Demystifying Dahlias with Lori Waddell

On an overcast Saturday morning Master Gardener Lori Waddell presented a seminar to a few garden enthusiasts on her favorite flower: the dahlia. She spoke on various topics pertaining to dahlias: planting, care, pests and the types of dahlias, of which there are over 65,000 varieties categorized into 20 types and shapes (ball shape being her favorite). Dahlias have a long blooming season, about six months, from June to November.

Dahlias are tubers and like potatoes, they have eyes and crowns. After one growing season, one single tuber can multiply to about a dozen. It is important that every two or three years the tubers must be dug up and separated. Digging them up also allows for inspection of the individual tubers for rot (susceptible in moist soil), which can be fixed by cutting off the diseased part and rubbing the exposed wound with cinnamon. The tubers are dug up in the winter, they are thin skinned and replanted in the spring. Large dahlias should be staked at time of planting.

Although Lori likes most dahlias, she willingly sacrifices the white ones to the Japanese beetles to eat since they are more attracted to that color of dahlia and will steer away from her other desirable ones. Her favorite color of dahlia is red but she loves a red with yellow-tipped petaled flower called “Ketchup and Mustard”. Generally Lori doesn’t like pink dahlias, but she fell in love with and recommends one variety called “Peaches and Cream”. At the end of the very informative seminar, participants were invited to take a free dahlia home.

Lori Waddell wearing a very appropriate shirt for her presentation.