Add ‘Nicholas’ dahlia to your fall planting
With its vibrant 6-inch-wide melon-orange flowers, ‘Nicholas’ dahlia’s versatile flower color looks beautiful in any autumn color palette, whether it leans cool or warm.
And ‘Nicholas’ makes a lovely cut flower: Use just one as the focal point in a bouquet of grasses, asters (Symphyotrichum spp. and hybrids) and other fall favorites or fill a vase with all dahlias. Just keep cutting and deadheading to promote more blooms from summer to frost.
‘Nicholas’ dahlia (Dahlia hybrid)
Type Tender bulb
Blooms Melon-orange blooms from midsummer to frost
Light Full sun
Soil Moist, well-drained
Size 36 to 48 in. tall, 18 to 24 in. wide
Cold hardiness USDA zones 8 to 11
Growing Tips
- Full sun, at least 8 hours a day, and well-drained soil is the best way to grow beautiful dahlias.
- Dahlias grow easily almost everywhere but can struggle where temperatures get more than 100 degrees F consistently.
- Grow dahlias where they get morning sun and afternoon shade.
- Water so that it soaks 8 to 10 inches into the soil twice a week, instead of shallowly every day.
- A 2- to 3-inch layer of organic mulch helps conserve moisture and keeps soil temperatures even.
- There’s no need to fertilize a lot or use compost with dahlias. Most are usually too rich or too high in nitrogen, which produces weak stems and can burn the tuber's "eyes" (the small growth bud near the stem) at planting time.
- You can use a plant food low in nitrogen and high in potassium and phosphorus. Apply it 30 days after planting then again 3 to 4 weeks later.
Start ‘Nicholas’ dahlias in late spring
Before planting dahlias, wait until soil temperatures are above 60 degrees F in spring so there is no chance of frost to nip tender new growth.
Choose a spot in full sun and don’t crowd it to avoid issues with powdery mildew later on.
Add support to dahlias as they grow
It’s also a good idea to place a 4-foot metal or bamboo stake next to the tuber when you plant. As stems grow, tie them loosely to the stake to keep the plant upright. Don’t want to fuss with that? Place a sturdy tomato cage over it when it’s small.
Though dahlias need well-drained soil, they also need plenty of moisture to bloom well. You may need to run your soaker hose or overhead sprinkler a couple times a week if you don’t get enough rain to regularly soak the soil 8 to 10 inches down.
Dig & save dahlia tubers for next season
In zones where dahlias aren’t hardy, after cold temps damage the foliage, cut the plant back to about 6 inches above the soil surface. Let it cure in the ground for 1 week, then dig the tubers.
Store tubers in a cardboard box with slightly damp peat moss in a cool, dark, dry spot, like a basement or attached garage, for the winter.
You Might Also Like:
Tips for Growing a Cut-flower Garden
Picking Heirloom Summer Bulbs
Find the Right Dahlia for Your Garden
