Dahlia Short Track

The Dahlia 'Short Track' is easy to grow in all regions. For abundant flowering, it is good to follow a few simple rules, plant the tubers in a sunny location as soon as the last frosts have passed, rich, fresh, and well-drained soils are perfect. However, stagnant moisture would promote tuber rot. Do not hesitate to amend the soil with compost and sand if necessary. Work the soil deeply and enrich it with crushed horn or dehydrated blood for example. Place your tuber and crumble the soil well to fill without air pockets. Your dahlia should be covered with about 6 cm of soil. At the end of planting, water once abundantly and then repeat this watering regularly during the first 6 weeks to help with rooting. Stake tall varieties that may bend under rain and wind.

Dahlias are sensitive to cold, they need to be overwintered. In November, the first frosts blacken the foliage, it is time to dig them up. Carefully unearth the tubers. Remove as much soil as possible. Let the foliage dry so the tubers can replenish their reserves. Then cut the stems to 10 cm. Spread your bulbs in a crate on a newspaper. Store them frost-free in a dry, cool, dark place, such as a frost-free garage or attic for example. In Southern regions, close to the coast, experiencing 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 rains well. To overcome this drawback, you can stake it, but let's agree, it's not very aesthetic. However, by pinching the stems early or removing axillary flower buds, you will spread out the plant's habit which will offer more resistance to bad weather. At the same time, you channel the flow of sap onto a single flower that will become larger and sturdier.