Dahlia Decisions

Our 2024 dahlia season is officially over, and all the dahlias are (thankfully) dug, divided, and safely stored until next season. It was a very challenging growing year, as climate change brought early heatwaves and crippling drought, which took a toll on the farm flowers, especially our dahlias. We lost many plants to the heat; others struggled or succumbed to disease because of the stress. The plants that remained started blooming several weeks later than in previous seasons. But, despite the climate difficulties, by the end of the season, with a bit of babying, most varieties had caught up and bloomed beautifully throughout the fall. While the growing season was difficult and the digging and dividing were backbreaking, nothing will be as challenging as what lies ahead: dahlia decisions.

For the past three years, we have increased the number of dahlias we grow. In 2024, we more than doubled the number of plants grown from the previous season, reaching nearly 200 plants in over 30 varieties, including three Whistling Bee varieties bred here on the farm. These are small numbers compared to the larger flower farms, but they seem to be the perfect amount for our micro-farm with limited growing space. During the season, I closely monitored all the varieties. I took photographs and notes regarding plant health and the productivity and vase life of the blooms, much like in our 2023 Dahlia Project. As a cut flower farm, we are looking for varieties that work well in bouquets, have a good vase life for our customers, and produce abundant blooms and tubers. We trial several new varieties each season and grow a few open-centered types solely to feed the pollinators.

Once the dahlia tubers are safely stored for the winter at the end of each season, I review my notes and embark on the most difficult part of growing dahlias on a micro-farm: deciding which to keep. Because of our limited growing space, I must grow only the varieties that meet or exceed our criteria. I would keep them all if I had my way! But, unfortunately, that’s not an option, so I’ll spend the winter months agonizing over these decisions while creating our 2025 Dahlia Plan.

While I have many difficult dahlia decisions ahead, a few varieties stood out this season. So, in today’s post, I thought I would share with you which dahlia varieties impressed us in 2024 despite the growing challenges. Undoubtedly, these have all earned a spot on the farm next year and for many years to come.

Peaches and Dreams: We started growing this variety in 2022, which has impressed us every season. The peach and yellow blooms are particularly stunning in the fall when their coloration intensifies. These make excellent cut flowers and are highly productive.

Ivanetti: We added this variety in 2023. I am completely enamored with its plum-hued petals, which look beautiful in bouquets. They have strong stems and make excellent cut flowers.  

Robin Hood: This variety has been in the lineup since 2021, a testament to how special Robin Hood is. An excellent cut flower, the ball-shaped blooms are long-lasting and look exceptionally brilliant in our fall bouquets and arrangements.

Jowey Winnie: Wow, this variety was a rock star this season! It was one of the first to bloom for us and stayed productive the entire season despite the challenging growing conditions. We harvested bucket after bucket of these beauties. The coloration is stunning, and the blooms are long-lasting. This one also holds a special place in my heart because my grandmother was named Winnie.

Isabel: Another season standout! Isabel wowed us with each plant being loaded with blooms all season long. The cheery lavender/dusty rose coloration was eye-catching in our summer bouquets, and the vase life was impressive.

Black Satin: This was another 2023 addition. The deep black-red coloration is stunning! The flowers are intensely colored and almost black. These unique blooms are particularly festive during the fall spooky season.

Alpen Cherub: Open-centered collarette varieties often have a shorter vase life. But these delightfully cheery, pure white blooms with bright yellow centers stole my heart when they first bloomed on the farm. The pollinators adore them, and so do I! They also pump out the blooms all season long.

Copper Boy: This variety was new to the farm this season, and boy, did it impress! It bloomed true to its name, with incredible deep red flowers with a coppery undertone. These dazzled in our fall bouquets and bloomed all season long for us. We will definitely be growing more of these next season!

Kelgai Ann: This variety was one of my unicorns. I waited years to get some tubers to grow here on the farm and finally succeeded. But you know what? It was worth the wait! This stunning variety stopped me in my tracks the first (and every) time I saw it bloom. The peony-like flowers of this waterlily form close at night and reopen during the day, making them even more charming. From the moment I saw this one, I knew it was not only my favorite dahlia of the season but also my favorite of all time (so far, anyway!). The exquisite blooms were surprisingly long-lasting and prolific all season and filled the room with joy when placed in a vase. Kelgai Ann will always have a spot here at Whistling Bee Farm and in my heart.

Seedlings: Lastly, I have to mention our Whistling Bee dahlia seedlings because they, too, stood out this season. They performed like champs during the climate challenges, providing plenty of food for the pollinators. They bloomed prolifically with little care and impressed me with their performance. Several tubers from our third-year seedling, Dawn’s Early Light, spent the season being grown and evaluated at Triple Wren Farms in Washington State as part of their Novice Hybridizer Program. We hope they were as impressed as we were and await their findings! We plan to continue growing these seedlings and many more next season to expand our dahlia breeding project.

While I know making all the other dahlia decisions will be difficult, I’m happy to have finalized our decision on these spectacular varieties. They have quickly earned their spot on the farm in the 2025 growing season. I’d love to hear your thoughts on these dahlias and recommendations for others you think we should grow. Tell me about your dahlia unicorns or varieties that always make your must-grow list.  And if you are also preparing to make difficult dahlia decisions, I wish you luck!