Dahlia ‘Zingaro’ offers a captivating display for any garden with its striking blooms and vibrant presence. This dahlia variety is a popular choice among gardeners, known for its visual appeal. Cultivating this plant can bring a dynamic splash of color and form, making it a desirable addition for those seeking to enrich their outdoor spaces.
Distinctive Features
Zingaro Dahlia presents a unique color palette, featuring a blend of creamy white or soft yellow that transitions into pink, lilac-pink, or blush pink, often with touches of reddish-purple or dark magenta towards the center or petal edges. The blooms are typically classified as decorative dahlias, characterized by their fully double form. These flowers generally measure around 4 to 5.75 inches (10-14.6 cm) across.
The plant itself reaches a manageable height, usually between 28 to 36 inches (70-90 cm), making it suitable for various garden settings or containers. Its growth habit is often described as upright and bushy, forming clumps. With its distinctive coloration and moderate size, Zingaro Dahlia stands out as a prolific bloomer.
Planting and Growing Zingaro Dahlia
Site Selection and Soil
Zingaro Dahlia thrives in full sun. The soil should be well-drained and fertile, preventing water from accumulating around the tubers. While it adapts to various soil pH levels, including acidic, neutral, or alkaline conditions, incorporating organic matter like compost or aged manure enhances soil quality.
Planting
Planting dahlia tubers should occur in early spring, after the last frost date. Tubers are typically planted 2 to 6 inches (5-15 cm) deep with the “eye” or sprout facing upwards. Spacing between individual tubers should be approximately 24 to 40 inches (60-100 cm) to allow for adequate growth and air circulation. For an earlier start to the blooming season, tubers can be initiated indoors in containers a month or two before the last expected frost.
Watering
Keep soil consistently moist, but never waterlogged. After planting, if the climate is dry, light watering once a week helps the tuber establish roots until sprouts appear. Once the plants are established and actively growing, they require deep watering, typically weekly or 3-4 times per week, ensuring water reaches 8-10 inches (20-25 cm) deep into the soil. Container-grown dahlias may need watering once or twice daily, as their soil dries out more quickly.
Fertilizing
Zingaro Dahlias benefit from a low-nitrogen fertilizer, high in phosphorus and potassium content, often found in bloom-boosting or vegetable formulas. Look for NPK ratios such as 2-4-4, 5-10-10, or similar combinations. The first application of fertilizer should be about 30 days after planting, followed by monthly applications throughout the growing season. For dahlias in containers, a more frequent schedule of every 2-3 weeks may be necessary due to nutrient leaching.
Support
As Zingaro Dahlias mature and produce abundant blooms, their tall stems can become heavy and prone to falling over, especially in windy or rainy conditions. Providing support through staking is beneficial to prevent stem breakage and maintain an upright growth habit. Staking helps ensure the plant’s structural integrity and protects its impressive floral display.
Ongoing Care and Maintenance
Deadheading
Deadheading spent flowers encourages continuous blooming. This practice redirects the plant’s energy from seed production back into producing more flowers. Use sharp, clean pruners or snips to cut the faded bloom at the intersection of its stem and the first set of leaves. Weekly deadheading is generally sufficient, increasing to every other day during peak bloom periods.
Pest and Disease Management
Zingaro Dahlias can attract common garden pests such as slugs, snails, aphids, spider mites, and earwigs. Diseases like powdery mildew and gray mold can also affect dahlias, often linked to high humidity or poor air circulation. Regular inspection helps in early detection, and maintaining garden tidiness by removing plant debris reduces hiding spots for pests.
For managing aphids and spider mites, organic solutions like neem oil or insecticidal soap can be effective.
Copper barriers, diatomaceous earth, or beer traps may deter slugs and snails.
Improving air circulation and avoiding overhead watering can help prevent fungal diseases.
Prompt removal of affected plant parts is also a good practice to limit disease spread.
Overwintering
In colder climates where ground freezes, Zingaro Dahlia tubers typically need to be dug up and stored indoors for the winter.
This process should occur in the fall, after the first frost has blackened the foliage but before a hard freeze.
After lifting, allow the tubers to dry or “cure” for a few days in a frost-free location away from direct sunlight.
Once cured, gently remove excess soil.
Store the tubers in a cool, dry, dark, and frost-free environment, such as a basement or root cellar.
They can be placed in ventilated containers like cardboard boxes, milk crates, or paper bags, often layered with slightly moist peat moss, vermiculite, or sand to maintain humidity.
Periodic checks throughout winter are recommended to ensure tubers are not rotting or drying out excessively.