Dahlia Care

Dr. Gary Bachman: Small dahlias are a great choice for containers on the porch or patio today on Southern Gardening.

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

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

Regardless of the reason we need to grow more dahlias. 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 enjoy it 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 10 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 for Southern Gardening.

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