How to Grow and Care for Dinner Plate Dahlia

Dinner plate dahlia never fail to dazzle and delight. These flower-producing machines begin blooming in the middle of summer, reach their peak in early August, and then continue to bloom nonstop for a total of ten weeks. Despite the fact that every kind of dahlia has its own unique appeal, if you want to take the quickest and most direct road to WOW, you should cultivate dinner plate dahlias.

What is Dinner Plate Dahlias Plant?

Dinner plate dahlias are not classified as a kind of dahlia by the American Dahlia Society. The phrase is instead used to describe any type that produces large blooms of at least 8 inches in diameter. The flowers, such as Café au Lait and Thomas Edison, may have a traditional, ornamental shape with precisely cupped petals, or they may be more modern. Another option is to twist the petals like Taihejo, quill the petals like Avignon, or shaggy them like Penhill Dark Monarch.

Dinner dish dahlias were still considered somewhat of a curiosity a decade ago. Although it is excellent for earning ribbons at the state fair, it is not very popular with the typical gardener. They are now much sought after by gardeners from coast to coast. The most important flowers in a bridal bouquet are often the focal point of spectacular summer bouquets.

There isn’t much difference between growing dinner plate dahlias and cultivating any other form of dahlia. To ensure that these divas achieve their maximum potential, it is necessary to devote a little more care to planting, feeding, providing enough support for the plants, and deadheading.

How to Plant Dinner Plate Dahlias

Planting Dahlias in the garden should be postponed until there is no threat of frost. If you live in the northern part of the nation and want to grow dinner plate dahlias, you might consider starting them in pots first before transferring them into the garden. The sooner you can bring these plants to maturity, the sooner they will begin to bear fruit and produce blossoms for you. Giving them a head start means you may begin harvesting flowers in mid-july rather than early August, which saves you money on labor costs.

A prominent position with all-day sun and the finest soil you can provide for dinner plate dahlias is essential for their success. It is critical to have well-drained soil. If it is heavy and moist, it will impede their development and make them more susceptible to disease and pest infestations. Raised beds and vegetable gardens are ideal environments for Dahlias. In fact, if you treat dinner plate dahlias the same way you would treat beefsteak tomatoes, you will have tremendous success.

Due to the large size of the plant required to produce such large blossoms, most dinner plates will grow to be at least 4 feet tall. Because of their shrub-like nature, they are best suited for planting at the rear of a flower bed or in a cutting garden.

Watering and fertilizing Dahlia Plants

Dahlias thrive in well-drained soil that has a high organic matter content. According to the specifications on the box, compost and an all-purpose fertilizer should be added to the soil before planting. Dinner plate dahlias thrive when they are fertilized on a consistent basis. Continue to wait until the plants are about a foot tall before beginning to feed them at least once a month with a liquid all-purpose fertilizer diluted according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.

Dinner plate dahlias need roughly an inch of water every week, according to the USDA. The most effective deep watering is done on a regular basis. Make an attempt to reach the root zone. Keeping the leaves as dry as possible may assist in avoiding slugs, snails, and earwigs, as well as foliar diseases, from invading the plant’s foliage.

Supporting Dinner plate Dahlias

Dahlias have stems that are fairly fragile and may be destroyed by strong winds and heavy rain. When supported by dinner plates, large flower heads (particularly when they are wet) may be enough to topple a whole plant. It’s critical to stake the plants early and tie them in as they develop, unless you’re in a particularly protected position, to ensure a healthy crop.

Picking and Removing the Deadheads

The same as with other dahlias, the more blooms you harvest, the more blossoms you will receive in return. You should check on your dahlias at least once a week, and you should carry the following three items with you: sharp scissors, a clean bucket with some water in the bottom for keepers, and a bigger bucket, tub-trug, or wheelbarrow for collecting fallen flowers.

Cut your dahlias as soon as they open, and before the rear petals begin to wilt, to ensure the best possible bloom. Make an effort to cut excellent, long stems, even if this means losing some buds. This, in turn, promotes the plant to generate longer stems as time goes on.

Remove spent flowers in the same manner, but instead of simply snipping off the blossom, remove the whole stem of the plant. Make a point of removing any flowers that are beyond their sell-by date. Wasted flowers gather moisture and serve as a breeding ground for bugs and illness. This is particularly true when it comes to the huge flowers on the dinner plates themselves.