Dahlias
The Dahlia truly deserves every bit of love she receives. Every gardener should be placing her om a pedestal: Dahlias carry flowers for a long time, and in a large number. Even when autumn is approaching, you don’t need to worry: the Dahlia will be there to give your garden those last few rays of sunshine.
Planting dahlias:
Dahlias are summer bloomers and should be planted in spring, after the last night frost, when the soil temperature is at least 15°C. Plant the tubers about 40 cm apart for tall varieties and 30 cm for shorter varieties. For pots, choose very large pots, because dahlias need a lot of water in the warm summer months. Plant them just under the soil, about 2 cm deep.
Dahlia care
When your Dahlia is a few weeks old and has formed 3 or 4 pairs of leaves, you can choose to pinch out the top growth point. This may sound strange, disturbing a plant in its growth, but it ensures that the Dahlia becomes more compact and fuller in shape. Because the growth point has been pinched out, 2 new stems emerge from the leaf axils of the two leaves below. So you get a fuller Dahlia in return. If you do this, you will delay the first flowering of the Dahlia by about a week.