How to care for dahlias ,late summer.
Step one.
Stop fertilising now, if you fertilise too much it will all go into the leaves. What you want them to do now is start pulling in the fertiliser that’s in the ground.They use this in late summer and autumn to start creating clumps of “batterys” underground, the tubers, and this will be the energy they use the next season.
Step two.
Water water water water!
Fertiliser gives leaves and buds, water pushes the blooms!it will keep your plants blooming right through the autumn until frost arrives. A good deep watering by soaker hose once or twice a week during the driest part of the year, hand watering won’t be enough and over head watering will put them at risk of diseases.
Step three.
Dead head. Every day! Take longer lengths as the short stubby side branches are no good any way and usually weak stemmed.
The more you cut the more flowers you’ll get and for longer.
Step four.
Weed the beds to remove competition for nutrients and strip the bottom leaves closest to the dirt, to allow the air flow.