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  • Garden Gate

    Dahlias for Stunning Fall Bouquets

    Aug 04, 2020 5 minutes
    —Sherri Ribbey

    Dahlias are late-season showoffs in the garden and the backbone of gorgeous fall bouquets like the one at right. That’s why I was so happy to visit Trout Lily Farm’s Michael Russo a couple of years ago. He’s been a floral designer and organic cut flower grower specializing in dahlias for more than 15 years and has some great tips for growing and arranging with them. Here’s what he shared with me:

    GROWING BASICS Dahlias, Michael says, grow best in full sun and well-drained soil so the tubers don’t rot. While regular watering is important, they don’t need a lot of fertilizer: He works a shovelful of compost into the planting hole in spring and that keeps plants growing strong.

    Dahlia tubers can go in the ground after the average last frost date, which in Michael’s Connecticut garden

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