It begins – We have two dahlias blooming. From now till frost, the show will just get better and better. Mike has about 100 plants, divided into two gardens. He has told the plants to focus on growing big and strong by disbudding them till recently. Now its time to start reaping the benefits.
Soon, we’ll have so many flowers that I’ll be picking them almost daily. There will be so many flowers you won’t even notice I picked any. So many flowers that I could sell them at a Farmer’s Market, which is an idea I’ve entertained but not acted upon.
Mike gets to do all the work, growing them from tubers in the basement, hardening them off, and then planting them outside at the end of May. They are all staked and tagged. As they continue to grow, Mike ties the higher growth to the stake so the heavily laden flower branches don’t take a hit from wind and rain. It’s a labor of love.
He is experimenting this year with not using any fertilizer or mulch. I think he is really experimenting with how many weeds he can grow between the plants. He has put down some grass clippings, but I have to admit that a light layer of grass clippings does nothing to discourage weeds. Perhaps now that we’ve had some rain and will have grass to cut, he can add enough clippings to be of some value. Still, it won’t be my favorite look.
I can ignore the weeds and grass clippings. It’s kind of like his dresser top, which is a mess. (Don’t tell him I told you.) Not my problem so I just don’t see it. Hmmm, does that make the flowers his too? Nope. The principle I use for the flowers is ‘What’s mine is mine and what’s yours is mine too.’ He wouldn’t have it any other way.
Watch for our dahlia garden to be open for your viewing pleasure later this season. We haven’t set a date yet.
Dahlias have become a favorite of mine the last several years… love the burgundy!
Yes, they are addictive.