Compact Dahliettas

Host: Gary Bachman, Ornamental Horticulture Specialist

Transcription:

Small Dahlias are great choice for containers on the porch or patio today on Southern Gardening.

Southern Gardening with Gary Bachman is produced by the Mississippi State University Extension Service.

Finally, we have turned the corner and are enjoying the warming temperatures of spring. In my travels of visiting garden centers and greenhouses, I’ve been reminded of plants that we don’t grow enough. Whether it’s because gardeners think that these beautiful plants need an extraordinary amount of care, or they’re just not on the gardening horizon. Regardless of the reason, we need to grow more Dahlia.

Dahlia grows from a bulb-like structure that resembles a sweet potato tuber. These are easy-to-grow plants, and if you can grow tomatoes, you can grow Dahlias. Almost every garden center will have a good selection of blooming plants. Talk about instant impact. Some Dahlia varieties can be over four feet tall, but I like the smaller selections that can be grown in containers and enjoyed on the porch or patio.

I really like the Dahlietta Dahlia series with their small compact growth habits which have many unique colors and flower forms and only grow eight to ten inches tall. Dahlias don’t require any care beyond what many other landscape flowers need. In Mississippi, I always suggest planting in a site having good drainage. This is where growing in containers is a great idea.

Dahlias do need to be deadheaded to promote continued flowering through the season. This will also help maintain bushy and compact plant growth.

I’m horticulturist Gary Bachman with Southern Gardening.

Southern Gardening with Gary Bachman is produced by the Mississippi State University Extension Service.