Plant of the month
Plant of the Month – Dahlia
Each month, OGV sub-committee member, Gayle Parkes presents the 'Plant of the month'. She also posts to OGV's Instagram - make sure you check back regularly for her latest post. This month Gayle brings us the Dahlia.
Dahlia is a genus of bushy, tuberous, herbaceous perennial plants native to Mexico and Central America. A member of the Compositae family of dicotyledonous plants, its garden relatives thus include the sunflower, daisy, chrysanthemum, and zinnia.
Gardeners have gone crazy for dahlias!!! Such brilliant summer favourites that bring beautiful bold perennial flowers into the garden, no wonder we are seeing them everywhere at the moment. I am noticing gorgeous images of these floral extraverts on many of the Instagram platforms I follow, in garden magazines, television programs and of course in gardens and garden centres all around town. Have they always been this popular? Maybe it’s the multitude of hybrids that are available now or that dahlias flower from Christmas to the end of May in Melbourne, giving us sensational blooms for our floral arrangements for six months of the year.
Dahlias are long flowering plants with lush deep green foliage. They are easy to care for and come in a dazzling array of colours from whites, buttery cream, yellow and salmon through to bright pink and rich red. Along with the extensive palette of lovely colours and varying sizes ranging from dwarf 40 cm to 1.5-2 m giants, they also come in a range of shapes from pompoms, anemones, cactus, single and collarette.
The easiest way to grow dahlias is from tubers, which are sold packaged (like bulbs) in late winter and spring. Dahlia tubers take around eight weeks from planting to flowering. Plant them in November. They grow in most soil types however to incorporate a good amount of animal manure into the garden bed during winter would be ideal. The best location in the home garden situation is an area that has lots of morning sun and afternoon shade. Ensure they are protected from strong winds. Water in well then keep moist during active growth. Remember the tall varieties have to be supported with either a stake or a trellis (like tomatoes). It’s best to position the stake first, eliminating the chance of damaging the tuber.
As dahlias finish flowering remove the top third of growth to send more energy back to the tuber. As it yellows and starts to die down, remove another third of the growth. When the bush completely dies off, cut back again leaving a small stub. The tubers gradually multiply beneath the soil. Dig up the plant when it’s dormant over winter when you can divide the tuberous roots and replant the divisions. They look magnificent planted en masse. Perhaps you could think about swapping tubers with your friends to build your collections.
Dahlias bring such joy to a garden with their flamboyant flowers persisting all through summer and autumn, not just for a couple of weeks, a brilliant perennial that just keeps on giving. March is all about perennials at OGV. We have our first general garden opening at The Nook in Montrose and Val assures me she’ll have plenty of dahlias in bloom. Our March competition is all about perennials.
Now, where can I squeeze in some dahlia tubers? I need a plan.
