Dahlia Care: Tips for Longer Lasting Flowers
Vase life differs for every type of flower. In addition, the quality of the flower and the stage at which it’s harvested also impacts vase life.
Getting the best vase life from your dahlias starts with growing a healthy, quality bloom. So, tip #1 is planting a hardy dahlia tuber in a sunny location and in fertile, well-draining soil that is enriched with organic matter. For more detailed information on how we grow dahlias at Sweet Earth Co. check out this blog post.
Once harvested, dahlias generally last anywhere from 3-7 days. Ball type dahlias tend to last longer, while dinnerplate dahlias have the shortest vase life. Whatever the type, harvesting dahlias at the proper stage will add days to their vase life. Since dahlias do not continue to open much after being harvested, they should be picked when they are almost fully open, but before the centers have fully opened and the back petals have fully folded back (tip #2).
Cleanliness is tip #3. When harvesting, start with sharp and sterilized clippers. We use rubbing alcohol to clean our clippers. It’s also important that the buckets you put your cut flowers into are clean and sterilized. Flower farmers joke that buckets should be clean enough to drink out of — funny, but it’s true.
Bacteria can clog stems and cause cut flowers to wilt and die off prematurely. Dirty clippers or buckets can introduce bacteria, as do decaying leaves, which is why we strip most of the leaves from our stems — we want clean stems going into clean water.
Harvesting dahlias in the heat of day will negatively impact vase life, so it’s best to harvest in the cooler parts of the day. Our tip #4 is to harvest in the early morning when plants are hydrated with morning dew.
Knowing where to cut the stems takes practice. Tip #5 covers how to cut the stem. Don’t be afraid to make a deep cut, even if it means sacrificing side buds, as it will ensure longer stems going forward. Trimming stems at an angle is advisable to prevent them from resting flat against the base of the container and impede their ability to absorb water. An angled cut also allows the stem to absorb water by increasing its surface area.
Once you’ve cut your stem, stripped off the bottom leaves and put into clean, cool water, tip #6 is to set your bucket of blooms in a cool, shady spot to allow the stems to re-hydrate for a few hours before designing with them. This process is called conditioning. Some florists choose to put dahlia stems into hot water, or use re-hydrating solutions. We find that cool, clean water works best for us.
Tip #7, changing the water in your vase daily and giving stems a fresh cut, is the best thing that you can do to maximize the life of your dahlias.
Learn how to grow, harvest, and design with dahlias at the upcoming Wine & Design with Dahlias workshop. Happening on September 14th, 2023, you’ll get to tour the flower farm and spend an evening designing with fellow flower enthusiasts, while enjoying wine and good conversation. Space is limited — sign up now.
