Dahlia 'Arabian Night' (Dahlia)

£6.99

Position: full sun
Soil: fertile, humus-rich soil
Rate of growth: average Flowering period: June to September
Hardiness: half hardy
Showy, flamboyant and available in a range of brilliant colours and strong shapes, dahlias are becoming popular again, as a way of adding bold splashes of colour to the garden in summer. 'Arabian Knight has masses of fully double, dark wine-red flowers with slightly incurved petals from June until the first frosts. Under certain light the petals of this small dahlia appear almost black. An ideal companion for plum-coloured flowers and foliage plants, it needs a sheltered, sunny site with fertile, humus-rich soil.Garden care: Stake with canes or brushwood as it becomes necessary.Deadhead and feed regularly to prolong flowering. Provide ahigh-nitrogen liquid feed each week in June, then a high-potashfertiliser each week from July to September. Once the first frosts haveblackened the foliage, carefully lift and clean the tubers and allowthem to dry naturally indoors. Place the dry tubers in a shallow tray,just covered with slightly moist potting compost, sand or vermiculite.Store in a frost-free place, checking frequently over the wintermonths. In warmer areas, tubers may be left to overwinter in theground, although they may suffer from slug damage, particularly inheavy clay soils.

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