One of the greatest joys for me is walking around my garden gathering an armful of flowers. Best of all, my dahlias are in full bloom.

If you’ve read this blog previously you know I also enjoy walking in the wild, gathering an armful of weeds to create a new arrangement! But back to late July in my garden. My favorite dahlias are blooming in wild abandon, and along with other flowers make spectacular arrangements for the house, and for my husband’s home office while he endures the pandemic. Do you know the trick to make the blooms last longer inside? It’s real, and it’s easy, and it’s no secret, you can find it at the bottom of this blog after you enjoy the flowers. There I will share the wisdom of Swan Island Dahlias.

And displaying them in a large flat bowl makes an attractive addition to coffee tables or a corner of the counter in the kitchen.

Now you want to know the secret to make the dahlias last longer? I take direction from Swan Island Dahlias, and I buy their dahlia tubers, too. It is arguably one of the largest dahlia farms in the world. If you live in or visit the Portland or Salem Oregon area, Swan Island Dahlias is in Canby Oregon, a beautiful side trip in the summer. Normally they host a 2-weekend dahlia festival around Labor Day. If you can’t visit, they’re happy to send you a catalog or you can find them on-line at www.dahlias.com. But a visit is best!

From their Growing Guide, “The best time to cut your dahlias is in the cool mornings. Place the cut stems in 2-3” of very hot water, 160-180 degrees (hotter than house hot water tanks) and allow them to remain in the water until it has cooled, or about 1 hour. We recommend adding “cut flower” food at this point. Use a plastic or metal container to help retain the heat to properly treat your cut dahlias. After this process has been completed the stem that was in the hot water will show a slightly different color. At this point you can cut your stems to any length you like. Be sure that your bloom heads are above the container so that the steam will not burn them. This “hot water” treatment is done only one time. This will set your blooms and help your dahlias last 4-6 days.”

And equally important, to keep the new flowers coming: “Removing dead blooms and cutting your dahlias will help promote more blooms and strong plants. The more you cut, the more they bloom!”