Mr. Garner’s Dahlia field in Michigan
Ooh la la dahlias! It’s impossible to think of dahlias as anything but feminine. They are the “Can Can” girls of the flower world, with their curly petal petticoats and seductive bright colors. I’ve been having a love affair from afar with these girls until recently, when I took the plunge. A dahlia now graces my front porch. It looks like the purple and white beauty in the very left hand corner of the photo above.
Dahlias are tuberous rooted perennials. They grow best in the sun, but appreciate afternoon shade in the hottest areas. Alas, dahlias need regular water, and are much beloved by snails and slugs.
If you are fortunate to have enough flowers to make a bouquet, the best results will be produced by doing the following: Cut your flowers in the early morning or evening. Place the stems in warm water (100 degrees) for 1/2 hour, and then use a vase filled with cool water. Display in a cool location to extend vase life for about a week. Change the vase water daily.
If you would like to see more on Mr. Garner’s dahlias, go to the archives @ the right under Garden Travel/page 4.
I can’t look at a big purple dahlia without feeling the warm San Joaquin Valley summers and my grandmother’s shady back garden where her dalias grew above my head. Maybe it’s time I tried growing some. Will they do well in Fillmore? What time of the year is best to plant them?
According to Sunset, they grow all over the state. Plant after the danger of frost. They should probably get some afternoon shade in Fillmore; if I’m not mistaken it get’s pretty hot there. You might find some at Baron Bros. or Elegant Gardens, both of which are not too far from Fillmore; I would call first!
Thanks for the info/suggestions. Yes, it can get hot in the late summer. Afternoon shade is prime real estate here in August!