By Arthur Haskins
I have been growing dahlias for over 50 years now and there are a number of dahlia varieties that I grow every year because they do consistently well every time, I like to call them the “Go to Guys”.
A poor performing dahlia takes up just as much room in the garden as a really good one so it should be a no brainer to drop these lesser varieties in favour of something better, but it is hard sometimes to let go of some of these. A good example is that old pink dahlia that Aunt Mary gave you that droops its flower head down due to very weak stems, she has been gone for nearly thirty years now so what’s the worst thing that can happen if you ditch it? A haunting is always possible, I guess.
To make the “Go to Guys” list the variety needs to produce a number of good quality blooms every year and also make great clumps of tubers that store well over the long winter, so you have enough to replant, sell at the Dahlia Society of Nova Scotia Tuber Sale in May and have some to share with your dahlia friends come spring.
A few of my old standards are Magic Moment B SC W, Kens Choice BA R, Yellow Baby Pom Y, Ruskin Diane BB FD Y, and Camano Sitka B IC BR/Y. Some newer ones that have joined the group are Mikayla Miranda B ID LB L/W, Hollyhill Jitterbug BB SC OR, Hollyhill Pinkie M LC P/W, and Ivanette BA PR.
I have downsized my dahlia garden this year (if you want to call growing only 150 dahlia plants downsizing) and have had to reduce the number of varieties I grow, but along with the more reliable “Go to Guys” I always leave a few spots to try a few new ones if only on a trial run for a year.