What you have in front of you is a random bunch of tubers taken from out many seed varieties we grew last year. All of these tubers could be a different type of Single, Double, Cactus, , Novelty open, Peony, collarette or double…. Crazy right? And they are all 100% brand new, never before existing flowers.(Until last season that is)

Dahlias grow two ways 

  • From the seed of the mama plant or the tuber of the mama plant.

Seeds from dahlias create a never before seen, never before existed and dahlia. Each seed collected from the dead flower head possesses nothing but potential. Every seed will be a unique new dahlia. (you can collect yours and the end of the season!

Tubers from dahlias are a clone copy of the mama plant. 

So what YOU have in front of you is a second generation plant who was grown uniquely at Lily & Sage Farm. SO COOL!

Dahlia plants are a great summer crop. They do very well in heat and are a cut and come again flower. The more you cut them, the more the flower. The dahlia season is from mid July till the first frost in mid October. 

Dahlias are NOT cold hardy and very sensitive to frost. 

Planting your Dahlia

To begin, a dahlia tuber has 3 parts.

The body, the neck, and the eyes. 

You need all three parts on a tuber to make the tuber grow, 

Parts of your Dahlia Tuber

To begin, a dahlia tuber has 3 parts.

The body, the neck, and the eyes. 

You need all three parts on a tuber to make 

the tuber grow, 

Eyes can be the most difficult to distinguish but are the most crucial part to the plant flowering. The only way you get a flower from a healthy tuber with a neck is to have an “eye” THIS is where the flower comes out. Without it, the tuber is a dud. 

Your tubers have all been checked and have at least one eye on them. See if you can find them.

Planting your Dahlia

Dahlias need room. Both for their root systems and their flowers. If you have the space, Dahlias do well at 12 inch spacing. Depending what room you have available tubers can be laid flat  with the eye facing up or in the hole you have dug eyes up.

Plant depth is 4-6 inches. If you have heavy clay soil 4 inches, if you have light airy soil 6 inches. 

Feed your Dahlias

Like all things that grow you need to feed them if you want the best results. Dahlias don’t need a high nitrogen content; they push out greens well even if the soil is low average. What you want is a fertilizer that feeds the flower production. We use Dr.Earth Organic Bud & Blossom Booster. For those of you who like to nerd out on fertilizer info, it is a 3-9-4 fertilizer.

A mix of yellow and orange,  Calendulas are easy to grow and the fastest flowers to bloom from seed—in just 2 months. Often called English marigolds, the plants are loved by beneficial insects. Petals can be used as fabric dye, are edible, and can be used medicinally in salves.  Don’t be alarmed at the variety of seed sizes. They come in all shapes and sizes.

Details

Plant type: hardy annual

Height: 18 to 24 in

Site: full sun

Days to maturity: 60 days

Plant spacing: 9 to 12 in

Pinch: when 8 in tall

Seed Sowing & Growing Notes

Start seed indoors in trays 4 to 6 weeks before last frost; transplant out after all danger of frost has passed. Can be direct-sown and succession-planted every 2 to 3 weeks for continual harvest. Flowers will grow past first frost until first snow. We have harvested calendula in December before!! Seed harvesting is EASY! Let the flower heads go to seed and you will have your very own for the next season!

Harvesting/Vase Life

One of the fastest varieties to flower, these wispy plumes add lightness and texture to mixed bouquets. This mix includes yellow, orange, deep and light pinks.  Grown for their unique, textural blooms, celosias are vigorous and free-flowering.

Details

Plant type: annual

Height: 36 to 48 in

Site: full sun

Days to maturity: 90 to 100 days

Plant spacing: 12 in

Pinch: when 6 to 8 in tall

Seed Sowing & Growing Notes

Start seed indoors in trays 4 to 6 weeks before last frost; transplant out after all danger of frost has passed.

Harvesting/Vase Life

These Beautifully bright orange colored flowers add so much life to the garden. From the moment they start flowering in the early summer they don’t stop until the first frost. These flowers are able to handle being cut into deeply and will recover well. 

Details

Seed Prep: Requires Light

Sowing Method: Direct Sow, 

or start indoors 4-6 weeks before last date.

Light Requirement: Full Sun

Planting Depth: 1/4 inch – with misted 

moisture daily until you see green.

Plant Height: 40 to 84 inches

Plant Spacing: 9 to 12 inches

Water Needs: Low

A friend gifted me seeds from her Pennycress, and legend has it that it has been growing in the Skagit Valley since the year I was born. The bright, clean, apple-green stems are well-branched and loaded with round, textural seedpods. As seed heads mature, they turn the color of wheat. Succession-planting is recommended as pods come on all at once. Cress is a terrific textural filler for bouquets and can be dried for autumn wreaths.

Details

Plant type: hardy annual

Height: 36 to 40 in

Site: full sun

Days to maturity: 50 to 60 days

Plant spacing: 2 to 4

Pinch: Do not pinch

Seed Sowing & Growing Notes

Start seed indoors in trays 4 to 6 weeks before last frost; transplant out after all danger of frost has passed, or direct-seed as soon as the ground can be worked. Succession-plant every 2 weeks for continual harvest. Don’t pinch plants.

Harvesting/Vase Life

These Dahlias are seeds grown at Lily & Sage Farm that include a wide range of shapes, sizes, and colors—no two plants will be the same! Most of the flowers will have open centers, which will attract lots of pollinators to your garden. If you discover a variety you love, tubers can be saved and planted out the following year.

Details

Planting depth: ¼ in

Germination soil temp: 60°F–70°F

Days to germination: 5 to 12 days

Site: full sun

Plant spacing: 12 in

Pinch: when 12 in tall

Days to maturity: 100 to 120 days

Height: 48 to 72 in

Seed Sowing & Growing Notes

Sow seeds indoors in trays or pots 4 to 8 weeks before your last frost. Dahlias have a tendency to germinate sporadically, so be patient. Wait until the weather is consistently warm before transitioning young plants into the garden. Direct-seeding dahlias is not recommended. Personally I sow them 10 weeks before last frost in deep cell trays. My trays are 50 cell trays that are 6in deep. Works great!

Harvesting/Vase Life

The most adorable, tiny, daisy-like flowers. These long-lasting blooms are a market bouquet staple. Plants have a branching habit, and this hardworking filler will often produce a second flush of blooms if it is picked hard..

Details

Plant type: hardy annual/tender perennial

Height: 28 to 36 in

Site: full sun

Days to maturity: 100 to 110 days

Plant spacing: 9 in 6 inches 

Pinch: not necessary

Seed Sowing & Growing Notes

Start seed indoors in trays 8 to 10 weeks before last frost; transplant out after all danger of frost has passed.

Harvesting/Vase Life

This relatively unknown perennial pincushion variety is a must-grow! Plants have lacy foliage and produce an abundance of long, wiry stems topped with small, buttercream-colored blooms. They sparkle in the garden and lend a wildflower-like quality to arrangements. After flowers fade they leave behind miniature, pineapple-shaped seed pods that are excellent for handwork and crafting. This wonderful plant is covered in bees during the day and visited by moths at night.

Details

Plant type: hardy annual

Height: 36 to 48 in

Site: full sun

Days to maturity: 90 to 100 days

Plant spacing: 9 in

Pinch: not necessary

Seed Sowing & Growing Notes

Start seed indoors in trays 6 to 8 weeks before last frost; transplant out after all danger of frost has passed..

Harvesting/Vase Life

These fluffy blooms remind us of a feather boa. A pouf of shaggy, featherlike petals in pale, silvery lavender with grape streaking sit atop a striking saucer of single petals. As flowers fade, they reveal glaucous green seedpods that add textural interest, both fresh and dried.

Details

Plant type: hardy annual

Height: 36 to 48 in

Site: full sun

Days to maturity: 80 to 90 days

Plant spacing: 9 in

Pinch: not necessary

Seed Sowing & Growing Notes

Breadseed poppies resent transplanting and do best when direct-sown. Sow seed directly into the garden after all danger of frost has passed. Slugs love them, so keep an eye out.

Harvesting/Vase Life

This long-flowering, easy-to-grow mix comes in hues spanning dusty plum, cocoa-dusted white, cream with raspberry veining, and muddy eggplant. Blooms have a delicate and ephemeral quality and are well loved by pollinators. Long stems, refined flowers, and adorable seedpods make this a perfect flower for wedding and wire work.

Details

Plant type: hardy annual

Height: 24 to 30 in

Site: full sun

Days to maturity: 55 to 65 days

Plant spacing: 9 in

Pinch: not necessary

Seed Sowing & Growing Notes

Shirley poppies resent transplanting. Direct-sow into the garden after all danger of frost has passed. Seed can be started indoors, just take care when transplanting out not to disturb the roots too much.

Harvesting/Vase Life

A versatile and textural addition to the cutting garden, strawflower can be used fresh and also dried for use in fall bouquets and wreaths. Flowers ride atop long, strong stems. Also known as everlasting flowers, the color and shape of these papery blooms will last indefinitely when dried.

Details

Plant type: annual

Height: 36 to 42 in

Site: full sun

Days to maturity: 80 to 90 days

Plant spacing: 9 in

Seed Sowing & Growing Notes

Start seed indoors in trays 6 weeks before last frost. Transplant out after all danger of frost has passed. Seed requires light to germinate, so do not cover. Bottom-water until seedlings emerge.

Harvesting/Vase Life