Larry’s Love dahlia is a popular and captivating cultivar, known for its unique charm and vibrant presence. This dahlia variety offers a delightful addition to any garden space, promising intricate blooms. Its distinct characteristics make it a favored choice for enhancing landscapes with elegance and consistent beauty.
Understanding Larry’s Love Dahlia
The ‘Larry’s Love’ dahlia exhibits a distinctive flower form, typically decorative or dinnerplate, showcasing large, impressive blossoms. Its color palette often features blends of soft pinks, purples, and sometimes white, creating an eye-catching display. These sizable flowers make a significant visual impact, and the plant’s substantial height makes it an excellent focal point in garden designs.
Planting and Growing Conditions
For successful cultivation, ‘Larry’s Love’ dahlias require an optimal planting site. These plants thrive in locations receiving at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight daily, ideally with morning sun and some afternoon shade in hotter climates to prevent scorching. The soil should be well-draining and rich in nutrients, benefiting from amendments like compost or well-rotted manure worked into the top 10-12 inches.
Planting occurs in late spring after all danger of frost has passed and soil temperatures have warmed, often when tomatoes are planted. Tubers should be placed 4 to 6 inches deep, with the “eye” facing upwards. Adequate spacing, generally 12 to 18 inches apart, ensures proper air circulation and allows the plant to reach full size without overcrowding. After planting, an initial thorough watering settles the soil, but withhold further watering until sprouts emerge to prevent rot.
Ongoing Care for Healthy Blooms
Once ‘Larry’s Love’ dahlias are established, consistent deep watering is important for vigorous growth and abundant blooms. Aim for about 1 inch of water per week, adjusting frequency based on climate and soil type, potentially watering two to three times a week, or even daily in hot, dry conditions. Deep watering encourages strong, supportive roots.
Fertilization is also important for healthy blooms. Apply a formula low in nitrogen but higher in phosphorus and potassium (e.g., 5-10-10 or 10-20-20) monthly before flowering begins. This promotes blooms over excessive foliage.
Support structures are often necessary for ‘Larry’s Love’ dahlias, especially those growing three feet or taller, to prevent stems from breaking under the weight of large flowers or strong winds. Staking at planting time helps avoid tuber damage, using materials like bamboo stakes, metal rods, or tomato cages. Regularly deadhead spent blooms to encourage more flowers throughout the season, redirecting energy from seed production to new bud formation.
Winter Storage and Tuber Division
In regions with cold winters (USDA Zones 7 and lower), ‘Larry’s Love’ dahlia tubers will not survive freezing temperatures and must be lifted for winter storage. This process begins after the first hard frost, signaling dormancy and tuber maturation.
After cutting back foliage, carefully dig around the tuber clump, gently shaking off excess soil. Once dug, gently rinse tubers to remove remaining soil and allow them to dry or “cure” for a few days in a cool, dry, dark, well-ventilated area. Curing prevents rot during storage.
Store tubers in a cool, dark, frost-free environment (40-50°F / 4-10°C, 75-85% humidity), packed in materials like peat moss, vermiculite, or wood shavings to maintain moisture. Divide tubers in the fall after digging or in early spring before replanting. Each viable division needs at least one “eye” and a piece of the crown where it connects to the stem.