Organic Dahlia Collections

To help bees and other pollinators, it is essential that the Dahlias you grow in your garden are grown organically. If poison has been used by the grower, you might risk beneficial insects dying in your garden. So to be sure your dahlias are pesticide-free, choose organic dahlias.

Many varieties of dahlias have the most eccentric flowers. Beautiful! Only… bees cannot reach the pollen. That’s why it’s a good idea to put some single-flowered dahlias in your garden too. Like organically grown Dahlia ‘Mexican Star’ or Dahlia ‘Hartenaas’. They grow about 55 cm tall and will have flowers of 5-10 cm – perfect for a spot in the front or middle of your plant border.

Dahlias make wonderful cut flowers! It is very rewarding to use Dahlias as cut flowers. If you cut regularly, the Dahlias will keep making more and more new flowers. And, always remove the spent flowers. The difference between new buds and wilted flowers is sometimes hard to tell. Buds are round, and wilted flowers are pointier. Remove the entire stem of the spent flower.

Soil type, temperature, light, water and nutrition all affect the growth of your organic dahlias. Dahlias are not hardy. So plant them out only after the last frost, in mid-May and cover them with mulch or organic matter if you don’t want to move them inside.

Dahlias need plenty of sun and shelter. A spot in the border facing south or west is ideal. In terms of soil, Dahlias are not very fussy. But for the best results, plant them in fertile, moist but well-draining soil. If necessary, enrich the soil with some organic material, such as organic compost, before planting. If you have heavy clay in your garden, shovel some sharp sand through the soil to improve drainage. Feed your Organic Dahlias fortnightly with a potassium-rich fertiliser, such as tomato fertiliser or seaweed fertiliser, for stronger blooms. Also make sure the soil does not dry out, so water regularly.