Life of the Dahlia: Chapter 3-March

Spring Ahead everyone! We are only weeks away from the Spring Solstice and hopefully seasonal temperatures will return. My pot tubers are starting to produce new shoots and I will be taking cuttings soon. I also have pepper seeds starting to sprout and will soon start tomato seeds in a few weeks! My little 8 X 10 greenhouse will soon be crowed with all sorts of plants.

March is garden preparation time. Dahlias require 6 to 7 hours of direct sunlight for optimal results but will do fairly well with a minimum 3 to 4 hours. However, blooms and plant health may be affected with lower amounts of light. Plant in an area where plants will have good circulation of air for healthy growth and to prevent mildew. Avoid plants near trees and shrubs that could rob your dahlias of necessary moisture and nutrients. I have one spot in my garden that a tree loves sending roots to my well-watered and fertilized dahlias.

How did your dahlias grow last season? Were the plants healthy with lots of beautiful blooms, or stunted, with unhealthy leaves and few blooms. It’s all about the soil! In the Pacific Northwest the soil tends to become more acidic after a winter of lots of rain. Dahlias grow best when the soil pH has a neutral reading of 7.0. Soil pH between 6.5 and 7.0 ensures that your dahlias will efficiently absorb the nutrients needed for healthy plants and beautiful blooms.

If your garden was disappointing, you may consider getting your soil tested. You can purchase inexpensive soil test kits from Lowes, Home Depot, Amazon or local garden centers. If you live in Western Washington, for more extensive testing you can try Twiss Analytical Laboratories in Poulsbo (360) 779-5141, website https://www.spectra-lab.com/ . The cost of the test is $48. You get test results, but Twiss makes no soil recommendations. Another test site is Northwest Agricultural Consultants www.nwag.com/lab-services. Soil tests start at $ 35. You can also try this link that has a wealth of information and recommendations. https://puyallup.wsu.edu/soils/soils/ . Contact your Master Gardeners for soil testing centers in your locale.

Good draining soil is essential for growing dahlias. I am blessed with good draining sandy loam soil that I amend with organic material each year. The tuber does not like to sit in wet throughout the growing season. Clay-type soils tend to retain moisture longer but can be improved by adding organic materials to break up the clay. Some growers will construct raised beds to avoid this problem and bring in some good garden soil to raise prize winning dahlias!

For those of you who have planted a cover crop last fall, now is the time to chop down and spade or rototill it. Add fertilizer at this time to help feed the soil organisms that break down the nutrient rich organic material. If you did not grow a cover crop now is the time to add organic material such as leaf mold, compost, or manure. Check the soils pH and add lime if needed. You want to make sure that if you add lime now that is a quick release lime to get full benefit of improving the acidy. All materials should be incorporated at least one month before planting to give time to decompose.

Many of the dahlia clubs will be hosting their annual tubers sales either live or online this year. If you haven’t had a chance to complete your wish list, you will have a chance to get some of the most popular and newest varieties of dahlias at attractive prices. The Kitsap County Dahlia Society Annual tuber sale will again be online for members starting at midnight April 21 and online for the public at midnight April 24. All ordering will stop at 6 pm April 27. Check out our newsletter or go to www.kitsapdahlias.org for more information. You can also check out the Federation of Northwest Dahlia Growers web page, www.nwdahlia.org/club/ and click on the club links for information on dates of their dahlia tuber sales.

Excitement is growing for the Life of the Dahlia!!

Here are some of the opened centered dahlias offered by Sungate's Dahlias. Sungate's Star O-W; Sungate's Clementine MS DR winner of the Evie Gullicksen Medal 2021; Sungate's Beverly MS PK; and Sungate's Raleigh MS R.