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Who says you can't mix function and beauty? My @vi Who says you can't mix function and beauty? My @victorinoxnorthamerica Swiss Army Huntsman knife has become my go-to tool for crafting stunning floral arrangements with ease and precision. It's versatile, reliable and always at hand, making it the ultimate gardening and floral companion.

I can’t even count the number of times I use it during my flower truck events — cutting stems, cutting paper, cutting ribbon, screwing loose screws on the 1961 vintage VW frame! The convenience and versatility of this compact knife truly amazes me each time I use it!

With my Swiss Army knife in hand, I'm ready to take on any floral challenge that comes my way. 🌻💐🌷 #myVictorinox #partner 

#SwissArmyKnife #flowertruck #FlowerArrangements #GardeningLife #BloomAndGrow #ToolOfTheTrade #ConvenientTools #FlowerPower #FlowerArrangementsMadeEasy #EfficiencyAtItsFinest
They’re alive 🤩🌷 Should I do more flower t They’re alive 🤩🌷 Should I do more flower timelapses!? Which flowers would you want to see next!?

#timelapse #timelapsephotography #timelapsevideo #timelapseflower #flowertime #tulips #tulipsofinstagram #growflowers #cutflowergarden #gardeninglife #tulipseason #flowersofinstagram #flowertime #floraleducation #flowers #flowerphotography #localflowers #slowflowers #happyflowers #peacefulgarden #flowergarden #gardeningmakesmehappy #aflowerfilledlife #flowerfarm #flowerfarmer #farmerflorist #flowerfarmerflorist #slowfloralstyle #ayearinflowers
Never running out of uses for my @victorinoxnortha Never running out of uses for my @victorinoxnorthamerica Huntsman Swiss Army Knife 🌼🌸🌺 As a lover of all things floral, this Swiss Army Knife is my go-to tool for gardening and creating beautiful arrangements 🌿 Whether I’m tending to my flower farm, fixing up my flower truck or crafting a centerpiece for an event, it always does the job 👌🏼 Not to mention, as a busy mom, its versatility comes in clutch on a daily basis! No matter what I’m doing she’s always within reach 💐 #myVictorinox #partner #SwissArmyKnife #FlowerArranging #GardeningLife #MomLife
‘Lotus Love’ tulips coming back to life 🌷 W ‘Lotus Love’ tulips coming back to life 🌷 We’ve been pulling tulips by the truckload daily at the farm, it’s the midst of tulip mania and very hard for me to slow down but this time lapse was calling my name today!

#timelapse #timelapsephotography #timelapsevideo #timelapseflower #flowertime #tulips #tulipsofinstagram #growflowers #cutflowergarden #gardeninglife #tulipseason #flowersofinstagram #flowertime #floraleducation #flowers #flowerphotography #localflowers #slowflowers #happyflowers #peacefulgarden #flowergarden #gardeningmakesmehappy #aflowerfilledlife #flowerfarm #flowerfarmer #farmerflorist #flowerfarmerflorist #slowfloralstyle #ayearinflowers
My two best garden buddies 🥰🌿 who am I kiddi My two best garden buddies 🥰🌿 who am I kidding they trample my plants, eat the dirt and have watering hose battles 🤣 I wouldn’t have it any other way tho!! Happy Earth Day flower friends, babies & dirt forever ✌️🌎🌷#earthdayeveryday #flowerfriends #gardenkids
Who knew my trusty @victorinoxnorthamerica Swiss A Who knew my trusty @victorinoxnorthamerica Swiss Army Huntsman knife could be my secret weapon in the garden!? From starting seeds, to dividing dahlia tubers, to planting, to flower harvesting and arranging, this baby can do it all — she’s the ultimate every day gardening tool 💐🌻🌿

Between the knife, saw, corkscrew and screwdriver I’ve been using her multiple times a day both at home and in the garden; not to mention she’s equipped with 15 total tools, including a scissor and tweezer, AND she’s compact enough to fit right in my pocket or purse, she comes everywhere with me! #myVictorinox #sponsored
It’s almost dahlia planting season!! Here’s ho It’s almost dahlia planting season!! Here’s how I take cuttings from my most special tubers to increase stock early in the season! Taking cuttings = free plants 🙌

1. About 4-6 weeks before your last frost start “waking up” the tubers you want to take cuttings from by bringing them into a warmer space than what they were being store at. I bring mine in from about 45-50° to 70-75° in order to wake them.

2. Pot up those special tubers vertically leaving the neck and crown part above the soil level. The crown is where the eyes/future stems grow from!

3. Put them under grow lights and keep the room temperature around 70-75°, I don’t water tubers until I see green growth.

4. Wait (and check on them 78726894 times a day if you’re like me) while the eyes turn into stems with leaves and get super excited because it’s time to cut!

5. This should take about 3-4ish weeks under the grow lights, when the stems have 2-3 sets of leaves take a sharp, sterilized knife and cut the stem from the tuber as close as possible to the crown from which its growing from.

6. Remove the bottom set of leaves gently from the stem so you have about two inches bare.

7. Dip in some rooting hormone and pop the stem into a new 4” pot filled with nutrient-rich potting soil. You want to make sure it’s down under the soil surface about 1”. Pat down gently around the base to make sure the cutting is in there securely.

8. Water them in well and put the pots back under the grow lights in a warm area. Check on them daily, once they root they’ll need lots of water!

9. Plant tubers and cuttings outside once all danger of frost has passed. I take about 3-4 cutting per tuber per season and still plant them outside afterwards and STILL get beautiful, lush dahlia plants!

Save and share this video if it was helpful and please tag me in your dahlia journeys this year! 🌿
He would have been 3 today 💛 Shared a few inti He would have been 3 today 💛

Shared a few intimate and pure moments in stories to show what it looks like to parent after loss, he’s not here physically but still very much a part of our family. I will say, the capacity for love and compassion our living kids have (at just 2 and 5 years old) really blows me away 🥹 Parenting after loss is a whole whirlwind of confusing, conflicting emotions. Am I doing enough to honor my baby? Am I doing too much? Am I grieving too much and therefore not paying enough attention to my living kids? Is the random mom rage grief or overstimulation or something else?? I’m so proud of the compassion, love and empathy my kids show and I’m sad they know it at such young ages. It’s confusing. It’s unfair. It’s hard. There are no rules, and there’s definitely no baby loss handbook. The days and anniversaries associated with baby loss can be overwhelming and confusing too. Sometimes I feel like keeping it simple and keeping it completely private, other times I feel like publicly honoring our baby. If there’s one thing I’ve learned on this journey it’s that there truly are no rules in grief. You just do what feels right in that given moment. We miss you always baby Liam 💗
“The glory of gardening: hands in the dirt, head “The glory of gardening: hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature. To nurture a garden is to feed not just the body, but the soul.” 💫
-Alfred Austin

That about sums it up! Why I garden, in a nutshell. Gardening has been a passion of mine for many years and became something that I dove even deeper into after experiencing the  devastating loss of our baby and the grief journey that has followed. I feel calm and at home and wild and free in the garden, yet planned and poised and in control. In short, gardening changed my life, and saved my life – it has given me profound peace and purpose and there’s nowhere I’d rather  be than with my hands in the dirt, head in the sun and heart in nature 🌿
Who says you can't mix function and beauty? My @vi Who says you can't mix function and beauty? My @victorinoxnorthamerica Swiss Army Huntsman knife has become my go-to tool for crafting stunning floral arrangements with ease and precision. It's versatile, reliable and always at hand, making it the ultimate gardening and floral companion.

I can’t even count the number of times I use it during my flower truck events — cutting stems, cutting paper, cutting ribbon, screwing loose screws on the 1961 vintage VW frame! The convenience and versatility of this compact knife truly amazes me each time I use it!

With my Swiss Army knife in hand, I'm ready to take on any floral challenge that comes my way. 🌻💐🌷 #myVictorinox #partner 

#SwissArmyKnife #flowertruck #FlowerArrangements #GardeningLife #BloomAndGrow #ToolOfTheTrade #ConvenientTools #FlowerPower #FlowerArrangementsMadeEasy #EfficiencyAtItsFinest
They’re alive 🤩🌷 Should I do more flower t They’re alive 🤩🌷 Should I do more flower timelapses!? Which flowers would you want to see next!?

#timelapse #timelapsephotography #timelapsevideo #timelapseflower #flowertime #tulips #tulipsofinstagram #growflowers #cutflowergarden #gardeninglife #tulipseason #flowersofinstagram #flowertime #floraleducation #flowers #flowerphotography #localflowers #slowflowers #happyflowers #peacefulgarden #flowergarden #gardeningmakesmehappy #aflowerfilledlife #flowerfarm #flowerfarmer #farmerflorist #flowerfarmerflorist #slowfloralstyle #ayearinflowers
Never running out of uses for my @victorinoxnortha Never running out of uses for my @victorinoxnorthamerica Huntsman Swiss Army Knife 🌼🌸🌺 As a lover of all things floral, this Swiss Army Knife is my go-to tool for gardening and creating beautiful arrangements 🌿 Whether I’m tending to my flower farm, fixing up my flower truck or crafting a centerpiece for an event, it always does the job 👌🏼 Not to mention, as a busy mom, its versatility comes in clutch on a daily basis! No matter what I’m doing she’s always within reach 💐 #myVictorinox #partner #SwissArmyKnife #FlowerArranging #GardeningLife #MomLife
‘Lotus Love’ tulips coming back to life 🌷 W ‘Lotus Love’ tulips coming back to life 🌷 We’ve been pulling tulips by the truckload daily at the farm, it’s the midst of tulip mania and very hard for me to slow down but this time lapse was calling my name today!

#timelapse #timelapsephotography #timelapsevideo #timelapseflower #flowertime #tulips #tulipsofinstagram #growflowers #cutflowergarden #gardeninglife #tulipseason #flowersofinstagram #flowertime #floraleducation #flowers #flowerphotography #localflowers #slowflowers #happyflowers #peacefulgarden #flowergarden #gardeningmakesmehappy #aflowerfilledlife #flowerfarm #flowerfarmer #farmerflorist #flowerfarmerflorist #slowfloralstyle #ayearinflowers
My two best garden buddies 🥰🌿 who am I kiddi My two best garden buddies 🥰🌿 who am I kidding they trample my plants, eat the dirt and have watering hose battles 🤣 I wouldn’t have it any other way tho!! Happy Earth Day flower friends, babies & dirt forever ✌️🌎🌷#earthdayeveryday #flowerfriends #gardenkids
Who knew my trusty @victorinoxnorthamerica Swiss A Who knew my trusty @victorinoxnorthamerica Swiss Army Huntsman knife could be my secret weapon in the garden!? From starting seeds, to dividing dahlia tubers, to planting, to flower harvesting and arranging, this baby can do it all — she’s the ultimate every day gardening tool 💐🌻🌿

Between the knife, saw, corkscrew and screwdriver I’ve been using her multiple times a day both at home and in the garden; not to mention she’s equipped with 15 total tools, including a scissor and tweezer, AND she’s compact enough to fit right in my pocket or purse, she comes everywhere with me! #myVictorinox #sponsored
It’s almost dahlia planting season!! Here’s ho It’s almost dahlia planting season!! Here’s how I take cuttings from my most special tubers to increase stock early in the season! Taking cuttings = free plants 🙌

1. About 4-6 weeks before your last frost start “waking up” the tubers you want to take cuttings from by bringing them into a warmer space than what they were being store at. I bring mine in from about 45-50° to 70-75° in order to wake them.

2. Pot up those special tubers vertically leaving the neck and crown part above the soil level. The crown is where the eyes/future stems grow from!

3. Put them under grow lights and keep the room temperature around 70-75°, I don’t water tubers until I see green growth.

4. Wait (and check on them 78726894 times a day if you’re like me) while the eyes turn into stems with leaves and get super excited because it’s time to cut!

5. This should take about 3-4ish weeks under the grow lights, when the stems have 2-3 sets of leaves take a sharp, sterilized knife and cut the stem from the tuber as close as possible to the crown from which its growing from.

6. Remove the bottom set of leaves gently from the stem so you have about two inches bare.

7. Dip in some rooting hormone and pop the stem into a new 4” pot filled with nutrient-rich potting soil. You want to make sure it’s down under the soil surface about 1”. Pat down gently around the base to make sure the cutting is in there securely.

8. Water them in well and put the pots back under the grow lights in a warm area. Check on them daily, once they root they’ll need lots of water!

9. Plant tubers and cuttings outside once all danger of frost has passed. I take about 3-4 cutting per tuber per season and still plant them outside afterwards and STILL get beautiful, lush dahlia plants!

Save and share this video if it was helpful and please tag me in your dahlia journeys this year! 🌿
He would have been 3 today 💛 Shared a few inti He would have been 3 today 💛

Shared a few intimate and pure moments in stories to show what it looks like to parent after loss, he’s not here physically but still very much a part of our family. I will say, the capacity for love and compassion our living kids have (at just 2 and 5 years old) really blows me away 🥹 Parenting after loss is a whole whirlwind of confusing, conflicting emotions. Am I doing enough to honor my baby? Am I doing too much? Am I grieving too much and therefore not paying enough attention to my living kids? Is the random mom rage grief or overstimulation or something else?? I’m so proud of the compassion, love and empathy my kids show and I’m sad they know it at such young ages. It’s confusing. It’s unfair. It’s hard. There are no rules, and there’s definitely no baby loss handbook. The days and anniversaries associated with baby loss can be overwhelming and confusing too. Sometimes I feel like keeping it simple and keeping it completely private, other times I feel like publicly honoring our baby. If there’s one thing I’ve learned on this journey it’s that there truly are no rules in grief. You just do what feels right in that given moment. We miss you always baby Liam 💗
“The glory of gardening: hands in the dirt, head “The glory of gardening: hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature. To nurture a garden is to feed not just the body, but the soul.” 💫
-Alfred Austin

That about sums it up! Why I garden, in a nutshell. Gardening has been a passion of mine for many years and became something that I dove even deeper into after experiencing the  devastating loss of our baby and the grief journey that has followed. I feel calm and at home and wild and free in the garden, yet planned and poised and in control. In short, gardening changed my life, and saved my life – it has given me profound peace and purpose and there’s nowhere I’d rather  be than with my hands in the dirt, head in the sun and heart in nature 🌿
To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow 💐🌿🌷 One of my all time favorite gardening quotes, to plant a garden truly is to have hope for the future. Even looking forward to the tiniest things like watching a seed sprout or waiting for a bud to bloom. It’s the little things, and gardening does that for me, especially when hope and talking about the future can feel hard. 

So this your sign to grow all the things this year! I have many blog posts on my site that can help and if you’re local to NY I’m teaching a gardening course later this month, more info on my farm page @wildirisflowertruck 🌿
Spring is here, flowers are coming. I’m so ready Spring is here, flowers are coming. I’m so ready. Are you? 😍🌿💐🌱🌷🪴🌻 Follow more of my flower farming and florist journey over at @wildirisflowertruck 💫
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Christine Covino

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14 Gorgeous, Must-Grow Dahlia Varieties

September 24, 2022 / Gardening

If you’re looking for the most gorgeous dahlia varieties to plan in your garden, this list includes the best dahlias to plant in your garden.

Why Plant Dahlias in Your Garden

The rewards of planting dahlias are many and that’s probably why I adore them so much! This list includes my favorite gorgeous dahlia varieties.

Once established, dahlias are hugely prolific for several months. It’s always a yard-full of color around here and I have arrangements all over the house. They just keep producing flowers and take almost no effort. In fact, they are pretty easy flowers to maintain.

Peaches N' Cream Dahlia

Here are my insider tips for growing dahlias:

  1. Choose the Right Dahlia
  2. Plant Dahlia Tubers 6″ Below the Soil Surface
  3. Do Not Water Newly Planted Dahlia Tubers
  4. Pinch Dahlias at About 12″ Tall
  5. Harvest Dahlias Regularly for More Blooms

For a deeper dive on these tips for growing gorgeous dahlia varieties, check out my full grow guide in this post.

Let’s get into the gorgeous dahlia varieties I have to share with you today!

Favorite Gorgeous Dahlia Varieties

I have two lists of swoon-worthy dahlia varieties to share with you today: neutral colored dahlias and vibrant dahlias. First up are the best neutral dahlias!

Here’s the list for my favorite neutral-color dahlia varieties:

  • Cafe Au Lait
  • Linda’s Baby
  • Crichton Honey
  • Peaches N Cream
  • Sweet Nathalie
  • Platinum Blonde 
  • Apple Blossom
  • Rock Run Ashley

Dahlia Bucket

Café Au Lait

This milky-pink blushing beauty displays huge 9“ feathery flower heads with flat-tipped petals. Dramatic is an understated description for the size of these blooms appropriately called “dinnerplate.” A favorite gorgeous dahlia variety for wedding arrangements and elegant centerpieces.

  • Type: Dinnerplate
  • Height: 5‘ high and will need to be staked
  • Bloom size: 9”
  • Days to maturity: 80-100
  • Planting: Plant in spring after threat of frost has passed. Dig a hole about 6” deep and plant with tuber’s eyes facing up. Cover with 6“ of compost. I also add worm castings and mycorrhizae at time of planting to promote healthy root systems.
  • Spacing: 18“ apart
  • Fertilizing: No need to fertilize until sprouts start to show. Then add a 5-10-10 or a 10-20-20 fertilizer. Follow application instructions on individual fertilizer label. Additionally, we spray a foliar application of fish emulsion weekly.

Cafe au Lait Dahlia flower

Linda’s Baby

A plump flower with an antique flair boasting tight petals in flamingo pink with inner tinges of pastel yellow. Linda’s Baby is an early and hearty bloomer with strong stems and makes a long-lasting cut flower.

  • Type: Ball
  • Height: 3.5‘ high
  • Bloom size: 4.5“
  • Days to maturity: 80-100
  • Planting: Plant in spring after threat of frost has passed. Dig a hole about 6” deep and plant with tuber’s eyes facing up. Cover with 6“ of compost. I also add worm castings and mycorrhizae at time of planting to promote healthy root systems.
  • Spacing: 12-18“ apart
  • Fertilizing: No need to fertilize until sprouts start to show. Then add a 5-10-10 or a 10-20-20 fertilizer. Follow application instructions on individual fertilizer label. Additionally, we spray a foliar application of fish emulsion weekly.

Crichton Honey

A shorter stemmed flower but a showstopper nevertheless with its warm apricot outer petals and deeper peach center accents. Another great long-lasting cut flower with sturdy stems.

  • Type: Ball
  • Height: 2-3‘ high
  • Bloom size: 5“
  • Days to maturity: 80-100
  • Spacing: 12-18“ apart
  • Planting: Plant in spring after threat of frost has passed. Dig a hole about 6” deep and plant with tuber’s eyes facing up. Cover with 6“ of compost. I also add worm castings and mycorrhizae at time of planting to promote healthy root systems.
  • Spacing: 12-18“ apart
  • Fertilizing: No need to fertilize until sprouts start to show. Then add a 5-10-10 or a 10-20-20 fertilizer. Follow application instructions on individual fertilizer label. Additionally, we spray a foliar application of fish emulsion weekly.

Peaches N’ Cream

What makes this one of the most cherished of all dahlias? No two blooms are alike with colors of cherry blossom married to blushing peach and petals that curve back revealing pale pink tips. A dependable bloomer and high in demand as a cut flower.

  • Type: Decorative
  • Height: 4.5-5‘ high
  • Bloom size: 4“
  • Days to maturity: 80-100
  • Planting: Plant in spring after threat of frost has passed. Dig a hole about 6” deep and plant with tuber’s eyes facing up. Cover with 6“ of compost. I also add worm castings and mycorrhizae at time of planting to promote healthy root systems.
  • Spacing: 12-18“ apart
  • Fertilizing: No need to fertilize until sprouts start to show. Then add a 5-10-10 or a 10-20-20 fertilizer. Follow application instructions on individual fertilizer label. Additionally, we spray a foliar application of fish emulsion weekly.

Peaches N' Cream Dahlia

Sweet Nathalie

A special occasion favorite, this gorgeous dahlia is pastel pink cream blushed with a buttercream center and is a mid-summer bloomer. Dreamy. It pairs beautifully with Café Au Lait for elegant wedding arrangements.

  • Type: Decorative
  • Height: 3.5‘ high
  • Bloom size: 5“
  • Days to maturity: 80-100
  • Planting: Plant in spring after threat of frost has passed. Dig a hole about 6” deep and plant with tuber’s eyes facing up. Cover with 6“ of compost. I also add worm castings and mycorrhizae at time of planting to promote healthy root systems.
  • Spacing: 12-18“ apart
  • Fertilizing: No need to fertilize until sprouts start to show. Then add a 5-10-10 or a 10-20-20 fertilizer. Follow application instructions on individual fertilizer label. Additionally, we spray a foliar application of fish emulsion weekly.

Sweet Nathalie Dahlia flower

Platinum Blonde

Single white petals hug dense clusters of delicate buttercup yellow cylindrical blooms resembling a pom- pom. Truly enchanting! A long bloomer from summer to fall.

  • Type: Anemone
  • Height: 4-5‘ high
  • Bloom size: 4“
  • Days to maturity: 80-100
  • Planting: Plant in spring after threat of frost has passed. Dig a hole about 6” deep and plant with tuber’s eyes facing up. Cover with 6“ of compost. I also add worm castings and mycorrhizae at time of planting to promote healthy root systems.
  • Spacing: 12-18“ apart
  • Fertilizing: No need to fertilize until sprouts start to show. Then add a 5-10-10 or a 10-20-20 fertilizer. Follow application instructions on individual fertilizer label. Additionally, we spray a foliar application of fish emulsion weekly.

Apple Blossom

These light and airy almost airbrushed petals turn from a buttercream yellow to a pastel pink with a sunflower yellow interior anemone. It’s a dazzler! Because these flowers have a shorter vase life, they are best as an event flower.

  • Type: Anemone
  • Height: 4-5‘ high
  • Bloom size: 4“
  • Days to maturity: 80-100
  • Planting: Plant in spring after threat of frost has passed. Dig a hole about 6” deep and plant with tuber’s eyes facing up. Cover with 6“ of compost. I also add worm castings and mycorrhizae at time of planting to promote healthy root systems.
  • Spacing: 12-18“ apart
  • Fertilizing: No need to fertilize until sprouts start to show. Then add a 5-10-10 or a 10-20-20 fertilizer. Follow application instructions on individual fertilizer label. Additionally, we spray a foliar application of fish emulsion weekly.

Dahlia Sweet Natalie dahlia flower

 

Rock Run Ashley

One of the most beautiful and versatile varieties we grow, ‘Rock Run Ashley’ produces a steady stream of small buff to blush blooms all season long. This extraordinary discovery has quickly taken a spot on our top 15 list. Its strong stems and delicate looking flowers make it a must have for any flower arranger or wedding florist. Plants are on the shorter side, but if pinched early they will produce long stems abundantly.

  • Type: Formal Decorative
  • Height: 3‘ high
  • Bloom size: 4“
  • Days to maturity: 80-100
  • Spacing: 12-18“ apart
  • Planting: Plant in spring after threat of frost has passed. Dig a hole about 6” deep and plant with tuber’s eyes facing up. Cover with 6“ of compost. I also add worm castings and mycorrhizae at time of planting to promote healthy root systems.
  • Spacing: 12-18“ apart
  • Fertilizing: No need to fertilize until sprouts start to show. Then add a 5-10-10 or a 10-20-20 fertilizer. Follow application instructions on individual fertilizer label. Additionally, we spray a foliar application of fish emulsion weekly.

Rock Run Ashley Dahlia

My favorite vibrant-color dahlias are:

  • Labyrinth
  • Salmon Runner
  • Golden Scepter
  • Jowey Winnie
  • Totally Tangerine
  • Cornell Bronze
  • Happy Butterfly

Labyrinth

I love how these flowers display long pink fairy wings that boast streaks of pale rose and light apricot petals with deeper pink hue interiors. Pure bliss. Prolific blooms produce amazing cut flowers.

  • Type: Dinnerplate
  • Height: 5-6‘ high
  • Bloom size: 7“
  • Days to maturity: 80-100
  • Planting: Plant in spring after threat of frost has passed. Dig a hole about 6” deep and plant with tuber’s eyes facing up. Cover with 6“ of compost. I also add worm castings and mycorrhizae at time of planting to promote healthy root systems.
  • Spacing: 12-18“ apart
  • Fertilizing: No need to fertilize until sprouts start to show. Then add a 5-10-10 or a 10-20-20 fertilizer. Follow application instructions on individual fertilizer label. Additionally, we spray a foliar application of fish emulsion weekly.

Labyrinth Dahlia

Salmon Runner

A circular coral pink flower with perfectly shaped petals that reveal tones of dark magenta toward the center. With its notably sturdy and extra long dark green stems, Salmon Runner throws a profusion of blooms throughout the cutting season and is perfect for bouquets.

  • Type: Formal Decorative
  • Height: 4-5‘ high
  • Bloom size: 4“
  • Days to maturity: 80-100
  • Planting: Plant in spring after threat of frost has passed. Dig a hole about 6” deep and plant with tuber’s eyes facing up. Cover with 6“ of compost. I also add worm castings and mycorrhizae at time of planting to promote healthy root systems.
  • Spacing: 12-18“ apart
  • Fertilizing: No need to fertilize until sprouts start to show. Then add a 5-10-10 or a 10-20-20 fertilizer. Follow application instructions on individual fertilizer label. Additionally, we spray a foliar application of fish emulsion weekly.

beautiful hot pink dahlias

Golden Scepter

This dahlia’s warm, buttery golden hued petals are small and perfect for tucking into a bouquet. A favorite because of its lengthy growing season, into late fall.

  • Type: Decorative
  • Height: 2-3‘ high
  • Bloom size: 2.5“
  • Days to maturity: 80-100
  • Planting: Plant in spring after threat of frost has passed. Dig a hole about 6” deep and plant with tuber’s eyes facing up. Cover with 6“ of compost. I also add worm castings and mycorrhizae at time of planting to promote healthy root systems.
  • Spacing: 12-18“ apart
  • Fertilizing: No need to fertilize until sprouts start to show. Then add a 5-10-10 or a 10-20-20 fertilizer. Follow application instructions on individual fertilizer label. Additionally, we spray a foliar application of fish emulsion weekly.

Cornell Bronze

Upon first glance, these dahlias look too perfect to be real! Their symmetrical tubular petals in shades of bronzed coral contrast brilliantly with their dark green foliage. A sturdy bloomer and reliable producer into the late fall make it a great cut flower and landscape or border flower.

  • Type: Ball
  • Height: 4‘ high
  • Bloom size: 4“
  • Days to maturity: 80-100
  • Planting: Plant in spring after threat of frost has passed. Dig a hole about 6” deep and plant with tuber’s eyes facing up. Cover with 6“ of compost. I also add worm castings and mycorrhizae at time of planting to promote healthy root systems.
  • Spacing: 12-18“ apart
  • Fertilizing: No need to fertilize until sprouts start to show. Then add a 5-10-10 or a 10-20-20 fertilizer. Follow application instructions on individual fertilizer label. Additionally, we spray a foliar application of fish emulsion weekly.

Cornell Bronze Dahlia

Jowey Winnie

Your friends will ogle over these stunning sunrise pink dahlias with streaks of pale yellow throughout their petals that harbor a lavender center.  Another prolific bloomer and long-stemmed, the Jowey Winnie will grace your home and yard with beauty early in the summer.

  • Type: Ball
  • Height: 3-4‘ high
  • Bloom size: 4“
  • Days to maturity: 80-100
  • Planting: Plant in spring after threat of frost has passed. Dig a hole about 6” deep and plant with tuber’s eyes facing up. Cover with 6“ of compost. I also add worm castings and mycorrhizae at time of planting to promote healthy root systems.
  • Spacing: 12-18“ apart
  • Fertilizing: No need to fertilize until sprouts start to show. Then add a 5-10-10 or a 10-20-20 fertilizer. Follow application instructions on individual fertilizer label. Additionally, we spray a foliar application of fish emulsion weekly.

Jowey Winnie Dahlia flower

Totally Tangerine

Another stunner dahlia, the Totally Tangerine, displays a fringe of rose-pink petals surrounded by an intricate array of tangerine-colored frilly florets. A mid-summer to late-fall abundant bloomer, the smaller blossoms complement an assortment of bouquet flowers.

  • Type: Anemone
  • Height: 2-3‘ high
  • Bloom size: 3“
  • Days to maturity: 80-100
  • Planting: Plant in spring after threat of frost has passed. Dig a hole about 6” deep and plant with tuber’s eyes facing up. Cover with 6“ of compost. I also add worm castings and mycorrhizae at time of planting to promote healthy root systems.
  • Spacing: 12-18“ apart
  • Fertilizing: No need to fertilize until sprouts start to show. Then add a 5-10-10 or a 10-20-20 fertilizer. Follow application instructions on individual fertilizer label. Additionally, we spray a foliar application of fish emulsion weekly.

Totally Tangerine Dahlia

Happy Butterfly

I saved the best for last! Just like their name, Happy Butterflies will make you smile! These dahlias exhibit upward facing petals, a blend of butter yellow and tinted pink, and a raspberry center. As the flower ages, the colors saturate into a deeper pink petal with paintbrush streaks of fuchsia. Exquisite! An early bloomer and bred for an extended shelf life, this dahlia will become one of your favorites. 

  • Type: Waterlily
  • Height: 4.5‘ high
  • Bloom size: 4“
  • Days to maturity: 80-100
  • Planting: Plant in spring after threat of frost has passed. Dig a hole about 6” deep and plant with tuber’s eyes facing up. Cover with 6“ of compost. I also add worm castings and mycorrhizae at time of planting to promote healthy root systems.
  • Spacing: 12-18“ apart
  • Fertilizing: No need to fertilize until sprouts start to show. Then add a 5-10-10 or a 10-20-20 fertilizer. Follow application instructions on individual fertilizer label. Additionally, we spray a foliar application of fish emulsion weekly.

Happy Butterfly Dahlia

More tips to help you grow strong and gorgeous dahlia varieties:

1. Pinching Your Dahlias:

I know you want to keep all those leaves on your precious gorgeous dahlia stalk but trust me, pinching them back will yield more blooms—really! 

When your plant is 12-16“ tall, and has at least three to four sets of leaves, it’s time to pinch. Look for the center stem/bud (terminal bud) and pinch or snip it off right above the next set of leaves. By doing this, the plant will now send out multiple lateral shoots, instead of the one central shoot, and create tons more opportunity for more blooms. This process also makes your plants sturdier with stronger stems.

picking fresh dahlias

Staking Your Gorgeous Dahlias:

I advise staking your dahlias to keep them straight and strong. It’s best to place your stakes at the time of planting. You can use tall wooden stakes and ti individual plants up to it or do the corralling method with t-posts and twine like we do at the farm.

Harvesting and Vase Life for Dahlias:

If possible, cut your dahlias in the early morning and when the flowers are about half to two-thirds open. Cut the stems deep, at about 18“ long, and immediately plunge into a plastic bucket with a few inches of very hot water. (The water will cool too quickly in a glass vessel). Add a flower preservative and let the water cool to room temperature before arranging. This process will condition and rehydrate the dahlia blooms and give them a vase life of 4-7 days. Cut your stems to the desired length and arrange in a vase.

Night Silence Dahlia

So, have I convinced you yet to plant one or more of these striking gorgeous dahlia varieties? If so, here are my sources for buying tubers:

Swan Island Dahlias

I love Swan Island because it is a family-owned dahlia farm, established 96 years ago in the Willamette Valley, Oregon. Believe it or not, they grow over 375 varieties of dahlias on about 50 acres. I’ve always had good luck with their tubers and their gorgeous website photos make it easy to choose your favorites.

Bear Creek Farm

Family-owned Bear Creek Farm in the Hudson Valley, NY is the home to another fantastic dahlia purveyor. Besides a menu of over 100 varieties of dahlia tubers, they also offer seasonal workshops, wedding arrangements, and a CSA Flower Subscription for locals. I especially love their philosophy about the interconnection of flowers and people. Check it out on their About Us page.

Fivefork Farms

Fiveforks Farms was started by five siblings in Upton, MA. I appreciate their organic and sustainable farming practices and commitment to quality. My favorites are (insert your favs here). It’s another dependable farm, where the owner’s passion is evident. 

Once established, dahlias will grace your garden with color and charm for months. Another plus, dahlias are a magnet for butterflies and hummingbirds! With so many to choose from, which of these gorgeous dahlia varieties strike your fancy? 

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Who says you can't mix function and beauty? My @vi Who says you can't mix function and beauty? My @victorinoxnorthamerica Swiss Army Huntsman knife has become my go-to tool for crafting stunning floral arrangements with ease and precision. It's versatile, reliable and always at hand, making it the ultimate gardening and floral companion.

I can’t even count the number of times I use it during my flower truck events — cutting stems, cutting paper, cutting ribbon, screwing loose screws on the 1961 vintage VW frame! The convenience and versatility of this compact knife truly amazes me each time I use it!

With my Swiss Army knife in hand, I'm ready to take on any floral challenge that comes my way. 🌻💐🌷 #myVictorinox #partner 

#SwissArmyKnife #flowertruck #FlowerArrangements #GardeningLife #BloomAndGrow #ToolOfTheTrade #ConvenientTools #FlowerPower #FlowerArrangementsMadeEasy #EfficiencyAtItsFinest
They’re alive 🤩🌷 Should I do more flower t They’re alive 🤩🌷 Should I do more flower timelapses!? Which flowers would you want to see next!?

#timelapse #timelapsephotography #timelapsevideo #timelapseflower #flowertime #tulips #tulipsofinstagram #growflowers #cutflowergarden #gardeninglife #tulipseason #flowersofinstagram #flowertime #floraleducation #flowers #flowerphotography #localflowers #slowflowers #happyflowers #peacefulgarden #flowergarden #gardeningmakesmehappy #aflowerfilledlife #flowerfarm #flowerfarmer #farmerflorist #flowerfarmerflorist #slowfloralstyle #ayearinflowers
Never running out of uses for my @victorinoxnortha Never running out of uses for my @victorinoxnorthamerica Huntsman Swiss Army Knife 🌼🌸🌺 As a lover of all things floral, this Swiss Army Knife is my go-to tool for gardening and creating beautiful arrangements 🌿 Whether I’m tending to my flower farm, fixing up my flower truck or crafting a centerpiece for an event, it always does the job 👌🏼 Not to mention, as a busy mom, its versatility comes in clutch on a daily basis! No matter what I’m doing she’s always within reach 💐 #myVictorinox #partner #SwissArmyKnife #FlowerArranging #GardeningLife #MomLife
‘Lotus Love’ tulips coming back to life 🌷 W ‘Lotus Love’ tulips coming back to life 🌷 We’ve been pulling tulips by the truckload daily at the farm, it’s the midst of tulip mania and very hard for me to slow down but this time lapse was calling my name today!

#timelapse #timelapsephotography #timelapsevideo #timelapseflower #flowertime #tulips #tulipsofinstagram #growflowers #cutflowergarden #gardeninglife #tulipseason #flowersofinstagram #flowertime #floraleducation #flowers #flowerphotography #localflowers #slowflowers #happyflowers #peacefulgarden #flowergarden #gardeningmakesmehappy #aflowerfilledlife #flowerfarm #flowerfarmer #farmerflorist #flowerfarmerflorist #slowfloralstyle #ayearinflowers
My two best garden buddies 🥰🌿 who am I kiddi My two best garden buddies 🥰🌿 who am I kidding they trample my plants, eat the dirt and have watering hose battles 🤣 I wouldn’t have it any other way tho!! Happy Earth Day flower friends, babies & dirt forever ✌️🌎🌷#earthdayeveryday #flowerfriends #gardenkids
Who knew my trusty @victorinoxnorthamerica Swiss A Who knew my trusty @victorinoxnorthamerica Swiss Army Huntsman knife could be my secret weapon in the garden!? From starting seeds, to dividing dahlia tubers, to planting, to flower harvesting and arranging, this baby can do it all — she’s the ultimate every day gardening tool 💐🌻🌿

Between the knife, saw, corkscrew and screwdriver I’ve been using her multiple times a day both at home and in the garden; not to mention she’s equipped with 15 total tools, including a scissor and tweezer, AND she’s compact enough to fit right in my pocket or purse, she comes everywhere with me! #myVictorinox #sponsored

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