Dahlia Is the Most Versatile Jewel for Summer/Fall Gardens

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Color and texture are the two characteristics that determine every garden. These are given by the kind of plants that you opt for and also the way you decide to plant them. In case you would like to have some color in your garden, there is one plant that you should never forget about: dahlia.

It comes from Central and South America and they are bush like plants. Since there are about 36 different kinds of dahlias, choosing one could turn out to be a difficult job. Still, there are some characteristics that will make the choice easier for you.

DahliaThe dahlias are classified based on their looks. According to this there are the cactus, single, semi cactus, semi double, double, decorative, pom poms, informal, balls, collarettes and anemones.

There are the cactus dahlias that have pointy petals sticking out all over the plant. These kinds of dahlias have slightly flatter petals and the edges are rolled.

There is a difference between the ball dahlia and the cactus dahlia: in case of the ball dahlia the petals are open and slightly rolled up at the ends.

The number of rows of petals is also an important characteristic of dahlias. According to this here are the single, semi double and double dahlias. The single ones have one row, while the semi doubles and doubles have two or more rows. The collarettes have one row, but there is a ruffled second row right in the middle of the flower.

Anemones are semi double dahlias and come with one or two rows of flat petals and one or two rows of rolled petals. Just as in the previous case, the orchid and the peony dahlias are also semi double or double row dahlias.

Just as the name already suggests, the ball dahlias have the shape of a ball and the pom pom dahlias are a smaller version of it. There are multiple rows of petals around the center of the flower. In this case the petals are rounded, while in case of the other dahlias, they are usually pointed.

Although these are the main types of dahlias, you should know that there are new ones created on a yearly basis. The classification of these new kinds is done the same way, through the study of the plants. Professionals take into consideration the kind of petals that they have and where they are located.

Also the overall look of the flower is taken into consideration. Nonetheless classification could get a little tricky in case the dahlias are getting mixed with other kinds of flowers, such as begonias.

The majority of the dahlias are started from tuberous roots and they get planted in the spring when there is no more frost and the soil is getting warmer. Several weeks before actually planting the flower dig in the soil and add some organic matter, like garden compost or ground bark.

When you plant the flower don’t forget to add granular low-nitrogen fertilizer to the bottom of each hole. This will enhance the color of the bloom and make sure you have a healthy plant.