Dahlia

Dahlightful dahlias offer brilliantly colored semi-double flowers and strong stems on a plant that will reach 20-30 inches tall, with a spread of 20-24 inches. The Dahlightfuls will do best in full sun, and will bloom even under short days with minimal tuber set. And their shorter, more manageable size makes shipping easier, too. This new series starts off with three colors: Georgia Peach and Lively Lavender offer blooms that pop off of green foliage, while Sultry Scarlet has sunset red blooms paired with deep, dark foliage.

Grow Dahlightful dahlias under high light, and space the plants well to produce well-rounded finished plants. Do a soft pinch one to two weeks after transplant if needed, and shear just the growth tips to encourage fuller growth as plants mature. Hard pinches can stall the growth of these dahlias.

Root the plants out and grow them on in a 65-72° F green- house. Maintain a pH of 5.5-6.2 and an EC of .8-1.2 at a fertil- izer rate of 150-200 ppm for optimum results. Dahlias prefer moderate to moist soil. Dahlightful dahlias make excellent monoculture specimens, but can also be used to add height in medium vigor combinations.