Let me guess, you eagerly planted dahlias in your garden or pots, expecting big, round, striking blooms, only to be disappointed when the real results didn’t quite match your expectations. Sound familiar?
Yeah, I’ve been there, and so have many others who grew dahlias for the first time. Deadheading is made out to be this “magical trick” that can save your puny flowers, but newbies even get this part wrong and end up killing their dahlias entirely.
Today’s article is all about dahlias. I’ll be telling you why your dahlias produced such poor blooms in the past and what you can do to achieve bigger, bolder flowers like the ones you see in pictures on the internet. Let’s get after it!
Should You Deadhead Dahlias?
In most cases, yes, you absolutely should!
If you don’t already know, deadheading is the process of removing old spent flowers in order to encourage new vigorous blooming.
Think of it like trimming your hair. You let it grow too long, it becomes a mess, and even growth begins to stagger. But once you get a fresh trim, your hair starts growing nice and healthy once again.
Not only dahlias, but several other flowers benefit from deadheading as well. If you’re not sure which ones, here’s our simple guide on deadheading basics to help you out.
When Is The Best Time To Deadhead Dahlias?
Timing is the single most important factor when it comes to deadheading dahlias. Get this part wrong, and you’ll essentially be flushing all your effort down the drain.
Generally speaking, the best time to deadhead dahlias is when the first flush of blooms begins to fade. This usually happens around the mid of summer.
You can trim anytime you want, once the blooms begin to fade, and there’s no hard and fast rule as to when exactly that happens. When the blooms do fade, grab your pruners or scissors and get to work!
Just be sure you’re not deadheading the wrong types, some flowers shouldn’t be deadheaded at all. Here’s our guide to the ones you should leave alone.
How To Deadhead Dahlias? Here’s A Simple Guide!
Step 1: Identify spent blooms
Yeah…so…you’ll actually need to identify spent blooms first before cutting them. This is because you may accidentally trim new buds or old flowers that are still blooming.
Look for blooms that appear dull, drained of color, and feel squishy to the touch; those are the ones you need to cut off.
Step 2: Use clean tools
I cannot emphasise how important it is to use clean tools to carry out deadheading tasks. I’ve used dirty tools several times in the beginning stages of my gardening journey, and let’s just say that I’ve spread terrible diseases to my plants that weakened them every time.
Step 3: Cut back properly
Once you’re in, it’s important that you do the job effectively and efficiently. Leave no spent flower uncut, and ensure you make clean, precise cuts to limit causing accidental injuries to your dahlias and promote adequate recovery.
Step 4: Commit to regular maintenance
After deadheading, do your due diligence and monitor your dahlias for a good week or two. If there are any weaknesses or problems, they’ll likely become apparent during this time.
From here onwards, your only job is to maintain your flowers properly and commit to regular maintenance in the form of consistent watering, fertilizing, and trimming.
And if you’re also growing petunias, here’s our guide to deadheading them properly to keep them blooming strong too.
Before You Start: Some Important Tips!
And if zinnias are also part of your garden, check out our guide on how to deadhead them to keep those blooms coming too.
Let’s Conclude
If you’re worried that your dahlias will never turn out great just because your first batch didn’t, don’t be. Almost every dahlia grower can attest to the fact that the first few tries always lead to small, disappointing blooms.
Getting all the variables and factors right for deadheading can be challenging, especially in the case of dahlias, since they’re quite sensitive and delicate. If you’re looking to deadhead in order to improve bloom quality and quantity, your number one priority should be getting the timing right; the rest can be taken care of fairly easily.
Now, get out in your garden and start putting in the work. Good luck! And, before you leave, if you also grow marigolds, don’t miss our expert advice on how to deadhead them properly.
