Calhoun County Gardening – Blooming Through the Heat: 16-Week-Old Dahlias Flourish at Sensory Gardens

Calhoun County, AL – Photos are 16 week old dahlia tubers! Looking lovely beyond the excessive heat! July 4th had a heat index of 105°. Dahlias like up to 85°. These dahlia tubers I planted April 1st as a volunteer with Calhoun County Master Gardeners. I use an organic soil recipe.  I applied pruning techniques at 5 weeks. Why? Because dahlias must be pruned when they develop four sets of leaves. Prune, leaving three sets of leaves to branch. How much water do dahlias require?  Above 85° temperature requires up to 21 buckets of 2 1/2 gallons of water each bucket, every two days!  Dahlias are big, robust bloomers needing water! All dahlias require support, staked, tied. The colors continue cycles of eight colors (Patches, 2-tone reddish wine/white), Crazy Love, white spiral with lavender rims,  (Double Red Garden Wonder), Blue Boy, lavender blues, (Yellow Kelvin Floodlight), Creme de Cassi, water lily style, (Purple Thomas Edison), Snow Country, white. You might want to plant one of these tubers in your home garden?  Every week new pods open to surprise and delight! Where: Sensory Gardens, on the hill behind Events Center, Anniston Museums and Gardens . . . Tour the gardens & walking trails freely, . . . So many reasons to become a Member! Video: https://photos.app.goo.gl/9FS8nR6Q7tcPxzxr6

Betty Clark is a contributing writer. She is an organic gardener since 1998. Signature flower she grows are Dahlias. She has a straw bale garden, raised bed garden, and in ground garden. Both her surnames are agricultural farming families (8 generations). Her hobbies include ancestry research, antiques, continued education classes, and workshops. She also has a background in marketing & promotions including expos. To contact Betty Clark with gardening questions: bettyclark2151959@gmail.com

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