Bulbs: Dahlia question, 1 by debi_z

debi_z wrote:
i love dahlia's. i decided last year that they were going to become annuals too. i would spend the time digging and storing and they would shrink up to nothingness, no matter what i did. sooooo annuals they are. i love them and feel that the $2 to $3 each, is a gorgeous plant and wonderful flowers to bring indoors. i have some on order as we speak. perhaps one day i'll do a co-op on them. now that would surely get me into trouble. ;)

i always pinch them, when they reach about 4 inches. take the top right off. i have never had a problem with the stems breaking and i've had some big blooms.
when you cut them, they say to put them into 120 degree F water immediately for 1 hour. this helps them last much longer in the vase. i just put in hot tap water, never measured it. works for me.
so many pretty things, only so much garden space.
debi z
pic is of papagona or kidds climax