The Mulch Chronicles- Part 1
I’ve said it before and I’m sure I’ll say it again but part of why I farm is the desire to experiment!
Weed pressure is very high on my farm so I have to have a solid system for controlling weeds. And preferably one that doesn’t require a ton of time either!
I began planting my dahlias the same old way this year but I knew in my gut that I wasn’t happy with it. I began researching, talking to other farmers, and just generally thinking about the process. The longer I farm, the more I question everything I do. There’s so much labor that goes into growing that I’m constantly looking for innovations and refinement.
So today begins a multi-part series on mulch! (Didn’t think I’d find enough to say about mulch for several posts but with everything that’s been on my mind- I don’t think it’ll be a problem)
So before we get to what I’m experimenting with- let’s take a look at where I started.
I wish I had a picture from the summer of 2018. But maybe I can describe it: mid July, 90+ degrees everyday, full sun, sweat dripping everywhere. I’m staring at a bed of weeds so high that you wouldn’t know there were dahlias growing in there unless I told you. This is what my dahlia field looked like!
I’m pretty sure I lost it several times that year. This is when I began thinking about planting in black fabric mulch. (I did have the dahlias mulched with wood chips— but as you see above- it didn’t work) Over the winter, I began burning holes into black fabric mulch for each dahlia bed. I had resisted the black fabric growing trend for years because I had a lot of reservations about it. But I was desperate!
These raised beds are 4x16 and each bed holds 64 plants at 1’ spacing. And up until this past week- this is the system I’ve used. And it worked reasonably well —until last year.
Last year’s weather showed a lot of the downsides to black fabric mulch. The things I feared began to come true! The extreme heat and drought we faced didn’t interface well with the black fabric. I lost hundreds of tubers that basically just burnt up in the ground.
I had to pull out all my tricks to cool the field down- overhead watering during the day. We also used Surround crop protectant (this is a kaolin clay based spray that is used by a lot of organic fruit farmers). The Surround spray is white so it not only protects your crop but also reflects light. We sprayed the fabric and the plants.
This picture is from late June of 2022. As you can see, you have to keep spraying as the plants grow. Also a lot of rain will wash it off (but it will last through some rain- just depends on how much). Also once your plants begin to bud you have to discontinue use because nobody wants a white chalky stem! But it helped get me to the point where the plants where big enough to shade the fabric.
Now do I think black fabric is a bad idea for hot climate growers? Well— it all depends. If you are a more extreme hot climate (zone 8 plus), then it’s probably not going to be the right thing for you. But I’m a zone 7b and I run this kind of weird borderline. Things that work for cool climates can sometimes work here as well as the really hot climate methods too.
I do think that if you plant early enough in spring to get a thick plant canopy over your fabric that this system could work well for a hot climate grower. But I don’t like planting super early because I don’t want blooms in July. I will say that the black fabric does a fantastic job at keeping the weeds down. We usually make one weeding pass through the field when the plants are around 18” tall and that’s about it for the season.
But after last years extreme heat and drought, I knew I had to find another way.
I’m experimenting with 2 methods this year: straw mulch and cover crop mulch. We’ll talk about straw first (cover crop mulch is part 2)
So why haven’t I tried straw before? It does seem like the obvious choice. Well I did try it - many years ago and not long after laying it down, I had a nice crop of green grass growing under my plants. I soon discovered there wasn’t a clean weed free source of straw locally to me.
I mentioned this to my grower friend, Lori (of Broad River Blooms). She, being the generous person that she is, shared with me her straw source.
For my local friends, you can order this through Tractor Supply stores, possibly Lowe’s too. It’s an extremely fine milled straw. It makes a very dense mat over the soil. It also has a tackifier that keeps the straw together and helps prevent washing away.
I decided at first I would try it on one bed. I put it down about 2 weeks ago and began keeping tabs on that bed. Watching for weeds (too soon to tell on that part) but also checking moisture levels. The black fabric tended to get so hot that the soil was drying out underneath it. After a few days (with no rain and only 1 run of the irrigation system), I did a moisture check. It was still moist underneath the mulch. The bed next to it with black fabric was bone dry!
Since this picture was taken, the dahlias have begun to poke through. We have also had a heavy rain— the straw stayed in place! Now we wait to see if it keeps the weeds down after all that rain.
(BTW- I’ve figured that one bale will cover at least 2 4x16 beds).
Another thing to think about when using any type of mulch while growing dahlias is removal. If you dig your tubers in the fall, you must think about how the mulch will affect that process. The straw seems easy to handle. If it’s too thick, we will rake it off the bed. With the fabric mulch, we had to be very careful pulling it off to make sure we didn’t knock the labeling tags off our plants.
Another bonus to using a natural mulch is that it will break down and add organic matter to the soil over time.
The only cons I’ve thought of for the straw mulch so far are — expense. The black fabric is reusable so it’s a one time expense. But I’ve done the math and the straw is still affordable within my crop projections. Second, there is always a risk of residual herbicide when bringing something like this into your farm. I do feel better about buying this brand rather than sourcing straight bales. I know that straw bales are often purchased from many sources and therefore there is less control over what gets sprayed on the grass before it’s cut.
Over the next week, I am going to be removing the fabric from the beds we’ve already planted and adding the straw mulch. The tubers are just beginning to sprout so if I do it now, I won’t damage the plants.
I really hope the straw keeps the weeds down because if not, it’s going to be a lot to keep weeded!
Next time— using cover crops as mulch. Let’s just say this is where it gets interesting (and a bit creative)!
Best Dahlias to Plant for Continuous Bloom in Your Garden
A few weeks ago a reader asked “What dahlias can I plant so I can have continuous bloom in my garden throughout the whole dahlia season?”
What a fantastic question! And to be honest, I thought it would be a quick to answer type of question, but then I really got to thinking about it and realized it was going to take a bit of calculation. So I turned to my trusty spreadsheets and began pulling data.
I kept careful records of what weeks I planted certain varieties this year. Then I took pictures when the first bloom opened. So I was able to pull the days to bloom from that information. (And it took awhile for 100+ varieties)
So here’s what I would plant for a continuous bloom in your dahlia cutting garden.
(Fine print: I’m zone 7b, South Carolina. Hot and humid climate, heavy clay soil- best dahlia blooms come from Sept to mid October. All the days to bloom have been rounded to the nearest 5. I don’t record the exact planting date or the exact first bloom date. From years of experience I’ve learned that days to bloom (DTB) varies each year due to varying growing conditions. But if you get the week you planted and the week it bloomed, you can get an average that you can use.)
Early Bloomers (60-80 DTB) : Peaches N Cream, Creighton Honey, Linda’s Baby, Mingus Toni, Mystique, Blizzard, Cornel Bronze, Brown Sugar
(pictured l to r)
Avg 60 DTB = Mingus Toni, Mystique
AVG 70 DTB = Creighton Honey, Peaches N Cream
AVG 80 DTB= Linda’s Baby, Blizzard, Cornel Bronze, Brown Sugar
Mid Season Bloomers (85-110 DTB): Bridezilla, Miss Amara, Hapet Champagne, Sonic Bloom, Wine Eyed Jill, Brookside Cheri, Cafe Au Lait, Hollyhill Black Beauty (pictured l to r)
AVG 90 DTB = Bridezilla
AVG 95 DTB = Miss Amara
AVG 100 DTB = Hapet Champagne, Sonic Bloom, Wine Eyed Jill, Hollyhill Black Beauty
AVG 105 DTB = Brookside Cheri
AVG 110 DTB = Cafe Au Lait
Late Season Bloomers (115+ DTB): Southern Belle, Renato Tozio, Hamilton Lillian, Fiona, Marionberry Milkshake, Hapet Perfekt, Dreamcatcher, Bubbling Over (Pictured l to r)
AVG 115 DTB = Renato Tozio
AVG 120 DTB = Bubbling Over, Dreamcatcher, Hamilton Lillian
AVG 130 DTB = Southern Belle, Fiona, Marionberry Milkshake, Hapet Perfekt
I do want to add a caveat here: It was a very hot dry summer which definitely had an effect on days to bloom. I know this because we succession planted a few varieties and saw some significant variation in their bloom times and it correlates to the weather patterns when they were planted and establishing. Also some of the above varieties were first timers in my garden— I like to have a variety for 3 years before I say definitively what it’s characteristics are. But I included some of the first timers here for added variety.
Please keep all these things in mind. Your climate will play a crucial role in the actual days to bloom. Also if a variety is new to you and you don’t know how long it’s gonna take to bloom- assume this: Most likely it will be a mid season bloomer because this is where most dahlias fall - in the 90-110 DTB range. Also the larger the bloom, the more time it takes (as a general rule).
I hope this helps you plan your dahlia garden for next year! Planning what new varieties I’m going to grow is one of my favorite parts about winter!!
The Value of Doing Your Own Research
I’ve had this topic mulling around in my head for awhile but yesterday after having 2 conversations with other farmers (who grow in climates similar to mine) about what works for them and vice versa— Well it’s time to tackle this!
Researching how to fix things, how to do things has been a big part of former careers in my life. I’m a very self taught person— and I bet a lot of you are too. But if you are new to growing or figuring it out yourself doesn’t come naturally, I thought I’d share a few tips on how I research.
Research tips and tricks:
1. The old Google- you can always just type it in the search bar. But sometimes you don’t get the results you want. For example, if you want to know how to grow something- try this instead: “Flower Name Culture sheet” —So “Lisianthus Corelli Light Pink Culture Sheet” This phrase will bring up information from the breeder/producer of the seed. And usually you will get very detailed info because it’s coming from the people who are striving for optimum results so they can produce good seed. It’s also in their best interests for you to be successful so you buy more seeds.
2. Use Social Media as a search engine. Use the search bar on Facebook- you’ll find lots of groups- it’s the modern day forum. Remember to take first hand accounts lightly— always filter them through your growing zone. Instagram reels/videos can show you a lot of real world examples how people are growing crops innovatively. I like to find a hashtag on a crop and see if I can find a large scale producer. It’s interesting to see what they do to increase their efficiency.
3. Go back to the beginning- A few years ago I heard a talk about woody crops- I’d actually heard the same speaker give this talk multiple times. But this time- I heard it. My grower knowledge was at the maturity point for me to absorb it. Often times, we aren’t quite ready for something and it takes some real world experience for it to sink in. Don’t dismiss something just because you’ve heard it before.
4. Follow the rabbit trails- Click a link and another link and so on. Sometimes you gotta dig deep or latch on to a phrase/concept and investigate it further to find the information you need. Go on back to the second and third page of Google. There’s good stuff there- it’s just didn’t make it to page one more likely because the author didn’t know how to optimize their info to show up higher in search results. Doesn’t make the info any less valuable.
5. Join professional organizations- Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers (ASCFG) is the best there is for cut flowers. The wealth of information on their website and in their growers minds is worth many times what a subscription will cost you.
6. Ask others- I highly value figuring it out myself but sometimes, you gotta ask for help. But make sure you are well researched first. Don’t ask out of laziness- that’s a pet peeve of mine. Growers who would rather someone just tell them instead of figuring it out themselves. You only cheat yourself if you don’t research your own answers.
7. Conduct your own trials and tests- Testing different crops, dahlia varieties, climate extension trials, etc. These are some of the reasons I’m still growing. I gotta admit- testing ideas and pushing the envelope are one of my favorite parts of farming.
I’ve never talked much about my ranunculus crop of 2020 (there were slightly more important things going on). But it was simultaneously the best and worst crop I’ve ever had. I had several things happen in my life outside the farm in fall of 2019 that threw me for a loop and distracted me from farming. The result was some majorly late planted crops, coupled with some flooding rains all winter and well— Let’s just say that crop was not so hot. But! I learned so much through all the mistakes and climate issues I had to deal with that year. I saw what was really possible with ranunculus- where you could push it and what was too much. So the learning experience made it one of my best crops ever. Fortunately no one really noticed all that much, way more important things going on.
This was an accidental trial/test but it was still sooo helpful. Each year, I try to see how I can push the boundaries of a crop or my climate- You learn so much! Don’t be afraid to test things— make it a regular part of your growing season. That first hand experience is worth way more than anything you’ll read or hear second hand.
Just a few things I’ve picked up along the way. Doing your own research yields so many wonderful results. It’s extremely fulfilling!
How to Cure the Winter Dahlia Blues
Do you dread the end of Dahlia season? I know I definitely miss having blooms on my table! I miss seeing luscious layers of petals all over Instagram. I’m already seeing some of my Northern friends having a frost.
Well, a few years ago, I discovered a way to cure the Dahlia Blues. You just have to take a (virtual) trip south! To the Southern Hemisphere that is!
At this time of year, flower farmers in Australia are gearing up to begin planting their dahlias. And when it’s bleak and cold here, they will be showing off blooms galore!
Today, I thought I would share with you some of my favorite farms to follow. So pull up your Instagram and get ready to go down the rabbit hole!
@florelieseasonalflowers A Dahlia farm in Bungaree, Australia
@the_flowering_field Burra, NSW Australia
@southernhighlandsflowerfarm Southern Highlands, NSW Australia
@geelong_dahlias Moolap, VIC Australia
@serenade_farm_tamborine_mtn Tamborine Mountain, Australia
There are many more but these are some of my favorites! It’s really fun to learn about how dahlias are grown in other climates and parts of the world!
Coming to terms with loss....
The idea of loss in growing is something I’ve wanted to discuss for a long time now- but it’s not the most alluring topic. However, accepting that we will lose plants when growing is important.
I think most of us would agree that it’s generally been a harder than average year for growing dahlias. In fact, if this is your first year— hang in there, It’s not always this way! If you are still interested in growing dahlias after this rough year, then I’d say that I think you have what it takes to be a great dahlia grower. I feel like this year is an ideal time to talk about loss.
So let’s define what I mean when I say “loss”. I’m referring to plants dying due to rot, disease, pest pressure, lack of attention, adverse weather conditions, or just failure to thrive. Commercial growers are familiar with this idea. We figure it into our crop projections. We know that we will lose a certain percentage of our crop because there are so many factors out of our control.
I assume that I’m going to lose 20% of my dahlia crop in my financial crop projections. I do include not being able to sell a % of the crop due to things like over production at certain times (when the dahlias are in flush but your demand doesn’t quite meet the supply) or blooms coming on at the wrong time in your sales cycle.
But most of the loss comes from things like tuber rot, possible disease (we cull at the better safe than sorry stage), or pest damage.
Loss is normal. Say it again- Loss. is. normal. Now I know it’s harder to accept when you aren’t growing 1000’s. I’ll admit that I don’t sweat it anymore (well not that much). When you grow 1000’s, losing a few hundred is normal. But when you buy 5 for your garden, it hurts losing even one. But it’s still normal.
We aren’t perfect beings and neither are our plants— They are grown by us, ya know! We as humans make mistakes. As dahlias get more and more popular, unfortunately the rate of mistakes will arise. And by mistakes I mean mislabeled tubers, possible virus in the tubers or rooted cuttings. It’s going to happen.
So what can you do about it? I’ve given it a lot of thought this summer. First off, I’ve decided to adopt an attitude of grace. It’s important to remember that we are human. We are not perfect. We make mistakes — Just like that dahlia grower who sold you the wrong tuber. Tuber sellers aren’t out to send you the wrong thing- but remember they pretty much all look alike once frost comes! It’s hard to keep track of several hundred varieties.
Every year, I trial around 100 varieties. (Yes, I’m as addicted as you are!) This means that I order from a lot of different sources, I try out new ones all the time. So I know this increases my chances of getting a mislabel, poor quality, etc.
So the second thing I’ve done is to increase my level of education. This is where it’s important to learn the symptoms of possible virus in a tuber. It’s important to evaluate and inspect each tuber that arrives. And to inspect them in a timely manner— don’t let that box sit in the corner for weeks. Being a highly educated consumer allows you to catch mistakes earlier and to protect your field from becoming virus infested.
Third, keep up with how tubers from certain sellers perform. It can be hard to figure out reputable dealers at first- this takes time. But one thing you can do is make friends with other dahlia growers— We love to talk dahlias and most are willing to share who offers great quality.
Fourth- It comes back to grace here— except that even the most reputable dealer out there is going to screw up at some point. Give them a chance to make it right before you go blabbing it to the world- just a common courtesy.
Fifth— Grace again here- but this time give it to yourself and accept that somethings are out of your control. You can have the healthiest tuber out there and then the weather comes along and hands you conditions that no tuber should have to grow in. (This has been the case a lot this season!) It sucks to lose an expensive variety but it happens and it will happen again in the future. Loss is normal. But so is success- Remember you may have lost 1 out of that 10 but 9 are still blooming their heads off!!
Remember it’s more about learning a new skill- how to grow an amazing dahlia. Learning this skill requires that you accept the idea of loss. Once you’ve accepted it as normal, it becomes less of an ordeal and you can focus on the gorgeous beauty of a garden full of dahlias!
