Dahlias

Oh, the dahlias… It is so worth planting dahlias in your garden because beginning at the end of August when things are getting a little tired, the dahlias bloom. They renew my energy to keep on tending my gardens - definitely needed after this crazy hot summer. They aren’t hard to grow, but they can be a little tricky to dig and overwinter. This year I decided to finally try a fertilizing approach I ran across on www.dahlia.org a couple of years ago. The article tested 4 different fertilizing approaches and I have outlined what they found was the best. It is simple. It has increased both the number and size of the blooms this year. I am amazed and delighted that I finally have a great way to fertilize the dahlias. It’s all about Urea which is nitrogen. I bought Espoma brand Urea, which is 45% nitrogen, at Agway.

1. When you plant your tubers, usually in late May, do not add any fertilizer. The tuber has enough nutrients to get the plant started. The addition of fertilizer at this point actually slows down the germination they found!

2.Dahlia tubers do not need a lot of water initially. They will rot in wet, soggy soil so be sure not to overwater them. Mulch around the tubers. I use chopped, weed-free straw about 3 inches thick.

3. When the tubers sprout, usually in 10 days, apply Urea in solution at a rate of 1/2 TBL per gallon per plant to the ground around the plant.

4. 4 days later, apply one heaping tablespoon of Urea to the ground or on top of the mulch, about an 8" - 10” radius, around each plant. Don’t work it into the soil. It dissolves very easily with watering/rain.

5. At three-week intervals repeat step 4 until approximately August 20.

I am not a dahlia wizard, but I have been successfully growing and overwintering dahlias for 5 years. I would be happy to try and answer any questions you may have. If you are interested in seeing what I do with the tubers after I dig them for winter storage let me know. I could do a demo at the Hubbell Garden. P.S. You dig them after a couple of good frosts and the stem are dying down.

- Brenda Schultz