Elevate Your Dahlia Garden: Corral Style Trellising
Dahlias, with their vibrant blooms and diverse colors, are one of the most beloved flowers I grow!
But to truly showcase their beauty and ensure their health: proper support is essential. Trellising dahlias with twine, especially using the corral style method, not only adds support, but also promotes healthier growth and more abundant flowering. Read on to learn more!
The Necessity of Trellising Dahlias
Dahlias are known for their robust growth and large, showy flowers. But because they are so large-and-in-charge, they can quickly become a hot mess without adequate support.
Here's why trellising is crucial for dahlias:
Support for Heavy Blooms: Dahlia blooms can be heavy, especially when rain-soaked. Without proper support, the weight of the flowers can cause the stems to bend or break, leading to damage and reduced blooming.
Prevention of Flopping: Tall dahlia varieties are prone to flopping, especially in windy conditions. Trellising keeps those heavy beauties upright, like the good Lord intended. There’s nothing worse than coming out to the garden to find bent and broken stems after a breezy day! Trellising allows you to showcase your dahlias more effectively, creating a stunning display that's sure to impress.
Air Circulation: Proper air circulation is essential for preventing diseases such as powdery mildew and botrytis. By trellising dahlias, you allow air to flow freely around the plants, reducing the risk of fungal infections. This is especially effective if you strip the lower leaves of your dahlia plants!!
Corral Style Trellising with Twine
Corral style trellising is a simple yet effective method for supporting dahlias. And since I am such a visual learner, I made a video for you that shows the process, step-by-step!
Here's how to do it:
Materials Needed:
- Something to tie to: Wooden stakes, t posts, metal hoops, or bamboo poles etc.
- Twine or garden string (If you’ve got a lot of plants to trellis, I’d suggest getting this bulk spool)
- Scissors or pruners (yes of course these are my favorite pruners, but for cutting twine, you can also use smaller snips like this)
Steps:
Install Support Structure Begin by placing wooden stakes, bamboo poles, or whatever you choose to use around the perimeter of your dahlia bed. (You’ll see in my video I have metal hoops in my garden beds) Space them evenly, no more than about 6 feet apart, ensuring there's enough support for the entire row of dahlias.
Secure Stakes: Don’t just gently push them into the dirt, or the dahlias will pull them over! Drive the stakes or poles firmly into the ground, ensuring they're stable and able to support the weight of the dahlias.
Tie Twine Horizontally: Starting at one end of the row, (or honestly, any post) tie the twine to the first stake at a height of about 18-24 inches above the ground. Pull the twine taut and secure it to the next stake.
Make an X: Here’s where I throw reasoning to the wind: go whatever direction you want. You’ll want support on the outside, but also through the middle of your garden beds, like an “X” (see video for more details). Continue tying between each pair of stakes along the row, ensuring they're evenly spaced and parallel to one another.
Benefits of Corral Style Trellising
If you only have a few dahlias, you can absolutely trellis each plant independently. I would put the stake in the ground at the same time you plant the tuber, so you know where the plant is AND so you don’t damage the tuber when you place the stake.
But if you have multiple dahlias in a row, the corral method saves on posts and time! Just corral all of those babies in one large x-box (ha! I just typed that and it made me giggle. Not to be confused with an Xbox , but this is maybe more fun for a gardener?).
Conclusion
Trellising dahlias with twine using the corral style method is a practical way to support these stunning flowers. By providing the necessary structure and stability, you'll not only enhance the beauty of your garden but also ensure the health of your dahlias! So, elevate your dahlia garden to new heights with corral style trellising and enjoy a season filled with abundant blooms.
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