Dahlias

Dahlias are becoming quite popular and deserve all the attention that rightfully comes their way.

Truly great flower garden performers that almost never fail. Almost never fail, that is, if reasonable care is provided on both the preventive and curative platforms.

This group of plants is quite diverse as cultivars are available that mature in size from as small as twelve inches to over six feet in height.

Flowers on the dwarf varieties may be less than two inches in diameter up to dinner plate size on large specimens.

As a matter of fact there is a whole series properly named "Dinner Plate" with flowers measuring up to more than ten inches.

Equally exciting is the broad range of colors both in solids and bicolors.

In warm tropical climates they perform as perennials whereas in my zone 6B they must be lifted and stored properly over the winter months.

We suggest that you plant them in a garden soil that provides good drainage and is high in organic matter.

The exposure that you provide for your plants should be that offering a sunny location and if possible protection from the wind would be advisable.

Wind tends to blow many of the varieties over therefore staking is always recommended for all but the dwarf forms.

Have fun with and enjoy this great family of flowering plants.