Dahlia Daisy Duke

The Dahlia 'Daisy Duke' is easy to grow in all regions. For abundant flowering, it is good to follow a few simple rules. Plant the tubers in full sun as soon as the last frost is over. Rich, damp, and well-drained soil is perfect. However, waterlogging would promote tuber rot. Feel free to amend the soil with compost and sand if necessary. Work the soil deeply and enrich it, for example, with bonemeal.  Place your tuber and crumble the soil well to fill without air pockets. Your dahlia should be covered with about 6 cm (2in) of soil. At the end of planting, water generously once and then regularly repeat this watering during the first 6 weeks to help with rooting.

Dahlias are sensitive to cold, so they need to be overwintered. In November, the first frost blackens the foliage, which is the time to dig them up. Carefully remove the tubers, removing as much soil as possible. Let the foliage dry so that the tubers can replenish their reserves. Then cut the stems to 10 cm (4in). Spread your bulbs in a box on newspaper. Store them in a frost-free, dry, cool, and dark place, such as a frost-free garage or attic, for example. In warmer regions, or areas close to the coast, where there are few frosty days per year, it is possible to leave them in place. In this case, simply cover the ground with a carpet of leaves or straw for protection.

This tall Dahlia, with its hollow stems, does not withstand wind or heavy rain well. To overcome this disadvantage, you can stake it, but let's agree, it's not very aesthetic. However, by pinching the stems early or removing the axillary flower buds, you can make this plant spread, making it more resistant to bad weather. At the same time, you channel the sap flow to a single flower, which will become larger and sturdier.