Grow These Dahlias for Sunset-colored Combo

Dahlias are STRONG, BRAVE, and FIERY flowers that shine brightly until the first nights of frost. They live to the fullest without fear. I love dahlias. They are my power flowers.

There are many cultivars to choose from. I have some tubers that I have overwintered in our storage for years. Sometimes I lose some of them, and that keeps the collection varied. The most reliable, according to my experience, has been the red Pompom Dahlia 'Viking'.

In addition to my changing collection, I love to try new cultivars yearly. Last spring, I chose some sunset-colored dahlias to be planted into a large planter situated on the western side of our house.

I planted a double semi-cactus Dahlia 'Park Record' with decorative Dahlia 'Art Deco'. They have different flower shapes, which add interest to the combination, and their coloring matches perfectly. 'Art Deco' started flowering first, and soon 'Park Record' joined the choir. They are both dwarf dahlias, easy to grow and compact enough to fit in a large pot.

For dahlias to be so healthy and vibrant, they need

• sun,
• water … and
• fertilizers.

You can't grow these gorgeous, abundant flowers without properly nurturing them. Dahlias love nutrients, but they have their own quirks.

So how do you feed them properly? That might be a problem. Especially if you live on a site within the groundwater formation area.

Dahlias benefit from a low-nitrogen liquid fertilizer. As a general rule, they should be treated as you would a tomato plant.

• Fertilize after sprouting and then every 3 to 4 weeks until early Autumn.
• Do not overfertilize with nitrogen, or you risk getting small or no blooms.
• If you plan to save the tubers, they will store better if you stop fertilizing by early September.

Our garden is situated on a ridge. It is a site where rainwater passes through soil layers and is filtered into groundwater used for drinking. So we can't overload fertilizers or use any other chemicals in our garden.

The best solution is to grow our dahlias in planters and pots where I can feed them regularly. They get all the benefits, and no fertilizers are wasted or leaked to the ground.

I have been growing dahlias on our patio, where it is sunny and easy to water them. As I would love to grow them on the ground, I might place some pots in the planting area. And if you don't garden in a groundwater area, you could grow them in the flower bed combined with other plants. That would be the easiest option.

I hope to succeed in overwintering these sunset-colored dahlia cultivars in our storage. I would happily continue growing these guys.

Which dahlia cultivars have you been growing this year? Are there some long-time favorites that you have every year? Please head to my Instagram account @gardendesignstories and share your experiences.