Planting a New Garden Bed
Another exciting garden transformation is underway at my Bedford, New York farm.
Last year, I decided to make a few changes to the beds surrounding my main greenhouse. The areas had long been home to many berry bushes, but it was time to transplant them to a larger patch where they could continue to flourish. I created a new more formal garden with hostas and white lilies outside the front entrance to the greenhouse. And in back, I designated the space for just dahlias - those colorful, spiky flowers that bloom from midsummer right through the first frost. Many of our dahlia tubers are from Floret, a family farm and floral design studio in the State of Washington that specializes in organic, handcrafted arrangements for special events. Owner Erin Benzakein has created a thriving business - in fact, she was one of our American Made Honorees in 2014.
This week, my gardeners planted the new dahlia bed - here are some photos, enjoy.
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- This is the area behind my main greenhouse where several gooseberry bushes were planted. I decided it would be a wonderful bed for dahlias. It gets great sun, and dahlias grow more blooms with six to eight hours of direct sunlight. And because this spot is surrounded on two sides by the structure, it is also protected from strong winds.
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- Gavin dug all the holes for our dahlias. These are fairly shallow holes and about a foot apart. This bed is also planted with hostas around the perimeter and a row of boxwood at the front.
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- Ryan lined the bags of dahlias in the order in which they would be planted – keeping in mind their colors and height at maturity.
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- Each variety from Floret is placed in a paper bag with a scoop of vermiculite, which can be added to the soil when the tuber is planted.
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- All the dahlias are in place ready to plant. A collection of dahlias also came from Brent and Becky’s, a family-owned farm and garden in Gloucester, Virginia. I have been growing their plants for many years. https://www.brentandbeckysbulbs.com/
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- Ryan removes a bit more soil to ensure the dahlias are placed at least three-inches down beneath the surface. Dahlias thrive in rich, well-drained soil. The pH level should be 6.5 to 7.0, and slightly acidic. For heavier clay soil, add in sand, peat moss, or aged manure to lighten and loosen the soil texture for better drainage.
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- The roots of dahlias are actually tubers. Similar to a potato, the tuber sends up a shoot that becomes the plant, which produces leaves and flowers. Ryan carefully places the dahlia tuber inside the hole.
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- Dahlia tubers look a lot like a bunch of brown carrots, and the little budding sprouts that end up as thick strong stems are called “eyes.” Pink “eyes” or a little bit of green growth are good signs of a healthy tuber.
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- Ryan then backfills the hole with soil. The first leaves should poke through the surface in about one to two weeks.
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- Inside, Zoe uses our favorite Brother P-Touch to make neat, tidy labels for all the dahlias.
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- Among some of the Floret varieties we received – ‘Cafe Au Lait’ – Floret’s number one most requested variety this season. It has massive dinner plate-sized blooms in an unusual blend of pale creamy blush. (Photo courtesy of Floret)
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- Dahlia ‘Sheer Heaven’ is this special mix of soft glowing peach and the palest lemon yellow. (Photo courtesy of Floret)
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- This variety is ‘Vassio Meggos’ – beautiful giant lavender blooms with long stems. (Photo courtesy of Floret)
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- ‘Platinum Blonde’ has unique flowers. Each fuzzy buttercream center on a four-inch anemone-shaped bloom is surrounded by a ring of bright white petals. These long-stemmed flowers bloom abundantly all season long. (Photo courtesy of Floret)
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- ‘Penhill Watermelon’ is another beautiful dinner plate variety with giant fluffy flowers in a mix of peach, lavender and the tiniest hint of yellow. (Photo courtesy of Floret)
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- This is called ‘Otto’s Thrill’ – giant eight to 12-inch rosy-pink blossoms and long, strong stems. (Photo courtesy of Floret)
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- ‘Ferncliff Copper’ features smoky-peach blooms that last all season long. (Photo courtesy of Floret)
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- ‘Maltby Pearl’ has soft, creamy pink petals edged with lavender and tipped with white. This unique color combination gives them an almost metallic effect. (Photo courtesy of Floret)
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- And Dahlia ‘Castle Drive’ has a soft blend of pink and yellow – great in arrangements and gardens. This plant is also very attractive to bees and butterflies. (Photo courtesy of Floret)
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- All the labels are printed in large capital letters, which are easy to see.
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- We use metal markers made with a combination of galvanized wire and zinc, which will last longer through the seasons.
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- Zoe places a marker where each dahlia was planted. Wooden markers were used temporarily until the metal ones were ready. These markers will also be stored with the dahlia tubers when they are removed for the winter.
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- All the markers are inserted deeply into the soil next to each variety. The area looks quite odd without any plants, but it won’t be long before they start to poke through the soil.
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- Lastly, Zoe goes over the bed with a soft rake to give it a nice, finished look. No need to water until the sprouts have appeared above the soil. We’ve had quite a bit of rain here in the Northeast, so there is enough moisture. Over-watering causes tubers to rot. And don’t bother mulching the plants – dahlias like the sun on their roots. I’ll share more photos when these dahlias come up. What dahlias are you growing? Share your comments below.
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