Flowers

Cactus Dahlias

Pom-Pom Dahlias

Decorative Dahlias

A Perfect Bunch

How To Grow Dahlias

Dahlias are grateful plants. The better they are cared for, the more they will reward you with their vigorous growth and exuberant flowering. This collection will enrich your garden with its colourful splendour, providing lasting enjoyment until November. These dahlias prefer a warm sunny position.

How And When To Grow:
Start dahlias off in a pot indoors from the beginning of March. Place the pots in daylight at a temperature of at least 17ºC.

The pots can be moved outside from mid-May onwards (after the last night frost). They can be dug into the border or simply placed on the patio for added decoration.
Before planting dahlia tubers straight into the garden, immerse the tubers in water and leave them for half a day to absorb as much water as possible.
You can plant dahlia tubers outdoors in late April/early May. As they are planted below ground, they will not be bothered by a late night frost.
Do not plant the tubers too deep. A thin layer of soil over the tuber is sufficient.
When planting dahlia tubers, push stakes into the ground next to the tubers for extra support later on if needed. If the stakes are positioned at a later stage, they may damage the tubers.
Dahlias like sunshine and fertile soil with good drainage.

Pruning Dahlias
Thin out the dahlia shoots as they emerge from the ground.

As soon as the plants develop buds, regularly remove the side shoots between the uppermost two or three leaf axils. Remove the bud as well as the leaves. This will encourage the development of fine flowers on long stems, which are perfect for cutting.
If you cut dahlias for the vase, dip the stems in boiling water for a few seconds, or sear them above a flame. This will keep the fabulous flowers fresh for longer.
Give dahlias extra nutrition in the form of fertilizer and water.
When the plant has three to four leaves, pinch out the top to make the plant more bushy.
Scatter a layer of compost on the ground around the plant. This keeps the soil moist and hinders weed development.
Pull up any weeds by hand to avoid damaging the roots of the plant.
Dahlias that grow taller than 80 cm need to be tied to a stake for extra support.
Remove the side buds of the dahlia plants with your fingers in order to obtain large flowers.
Also remove side shoots that grow directly beneath the uppermost bud. Once this bud has finished flowering, new side shoots will grow from the stem and produce new flowers.
If you remove the spent flowers, your dahlias will continue to flower well into autumn.
Remove snails, slugs, earwigs and aphids by hand.

Gladioli

Step 1 After danger of frost, plant new gladiolus bulbs or stored bulbs, cultivating 12 to 15 inches deep where soil will have sun for part or most of the day.
Step 2 Work in mulch to loosen and aeriate soil or add your favorite fresh garden soil. The ideal PH is 6.5-6.8
Step 3 Dig holes for gladiolus bulbs 4-6 inches deep and at least 4 inches apart when planting groups.
Step 4 Water once and let the spring rains do the rest. If dry conditions prevail water occasionally along with the rest of the garden.
Step 5 When foliage appears in late spring or early summer water regularly.
Step 6 Weed around shorter Gladiolus so they are not shaded by other plants. Mulch all varieties to maintain moisture and to conserve water.
Step 7 Stake Grandiflora type Gladiolus if they are not otherwise supported.
Step 8 Enjoy the bloom. Snap off spent blossoms to keep tidy and continue watering.
Step 9 Allow to die back naturally. The stalks will remain green and pretty throughout the summer. The leaves and seed pods when dried upside down make great additions to dried fall arrangements.
Step 10 At summer’s end, trim back to about 4 inches to allow nutrients back into the bulbs. In the colder zones lift and store bulbs during your fall clean up. In more temperate climates leave in the ground and mulch over the resting bulbs.
That’s all there’s to it for wonderful success with this marvelous plant. Gladiolus Bulbs will return year after year and some varieties will spread out over time. There are always new Hybrid Gladiolus on the market each spring and amazing rainbow mixes.

Sunflower

Sunflowers can be grown in any region that has 80 to 120 days of warm sunshine. They are perfect plants for children's gardens, since they are so easy and fun to grow. Sunflowers do well in ordinary garden, although, the large flowered varieties prefer rich soil, lots of water, and mild, organic fertilizer. In spring, plant seed directly in the ground after frost danger has passed. Thin to avoid overcrowding; overcrowded plants tend to fall in heavy winds. For giant-sized heads, space plants 3 to 4 feet apart. For seed production, space more closely.

Hydrangeas

Growing Conditions
Hydrangeas grow best in partial shade to full sun. They prefer morning sun and afternoon shade, especially in hot areas Hydrangeas need a lot of water. In fact the word "Hydrangea" comes from the Greek for "water tub"! They grow best in rich soil, so dig in a lot of compost, and other organic matter, when you plant them, and mulch well.
Fertilization
Fertilize liberally in the spring, in May in the South, and again in August. Wait until June to fertilize in northern areas. Use a good balanced, slow-release, fertilizer and apply ¼ cup around the base of a very small plant, and 1-2 cups around a very large plant. Spread out to drip line, but don't get it next to the trunk. Mulch with homemade compost to cover roots. Never fertilize a plant that looks sick or wilted, it will just stress it more.
Propagation
You can propagate from softwood cuttings in June. Take a 6"-8" tip cutting, strip off the bottom leaves, dip end in rooting hormone, then stick about one inch deep in sterile moist sand, vermiculite or sphagnum moss. Create a mini green house over plants with plastic and place in bright light, not full sun, until roots form. Or, you can just root them in water. Again, place in bright light away from full sun until the roots form.
Planting
Dig a hole 2 times as deep and wide as the root ball. Break up soil in the hole and mix in 1 inch compost.
Remove from container and loosen soil around outside of root ball. Set in hole so plant is at same level it was in the pot, you may need to add dirt back into the hole to raise it up.
Fill in hole, around plant, with the soil and pack gently. Water well to remove air pockets. Mulch well with compost.Early fall is the best time to plant new Hydrangeas.
Pruning
In Spring, prune back old or damaged growth, and old flower stems. Don't cut new shoots, they are where the new blooms will be.   In late summer, after blooming, prune to just above the next outward facing bud. For larger flower clusters, thin plant down to half the number of stems.