Formal Decorative Dahlia, Dinner Plate Dahlia 'Kelvin Floodlight'

I accidently left this plant in the ground and it was just beautiful this year. I believe in the area I live, I should not leave Dahlia'...Read Mores in ground. But because of the success with this plant, I have left all the Dahlias in the ground this winter to see how they do. I do have trouble with this plant being too prolific of a bloomer. It's hard on the plant, so I have learned to pick off buds here and there so the plant stays healthier that way. The blooms are 8" at least. Update to post I previously made: I have since learned that in my zone, Dahlia's can be left in the ground and they all have come back and are better than last year. I will leave them in the ground from now on.

Nice large yellow dahlia. Steady bloomer with no problems.

Real nice yellow dahlia----easy to grow, and stores well.

Beautiful long lasting bright yellow blooms. Mine generally reach about 8" - 10" across. I find mine do best when planted in containers...Read More (instead of directly in garden) in full sun with rich, loose, well drained soil. Give a spritz of liquid fertilizer once ever couple of weeks. Plant the bulbs at about 6" depth.

Absolutely beautiful, dependable dahlia that I've grown for the last 5 years. Since I'm in zone 5, I set the bulbs out in May (usually mid month). If frost is possible, cover tender vegetation on those nights with a cardboard box or remay cloth. Blooms generally appear by the end of June/ early July and continue until frost. When frost arrives, lift bulbs, cut off plant close to top of bulb, clean off with water and put in airy place to dry. I store mine in my basement over winter in net bags hanging up. Or put in box with a little peat moss or wood chips and store in cool dark place (45 - 55 degrees).

Because this is a dinnerplate dahlia, if the blooms reach 8+ inches across, you can dry these for use in dried arrangements and they will form a nice fist sized dried flower when fully dried. Color will hold for about 1 year.

To dry: cut (just) fully opened flower and leave a short (4" stem). Poke a 22 ga or 18 ga wire through the flower close to but not in the center of the flower. Loop the top wire into a U and pull down through the opposite side of the flower. Hang upside down in a warm dark place to dry (about 3 weeks). When dry, spray well with a flower preservative or hair spray to seal. I have read that you can preserve the blossoms using silica gel as well, but if you intend to do more than 1 or 2 flowers, air drying is best. Flowers dried in silica gel will absorb moisture from the air and fall apart much quicker.

These flowers were huge! Truly dinnerplate sized. Easy to care for also; I live in Z7 and dont have to dig them up, but should since th...Read Moreey always need dividing. They are very vigorous.

In warmer climates you maybe able to leave the tubers in the ground with heavy mulch. But for me in Zone 6 I have to dig the tubers befor...Read Moree first frost.Clean and let dry good.Pack in dry peat and store in cool dry place.