At her farm Goldenrod Gardens, Lee Hemmings Carlton cultivates thousands of these brilliant blossoms.
ERIN ADAMS
For Lee Hemmings Carlton, it was love at first sight with dahlias.
I saw them in a vase and thought, What are those?
Credit:ERIN ADAMS
The owner of Goldenrod Gardens gushes about dahlia flowers like some mothers carry on about their children.
They are some of the happiest-looking blooms Ive ever seen.
Lee Hemmings Carlton is a farmer and the owner ofGoldenrod Gardensin North Carolina.
Lee Hemmings Carlton grew up “playing with plants” in Georgia.Credit:ERIN ADAMS
She is a lover of dahlias, growing the beautiful flowers by the thousands each year.
Thats such an extraordinary range for a flower.
Zinnias dont have this, and neither doroses.
Goldenrod Gardensâ main dahlia field holds about 8,000 flowers.Credit:ERIN ADAMS
Plant them when you would a tomato.
The soil needs to be between 60F and 65F, she says.
This might be in April or in May, depending on where you’re located.
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Water Wisely
Overwateringtubers is the number one cause of death.
If its about time to plant but youre coming into a week of rain, I would hold off.
Be sure your soil is well drained too.
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Adding a rain gauge to your garden can help you determine how much precipitation your tubers receive.
Know Your Environment
Test your soilto find out what you’re gonna wanna add.
When growing in an area with hard red clay, consider planting them in raised beds or big pots.
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Raised beds and container gardens give you complete control over soil composition.
Dontadd fertilizeruntil after plants have started growing.
Temperatures under 80F are ideal.
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The morning is also a great time to water your garden, before the hot midday sun rises.
Drop Them Into Water ASAP
Dahlias have really big stems that are hollow.
So when you plunk them into water, it gets forced up those hollow stems.
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You want to do this immediately after picking; dont just leave them in your pretty garden basket.
If you wait too long, the blooms will wilt.
I have a walk-in cooler, but air-conditioning goes a long way too.
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You want the flowers to be in their best shape before you jump in manipulating them for bouquets.
Im always amazed by how much the dahlias need.
I advise adding flower food unless you plan to change the water every day.
Dont put cut dahlias in hot water, especially in a warm place.
I feel like thats a slow boil.
Keep your eye on the water level and don’t let it get too low.
