Have you ever wondered if what you know about Dahlias is accurate? Consider the following paragraphs and compare what you know to the latest info on Dahlias.

Dahlias are among the most beautiful and most exotic residents of any garden. The large blooms of the dahlia are impossible to ignore, and they stand out in any garden in which they are planted. The sturdy, large blooms of the dahlia are available in a variety of colors, and in sizes ranging from as small as an inch to as large as a foot. In addition, the flowers themselves come in a variety of shapes. Some dahlia blooms are shaped like baseballs, while others curve back on themselves to where they nearly touch their stems.

Dahlias are known as sun loving plants, and they definitely do better with sufficient sunlight. Gardeners recommend providing dahlias with at least a half day of sunlight every day. In addition, dahlias need enough water to thrive, and most varieties require from one to two inches of rain, from either rainfall or artificial watering, every week.

In addition, dahlias need a good rich soil with plenty of organic material, a regular pruning schedule, a good insecticide to protect them from beetles and grasshoppers and possibly staking as the plants grow ever taller. In addition, dahlias should be fed with a quality low nitrogen fertilizer as needed.

Sometimes the most important aspects of a subject are not immediately obvious. Keep reading to get the complete picture.

Dahlias are actually grown from a tuber, a bulb like structure, and dahlias are actually classified as bulb plants. It is best to plant dahlias near the beginning of June, and those dahlias will usually bloom around October. Dahlias can be planted earlier in the season as well, and those dahlias will provide late summer blossoms. Dahlias should be dug up after the first frost of the year. After being dug up, the dahlias should be divided and stored for the winter. Doing so will allow the gardener to replant the dahlia tuber the following year.

Dahlias come in a great many varieties, but one of the most popular varieties is the David George. The David George variety of dahlia features a bloom of deep red color and medium size. Other popular dahlia varieties include the Bonaventure, featuring large bronze colored flowers, and the Allie Yellow, with features a tiny yellow bloom.

In addition to staples like orchids and roses, dahlias are often seen at flower shows, and many gardeners grow dahlias purely for these competitions. A prize dahlia can certainly be the star of any flower show, due to their striking beauty and large size.

Sometimes it’s tough to sort out all the details related to this subject, but I’m positive you’ll have no trouble making sense of the information presented above.



By: J. Brian Keith

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Beautiful, gigantic, and perfect tomatoes do not grow by themselves! While tomatoes originated in the wild, centuries of cultivation have produced countless varieties, each needing their own special care. Some varieties of tomatoes grow in compact bushy forms, while others grow and grow, like vines, continually setting fruit. Depending on the type of tomato and desired yield, pruning and staking tomato plants will ensure a healthier, more robust harvest.

What is Pruning?

When most people think of pruning, they think of trees and shrubs. We prune trees to change the shape, increase air-flow through the canopy, reduce the size, and remove dead or diseased wood. Tomato pruning works in much the same way.

Pruning for Plant Health

Tomatoes benefit from good air circulation, as they are prone to diseases if their leaves stay wet or are encased in constant humidity. Pruning helps thin the tomato plant so that air moves freely. Tomatoes, when attacked by disease or pests, can recover; however, the injured part of the plant must be removed so that the injury does not spread to the rest of the plant.

Pruning for Increased Harvest

Every time a plant flowers, once the flower is pollinated, it will produce a fruit. Juicy tomatoes we love to eat are actually the fruits of the tomato plant. Vigorous, vine types of tomatoes will grow forever if not stopped! A plant can only produce a certain amount of sugar to “feed” the fruit; consequently, tomato plants with more fruits will produce smaller fruits. Pruning side-shoots helps lessen the amount of fruit on the plant, and allows the plant to send all of its energy to a few, select fruits.

What is Staking?

Staking is the process of providing support for a plant. Staking helps promote air flow throughout the plant, ensuring less buildup of moisture, and fewer diseases. Staking also helps support tomato plants as they grow and produce heavy fruit. Tomato stems are brittle, and will break under too much strain. Many types of staking mechanisms exist including cages, trellises, and single stakes. Consult a tomato growing reference like How To Grow Juicy Tasty Tomatoes for a comparison of 11 staking techniques.

The proper staking technique will depend the tomato variety and individual gardener’s harvesting goals.

Pruning and Staking are keys to successful tomato growing, as they promote overall plant health and higher fruit yield.

If you want more detailed tomato garden advice and tips from a world horticultural expert, visit www.bestjuicytomatoes.com



By: Annette Welsford

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Ilex verticillata, commonly known as Winterberry Holly, is one of Carroll Gardens’ most popular shrubs. Native to North America, Ilex verticillata is a deciduous shrub that loses it’s shiny deep green leaves each winter, right after they turn orange and then yellow. The female varieties, when pollinated by a male, produce gorgeous red fruit that will remain on the branches long after the leaves have fallen, well into winter (unless eaten by birds). This week we are featuring the most compact Ilex verticillata – ‘Red Sprite,’ maturing at about half the size of other winterberry hollies.

‘Red Sprite’ is a neat compact rounded shrub that matures to an average height and width of only 3-4 feet – ideal for foundation planting or in the smaller garden. This female variety produces unusually large red berries, reaching close to 1/2 inch in diameter. Like all winterberry hollies, the stems can also be cut and kept in a vase with no water for months.

In order to set fruit, ‘Red Sprite’ needs a male Ilex verticillata. We recommend ‘Apollo’ because it blooms as the same time as ‘Red Sprite.’ One male is sufficient to pollinate 4 females. Apollo will grow somewhat faster and taller than ‘Red Sprite’. If necessary, it can be cut back in spring for consistency with ‘Red Sprite.’

Planting and Care

Ilex verticillata ‘Red Sprite’ will thrive in full sun, but will also tolerate partial shade. ‘Red Sprite’ prefers a slightly acid soil that is moist, but does just fine in normally moist soil. For best results pruning should be done in early spring just before the new growth begins.

Plant in spring to early fall.

Prefers full sun to part shade.

Plant 3-4 feet apart.

Water regularly until established.

Fertilize with Holly-Tone in the spring and fall.

Hardy in Zones 3-8.



By: Alan Summers

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