feeding dahlias

This is a story about my most recent lesson learned in the garden!

I’ve always loved Dahlias. Don’t you? They are available in SO many different, gorgeous colors, so many wonderful sizes and petal configurations and are very easy to grow. Right. Well, it seems they haven’t been that easy for me this year!

These are not my dahlias, but taken at Sissinghurst three years ago! Ah, to be there again. The dahlias in September were truly spectacular.

I bought some wonderful new varieties from Floret Flower and was really looking forward to this new season of growth. Do you know that dahlias are heavy feeders? They really like a boost of food several times during the growing season….as well as ample water and lots of sun. So I fed mine this year with Black Kow Manure. Good stuff, right? Two feedings.

By mid-August, when other people on social media are showing off their gorgeous dahlias, I have one flower. ONE. Hmmm.  So I began to investigate and well, I am humbled to say, that I used the wrong booster for dahlias.

I am embarrassed to show you…but here it is. My one and only “Terracotta” dahlia. Very pathetic. […]