. You don’t want to be planting them before this, or they are at risk from the cold weather.
• Plant your dahlias around 75cm apart- more if you have chosen large dahlias that will take up a lot of space. The bulbs should be planted in holes that are around 30cm deep.
• Water them every now and again, so that the ground remains moist. They should begin to flower in early July if the weather is on your side.
Looking after dahlias once they have flowered
Dahlias will need some looking after, though they are relatively easy to grow. They also make beautiful cut flowers, so you can choose to cut stems to display in your home or put into a bunch of flowers.
Here are some of the things to do to keep your flowers strong and healthy:
• Pinch our your dahlias – pinch the stems to encourage the plants to be bushier and to make sure the flowers are their best.
• Dahlias are generally very easy to grow, but they will need a little bit of care over the winter. They are frost sensitive, so if you leave them in the ground, you could risk them dying. To prevent this, cut down the dahlia stems and take the tubers out of the ground. You can then leave them to dry out for a couple of weeks, before storing them in containers.
Make sure you buy quality dahlia bulbs fro ma good retailer, that have come from a reputable nursery.