You are here:
Annuals/Dahlia
Advertisement
Question
Hi...I just purchased some beautiful Dahlia's from a plant stand they looked great at first but now the flowers are dying. How do I prune the dead heads?
Dahlias are really very easy plants, especially if you treat them as annuals and don't dig them up to overwinter. Many people grow them this way.
As you know, the flowers don't last forever. You can simply pinch them off as they fade with your thumbnail at the end of the stem. As they reach one foot, cut the main stem tip once to trigger side stem growth -- unless you are growing show Dahlias, in which case you want the flowers to grow until they are gigantic and you can let them grow one to a stem.
The key to growing Dahlias is to (a) keep "deadheading" (picking off the dead flowers) and (b) don't let them dry out more than a day or so and (c) make sure they have FULL SUN all day long. You don't even need to fertilize these, although if you are growing them in rich, humusy topsoil, you will get best results.
Got that?
THE LONG ISLAND GARDENER
Related Articles
- How to Choose Valentine's Day Flowers for a Gardener
- Cutting Gardens - Annual and Perennial Flowers Suitable for Use as Cut Flowers
- Hibiscus Flowers - Growing Hibiscus Flowers in Containers
- Desert Garden Calendar - Monthly Desert Garden To Do List - February
- Desert Garden Calendar - Monthly Desert Garden To Do List - March
Answers by Expert:
Long Island Gardener
Expertise
Decisions, decisions... If you can't make up your mind which Annuals to grow, you're not alone. Problem with your new flowering Annuals flats? I`ve been there, done that. Petunias, Sweet Alyssum, Larkspur, Marine Blue Lobelia -- they all grow here at my house on Garden Street on Long Island, N.Y.. Cutting and Cottage Gardens, Sun and Shade Gardens, White Gardens and Night Gardens, I`ve done them all. Annuals are the perfect summer flower, bursting with color June through fall's first frost. I can`t speak on Cactus or tender Tropical Plants -- they don`t grow outside in my Zone 7. I`m no Farmer, so I cannot guide you on Fruits and Vegetables. But whether it`s an Annual you want to start from seed, mail-order or pick up at your local garden center, I can help you grow amazing blooms this Summer. Yes, together, we can turn your neighbors green with envy.
Experience
I have a lifetime of gardening behind me here on the North Shore of Long Island. While I have degrees in related fields, there's nothing like hands-on work to build real knowledge. I stay on top of current science -- there's a boom in research, and Kingdom Plantae is filled with surprises. By the way, I really do live on Garden Street.
Publications
Gannett newspapers, The New York Times, and hundreds of others - but not on Annuals.
Education/Credentials
B.A., botany; graduate credits in European Intellectual History and Political Science; minor coursework in related fields, docent training at our local botanical gardens (required for volunteers). I'm currently working on an advanced biochemistry degree.
Awards and Honors
I could tell you, but then you'd know who I am.
©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.