Dahlia

Originally from Mexico, Dahlias are a family of flowering plants with wide variety.....there's a Dahlia for everyone! They grow in size from one to five feet. And, flower heads range from small pompons, to several inches diameter.

LIGHTING REQUIREMENTS: USDA hardiness zones: 8 through 10

CARE INSTRUCTIONS WATER: Keep the soil moist but drained, at all times.

FERTILIZER: They are big feeders. Make sure the soil is rich and fertile. Add plenty of compost and apply mulch. Low nitrogen fertilizer should be applied regularly all season.

FLOWERING: Flowers include single bloom, double bloom and more. If color is what you are looking for, Dahlias are your answer. These attractive plants produce loads of brilliant blooms in rainbows of orange, salmon, bronze, apricot, yellow, crimson, scarlet and lavender. Sorry, there are no no blues.

SOIL: Make sure the soil is rich and fertile.

DISEASE: Lots of insects love Dahlias. Slugs and sucking insects, most notably red spiders and mites, can be a real problem. Make sure to put down slug pellets or other slug protection on a routine basis. Use insecticides or insecticidal soaps. Disease problems can also occur. If you spot it, treat early with a fungicide.