Ruud Kleinpaste: Getting into Dahlias

Just have a look, will you! Just when you think the Dahlias are on their way out, you’re asked to come to the Botanic Gardens in Christchurch or a local beauty garden, somewhere nearby.  A series of colourful plants that shows you a range that’s totally unexpected – how do you get these at your place?  From left to right: Mick’s Peppermint, PomPom Rusty Orange, Le Baron, and KennemerLand Cactus. Currently it’s still “growing time”, or seriously, keeping the plants producing before the beginning of winter. Generally speaking, the Tubers won’t be available until mid-winter.  Some varieties are able to be planted slightly earlier, others a bit earlier – just ask the people who produce the next generation.  That means we have still plenty of time to go and visit the various Dalianthic “Hot Spot” and order the beauties you are looking forward to growing – Oderings, Dahlia Tubers, Stillwater Flowers, DahliasNZ.com, Mitre 10, Apollo Farm, etc.  Bluetiful Dahlia    Springtime is the planting time of the Tubers – no more frosts, etc.  Plant about half a meter apart in well-drained soils, containing good compost with great fertilisers in the soil, where the new plants will benefit from the next level of NPK. All the fertilisers will be used to create new parts of the plants. Support them if they grow upward in a hurry, as some often do…  Give them a good watering from time to time. They can be grown as Potted Dahlias, especially if the potting mix is of great quality.  Once you start with Dahlias, you’ll never forget this colourful movement ever again!  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.