Dahlia

Dahlia Description

The Dahlia is a very popular flowering plant with gardeners and florists alike. Many varieties of Dahlia can be grown from seed for flowering the same year as sowing.

The blooms come in a wide array of colours including, white, yellows, orange, pink, mauve, and various shades of red. Dahlias display well in a garden bed on their own or as part of a cottage garden mix including marigolds and tall poppies

These plants can be grown in beds, borders, tubs and window boxes.

Cultivation of Dahlia Plants

Dahlia seeds should be sown in late winter under glass for flowerings in late spring / early summer. Maintain the temperature at 16 degrees Celsius.

Plants should be hardened off from the middle of spring once the danger of any frost has passed

Bedding dahlias will thrive in a medium to heavy soil in a sunny site. If the soil in the flower bed is poor the enrich it by adding well-rotted manure a few weeks prior to planting out..

Deadheading will prolong the flowering season and regular watering is a necessity.

Popular Varieties of Dahlia

The following lists some popular varieties of Dahlia.

Dahlia Pests and Diseases

Dahlias can be susceptible to rust and / or mildew on leaves and stems. The blooms may also be affected by petal blight.