Remember how I added a cutting garden last year? I experimented with a wild flower direct sow section (AKA hands off), a perennial section, and then two designated 3×10 foot bed of intentionally planted, started indoors, known for growing easily cut flowers – largely zinnias, celosia, snapdragons, sunflowers, and dahlias. I had gomphrena and yarrow for fillers too.

I think I spent about $40 on dahlia tubers.  Everything else was started from seed that I spent about $30 on. My goal was to sell ten bouquets for $15 each and make all my money back as well as cover the costs for my seeds this year. That didn’t happen. Hence why most businesses go under in the first 3-5 years. This year, having not met my goal last year, I’m committed to an even bigger goal.  I’m going to sell $250 worth of flowers this summer June-August.  Ha – I hope you are reading the irony here.  If at first you don’t succeed, make it even harder 😊

I’d like to think I’m a bit more experienced and have solved for some of the challenges that slowed me down last year.

• I’ve got soil blocking down (post coming soon!). Way more starts in way less space!
• I’ve got a good handle on a two-week succession planting schedule.
• I’ve got a plan for drip irrigation. Key word – PLAN.
• I’ve realized the error of my ways in loving how pretty the flowers are and not wanting to cut them.  They are getting harvested two days a week.
• I’ve got buckets for storing flowers in cool water the moment I cut them, and I’ve got flower feed packets.

While I don’t want to play favorites with flowers – I LOVE THEM ALL – I am very excited about my dahlias this year. I knew they were a good investment because they multiply on their own. I borrowed Discovering Dahlias from the library over the winter and was fascinated with all the different types. I fell in love with the pom pom, water lily, and cactus styles. So I bought a six dahlia sampler kit from Hudson Valley Seed Company {perfect time to buy as they are on sale}. And then I bought four more from Connel’s Dahlias.

Last year, I really knew nothing other than watching some short videos on the Floret website. I pretty much only got them started correctly. I didn’t space them or support them adequately, and I certainly didn’t harvest them frequently enough. When there was beautiful blossom, I was so enamored by it I couldn’t cut it. Oh Dear! This year will be different.

So I’m off to a strong start with more than 30 tubers.  That’s what the ten I bought last year turned into. Yippee! The first stage is to get your tubers pre-sprouted as follows:

1. Fill a container with growing medium.  I do a mix of 1/3 potting soil, 1/3 peat moss, and 1/3 vermiculite.
2. Nestle your tuber in so the neck and eye are exposed.
3. Label them as you go.
4. Keep them in a warm sunny place and keep the soil moist. Not wet, not dry, just moist. I have left mine outside from day one because I didn’t have room on my growing shelves.
5. Watch and wait…

Stay tuned, a post will be coming very soon on planting the tubers, setting up drip irrigation, and staking them correctly.