February dreaming

Dreaming of dahlias

They say April showers bring May flowers. But really it’s February dreaming that brings May flowers. Or maybe January dreaming and February seed starting!

At any rate, this dreary winter weather has been great for planning, along with bed expansion (can you say too many dahlias), seed starting, cover and uncovering spring cool season crops such as ranunculus as the weather changes.

And did somebody mention dahlias? Tis the season for dahlia tuber sales. These sales have become quite the feeding frenzy in the flower farming world. You’ve got to GET ON IT when a sale is opened! Even though I’ve got um, checks notes, 377 (!) tubers all tucked in for the winter, there seems to always be room for more. This color I don’t have, that variety I’ve been dying to try. It has become a bit of an obsession. When all my purchases hit the doorstep in early spring, I’ll be up to, checks notes again, well over 400 dahlias. And this month, I’ll also start ‘waking up’ a few select varieties, to attempt to root cuttings to make, yes you got it - MORE dahlias!