The Dahlia Variety With Showstopping Blooms The Size Of A Dinner Plate

One of the easiest ways to add amazing color, interesting shapes, and dramatic blooms to the garden is to plant dahlias. And one of the most showstopping types of dahlia is the dinner plate dahlia. If you're looking for a flower that shines in both size and beauty, this bloom is sure to fit the bill. It's not called a dinner plate dahlia for nothing — the multi-petaled flowers of this type of dahlia can get as big as a large plate, at least 8 inches in diameter. With many different cultivars available, dinner plate dahlias come in a range of colors and styles perfectly suited to any gardener's tastes, making them an ideal addition to your cut flower garden.

Dinner plate dahlias were first developed in the late 1800s by European flower gardeners. Prized for their double blooms, layered petals, and of course their gigantic size, they quickly became a popular choice for flower gardens. Some of the most popular cultivars are the soft pink 'Café Au Lait', striking purple 'Thomas Edison', and the bright yellow 'Kelvin Floodlight'. Generally grown as an annual in much of the U.S., they are winter-hardy perennials in USDA Hardiness Zones 8 to 11. After planting dahlia tubers in the spring, they produce blooms from mid-summer to the first frost. While they are not extremely hard to grow, there are a few things you should know before planting dahlias that will ensure you have tons of beautiful blooms come late summer.

While growing dahlias can seem a little more complicated than flowers that grow from seed, they really aren't that different. Dahlias can be safely planted in the spring after the last frost. When deciding on a location, know that there are some places you should avoid planting dahlias, including the dinner plate variety. Dahlias love the sun and need at least six hours of full sun a day; avoid planting them in areas with too much shade. They also do best in a location with soil that is well-draining and not too boggy. 

When planting your dahlia tubers, dig a hole at least 6 inches deep and add some sand if your soil is clay-heavy. Place each tuber horizontally with the eye facing up, and cover it with soil. Be sure to space the tubers about 18 inches apart so they aren't too crowded as they grow. After you see sprouts appear, water regularly and deeply to make sure the roots get all the moisture they need.

You may need to stake your dinner plate dahlias before they start growing, because they are so big that they can easily fall over. Once you start seeing blooms, you can harvest them for your floral arrangements. Be sure to always use clean, sharp scissors or shears when harvesting the flowers. For dinner plate dahlias, you want to cut your blooms from the plant with nice long stems; this promotes more growth. Be sure to deadhead any dying flowers on your dahlias using the same technique, so that you continue to get beautiful blooms throughout the season and reduce the risk of disease.