A handful of Dahlia ‘Thicket’s Rescue’.

Dahlia ‘Thicket’s Rescue’

Features

  • Pollinator-friendly

Description

This variety is now in my top five favorites of all time. Bred by 10-year old twins with the help of their mom, the towering, 6-ft-tall plants have dark green foliage and long chocolate stems that are topped with huge, smoky raspberry-red blooms with pointed petal tips that fade as they age. Each flower has a striking ring of white twizzles kissed with cranberry. The flowers are very long lasting when cut and it is a favorite with the pollinators.

Details

Form: collarette
Bloom size: unknown
Site: full sun
Days to maturity: 80 to 100 days
Plant spacing: 12 to 18 in
Pinch: when 12 in tall

Harvesting/Vase Life

Dahlias don’t unfurl much once they’ve been harvested so it’s important to not pick them too early. Harvest when blooms are three-quarters of the way open, but not overly ripe. Check the back of each flower head, looking for firm and lush petals versus papery or slightly dehydrated ones. Place into water with hydrator, or sear stem ends by placing into 160°F to 180°F (just off boiling) water and allow to cool for one hour. Expect a vase life of 5 days.

Details

Description

This variety is now in my top five favorites of all time. Bred by 10-year old twins with the help of their mom, the towering, 6-ft-tall plants have dark green foliage and long chocolate stems that are topped with huge, smoky raspberry-red blooms with pointed petal tips that fade as they age. Each flower has a striking ring of white twizzles kissed with cranberry. The flowers are very long lasting when cut and it is a favorite with the pollinators.

Details

Form: collarette
Bloom size: unknown
Site: full sun
Days to maturity: 80 to 100 days
Plant spacing: 12 to 18 in
Pinch: when 12 in tall

Harvesting/Vase Life

Dahlias don’t unfurl much once they’ve been harvested so it’s important to not pick them too early. Harvest when blooms are three-quarters of the way open, but not overly ripe. Check the back of each flower head, looking for firm and lush petals versus papery or slightly dehydrated ones. Place into water with hydrator, or sear stem ends by placing into 160°F to 180°F (just off boiling) water and allow to cool for one hour. Expect a vase life of 5 days.

Sources

How to Grow

Dahlia Mini Course

Learn how to successfully dig, divide & store dahlias for an abundance of blooms year after year

In this free, three-part video series, you’ll learn how and when to dig up your dahlia tuber clumps, how to divide dahlias to multiply your stock, and how to successfully store dahlias for an abundance of blooms year after year.