Maas Nursery

Dahlia

There's no doubt about it: Dahlias are gorgeous. Nothing beats them for color, and few flowers have many forms. Glowing like a thousand suns, they are spectacular in the garden and make wonderful cut flowers.Modern hybrid dahlias are descended from flowers that grew in the mountains of Mexico. They were taken to Europe and bred to create a new forms, but it wasn't until this century that dahlia breeders went wild and introduced a vast variety of cultivars; some 25,000 are on the market today.

Tender perennials that most gardeners grow as annuals, dahlias are usually planted as dormant tubers of named cultivars. Tubers should be set out after the soil has warmed, 3 feet apart, just at the soil surface or barely covered. Dahlias need lots of water (an average of an inch a week), deeply tilled rich earth (raised beds are a good idea), and at least half a day of direct sunshine.

Golden Ballade

Bishop of Llandaff

Insider's secrets

After a plant has two to four sets of leaves, carefully break off the very top so lateral growth will develop. This is called "topping," and it guarantees more and larger blossoms for bouquets. Remember that many dahlias need staking; some varieties grow so high (up to 10 feet) that the branches and flowers become too heavy for the stems to support alone. Use sturdy garden twine and tie just tightly enough to hold, but not enough to rupture the stem.