This is the story of the tiniest dahlia farm that was grown as a mistake, but loved intentionally. I must have blacked out this winter. Maybe it was during one of the many cold snaps or those days off from school because of the threat of snow. Somewhere around mid-January, the fear settled in that all of my dahlia tubers were going to be frozen and rotten by spring.

I had been too busy to tend to them at the end of the season and figured I’d chance it — leave them in the ground and see what happened. The past ten years have been unseasonably warm and dry, so the odds seemed in my favor.

Then I started buying dahlia seeds and tubers on the big glowing screen I sit in front of for far too many hours a day. The algorithm happily began serving me more seeds, more tubers, more possibilities to consider. I didn’t think much of it. I really don’t like planning out my garden. I prefer to wing it. It’s why I can’t bake — you can’t really improvise your way through baking, so it just isn’t for me. I didn't even know you could grow dahlias from seed, I'd only ever known to grow them from the tuber stage. 

Sometime in late winter, packages started showing up at the house.

First came a box from Floret Flower Farm — five varieties of dahlias to grow from seed.  I’d have to find a friend willing to take on that tedious task on my behalf and repay them in dahlia seedlings.

Then the tubers began arriving from multiple farms. All varieties I love and cherish, so I know it was me placing the orders, but I truly don’t remember ordering all of them. The funniest part about this story is that I now know most of my dahlia tubers actually did survive despite the wet, cold winter we had. A few were mushy and rotted, but the rest have already started growing tall. 

I’ve decided it’s a happy accident and that I should just roll with my unexpected abundance of dahlias this season. Maybe I’ll even pull off a tiny dahlia farm — enough to cut from all summer and well into the fall. Lately I’ve been fantasizing about snipping blooms daily for friends, neighbors, and coworkers. A small token of appreciation, straight from the earth that keeps grounding me in this hectic life full of uncertainties.

If you’re growing dahlias this year, here are a few of my favorite tricks I’ve learned along the way:

1. Pinch the center stalk when the plant is about 12 inches tall to encourage fuller growth and more blooms.
2. Cut dahlias early in the morning when the plants are fully hydrated. Aim to harvest when the blooms are about three-quarters open, and avoid cutting during the heat of the afternoon.
3. Cut stems 12–18 inches long, going all the way back to the main stalk just above a pair of leaves. This encourages new growth. Immediately place cut flowers into a bucket of warm water.

Happy gardening!

A photo of me and SK with our dear friend Katie, from Seed on Hudson who patiently answers all of my flower questions and grows us the most beautiful blooms. She inspired me to grow more dahlias and I am forever grateful!