Steer clear of these no-nos so you’ve got the option to harvest armloads of gorgeous flowers.
They make stunningsummer flower arrangementsand have an impressive vase-life of seven days or more.
But sometimes, dahlia flowers don’t debut as expected, leaving you to wonder what went wrong.
Credit: Kindra Clineff
Not Enough Sunlight
Dahlias demandbright sunlight for at least 6 hours a dayto produce flowers.
The more sunlight the better in many regions, with 8 or more hours best in cool areas.
Not Watering Enough
Dahlias send up shoots and unfurl new foliage quite quickly.
Credit: Mike Jensen
All that growth requires a hefty amount of water.
Dry soil stymies vigorous growth and bloom production.
Aim tokeep soil around dahlia tubers consistently moistafter the first leaves emerge.
However, tubers are susceptible to rot in saturated soil, so be careful not to go overboard.
Using Too Much Nitrogen Fertilizer
Dahlias demand nutrient-rich soil to fuel their rapid growth and exuberant blooms.
Excessive amounts of nitrogen encourage plants to produce lots of leaves and few, if any, flowers.
Fertilize dahlias with a general garden or tomato fertilizer for best results, applying it according to package directions.
For example, an N-P-K ratio of 5-10-5 is a good combination for dahlias.
Planting Too Early
Dahlias are native to the tropical regions of Central America.
Plant dahliasaround the time you would plant tomatoes.
Not Deadheading
Dahlias, like all flowers, bloom to produce seeds for the next generation of plants.
Grab your clippers and get ready to harvest.
Easy-care dahlias are sure to put on a bold show when you avoid thesecommon growing mistakes.
Get the vases ready!
