By James Wall
You’ve got to love a good dahlia. I have fond memories of visiting the Dahlia Show at the Mount Waverly town hall every February and wondering how they get these “dinner plate” sized flowers. Those very good growers are thinking about their dahlias right now. It’s all about planning ahead, preparing the soil and becoming a brother or sister to these stately plants.
How is it that something as ugly as a tuber can grow into a vivid lime green foliaged plant of over a metre in height that can have an abundance of 10 to 20cm sized magnifcant double flowered blooms I guess it is the wonders of nature at work.
Rankins, who are a nursery famous for their roses, including the very fine performing French Delbard Roses have now released over 10 varieties of Delbard dahlia tubers. These French beauties are unique and dazzling with flamboyant explosions of colour and shapes. Repeat flowering, Delbard Dahlias are tough, dry-tolerant and love our hot Australian Summers.
Plant tubers between August and December in a sunny position. Incorporate a liberal amount of organic material including blood and bone and chicken manure. The best place is protected from the wind.
Plant the ugly tuber 10-15cm deep with the crown up. If planting in rows, space plants about 60cm apart. Mulch well after planting..
Like many flowering plants, pick the first few flowers for the vase and this will encourage a bushier plant and promote more flowering. Expect flowering all summerand well into Autumn. Staking may help support the plant, especially during windy days.
Feed throughout the summer. In late autumn the plant will begin to yellow. Cut down the stems to 10cm from the ground. Tubers can be dug up and divided every 2 to 3 years and stored in a cool dry place for storage until the next planting season.
Around and around so nature goes, and this time, she turns an ugly duckling into a ravishing beauty.