(A love letter to the Dahlia’s that make our house look like a magazine spread)
If you’ve ever cut a handful of dahlias, brought them inside, and immediately felt like you should cancel your plans and just… admire your own countertop. Same.
All the varieties that we grow at Russells Mills are GOOD cut flowers (it’s what we do!) but some are easier keepers than others, or last longer in a vase.
Here are a few of our favorite dahlia varieties for cutting:
The Workhorses (aka the ones doing the heavy lifting)
These are your bouquet backbone: strong stems, good vase life, and blooms that hold up.
SALMON RUNNER: A cheerful coral colored bloom that shimmers in the light. Sturdy stems that last in a vase and travel well from garden to kitchen.
CORALIE: Perfectly pink, and incredibly useful for filling in bouquets and making everything feel finished.
MAARN: A true workhorse that's loaded with blooms all season long and the blooms last (nearly) forever.
CENTER COURT: A creamy-white beauty on long stems. We harvest tens of thousands of blooms from this farm staple every season.
CORNEL BRONZE: Burnt orange, goes-with-everything perfection. This one quietly ends up in every bouquet because it plays so nicely with other colors and has the structure to hold up.
The Supporting Cast (a little particular, very worth it)
These aren’t quite as set-it-and-forget-it as the workhorses, but they’re absolutely worth growing. Give them a little extra attention at harvest, and they’ll reward you with some of the prettiest blooms in the patch.
APPLE BLOSSOM: Quite possibly the cutest bloom we grow on the farm. Harvest when not fully open to get the most vase life.
CREAMY: A small buttercream bloom.
ROCKSTAR: Another anemone shaped bloom that looks perfect in fall color palettes.
SANDIA BROCADE: One of Bethanie’s all-time favorites, this beauty should be harvested when half the petals are unfurled for best vase life.
SMALL WORLD: Small but oh-so-cute this pom pom deserves a spot in the vase to add some fun!
Although some blooms are small or don't last as long due to their characteristics, we LOVE the effects they have on a vase arrangement or bouquet.
The Drama (and we mean that lovingly)
These are the show-stoppers. The “you built this bouquet just for me, didn’t you?” flowers.
Not always the longest-lasting but completely worth growing.
PEACHES N CREAM: Dramatic looking.
BREAKOUT: A cute pink-yellow blend dinnerplate.
CAFE AU LAIT: The most well known dinner plate dahlia.
ISLANDER: Truly stunning and a favorite of everyone who sees it.
ROQUE STARBURST: Such a rare color, grey-silver looking.
Larger sized blooms are sometimes referred to as dinner plates for their size. Although they don't last as long in a vase, they command all of the attention when they are in one.
A Few Quick Tips (because it makes all the difference)
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Harvest in the cool of the morning or evening
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Strip lower leaves and change water often
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And don’t be shy…cutting actually encourages more blooms
Some dahlias are better for cutting than others. But the best ones?
They’re the ones you can’t wait to bring inside.
