The Cafe Au Lait Dahlia would have to be one of my favourite Dahlias. They range from a beautiful shade of pink to a soft pale peach colour.
They flower from Summer through to Autumn and are perfect for filling my vases full of flowers.
Planting
I first planted my Dahlia bulbs in a small pot throughout the winter season and waited until the first day of Spring to plant them in my garden.
They were kept undercover away from any frosts we may get throughout winter.
I planted them in two sections of the garden which are both in a sunny position. The first one was the old veggie patch near the chicken pen. This garden is slightly raised and each garden is surrounded by a boxed hedge border.
The boxed hedge did help protect the Dahlias a little from the hot summer winds.
The second position for some more Dahlias was in the big round garden in the middle of the backyard. Again this meant they would be getting full sun and this garden is also surrounded by a boxed hedge.
When I planted the bulbs I spaced them out with about 30 to 40 cm between them and placed a wooden stake in the ground to support them as they grew.
Conditions your Dahlias will love in the garden
- Sunny position
- Plant in Late October and November
- Well drained soil
- Protection from winds
- Plant at depth of 10 to 15cm
- Water well
- Fertilise
- Stake when planting for support
The Cafe Au Lait Dahlia has more than one hundred petals in each flower to make them so beautiful and they are long flowering with lots of lush foliage and are really easy to care for.
They are suitable for growing in garden beds or large pots. Plant them in the garden in early Spring when the frosts have finished. It’s recommended to stake your Dahlias in the garden to support them as they grow. This is best done when you’re planting your Dahlias so as to avoid damage to the tubular.
Plant your tubular at least 10cm and plant them in a sunny position in well-drained soil. They will need at least six hours of sun a day to flower.
The Cafe Au Lait Dahlia can grow up to 1.5 metres tall and its flowers can reach up to 30cm across.
Water & Fertilize
The Dahlias needed a lot of water throughout the summer season, we had some extremely hot days this year and sometimes I had to water up to two or three times a day, taking care to just water the bottom of the plant in the soil so as not to burn the leaves and flowers.
I also fertilized them regularly, mixing some Seasol in a watering can every couple of weeks. This has ensured the long flowering season I’ve had and the larger Dahlia blooms.
I have been so happy with my Cafe Au Lait Dahlias, and I’ve had so many blooms. Many growers recommend digging the bulbs up when they’ve finished for the season, especially in places where they experience extremely cold temperatures and frosts. So far I haven’t needed to dig my bulbs up.
The Cafe Au Lait Dahlia also attracts lots of bees in the garden, and it’s important to prune off any Dahlia flowers that have finished so as to encourage and make room for more growth and beautiful flowers.
My Cafe Au Lait Dahlias were bought from The Diggers Club in Dromana. Each season I add another Dahlia to my collection.
End Of Season Care
When your plant has finished flowering it’s recommended to leave them in the garden to die down.
You can leave them planted in the garden bed over winter if they are in a well-drained position. Dahlias should be dug up every couple of years to divide the tubular and keep them out of the frosts. Replant them in Spring when the weather warms up in the garden.
Planting a Dahlia garden is a great way to spend more time outside, pottering around and just enjoying the outdoors.
