I stepped outside and there it was, Cafe Au Lait Royal was making a statement on its own. What a beautiful bloom! I noticed when looking at more different blooms that this Cafe Au Lait Royal is bright purple with variations of more or less light-colored streaks. This variability in color means that it is not stable in appearance.
I have purchased a variety of dahlia tubers this year. Cafe Au Lait and Cafe Au Lait Royal are two varieties I couldn’t wait to see in person. I started the bulbs in gallon pots this spring because they were sprouting early. I had to bring the pots inside a few times to protect them from frost and did not water them much at first because sometimes the tubers will rot if they are kept too wet or placed in soggy soil that does not drain quickly.
Dahlias are very easy to start from seeds. The dahlia seeds I planted are Bishops Children, Figaro Mix, Unwin’s Dwarf, and Rainbow Mix. I started with a good quality potting mix and planted the seeds in flats at 1/4 in. depth. When the plants were two inches tall I transplanted them into cells. This past week I got the beds amended with a top dressing of composted wood chips and planted my seedlings. I am excited to see them growing and can’t wait for all the new blooms!
Lake Mary Gardens 