Dahlia 'Great Silence' has been trouble-free and was the first dahlia to flower out of several that I've grown in large terracotta containers this year. While dahlia 'Princess Nadine' doesn't seem to last too long when cut and put in a vase, quickly dropping its petals, Great Silence lasts quite a while, turning more and more yellow as it goes along.
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Dahlia 'Great Silence'
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I find it best to keep dead-heading and cutting dahlia flowers for indoor use as it promotes new growth, allows side shoot flowers to form and, if cut ruthlessly from time to time, sacrificing a bud or three, stops it getting leggy, creating an overall stronger plant.
Dahlia flowers do not tend to keep opening once cut so a decision has to be made as whether to wait for all petals to totally unfurl (taking energy from any side shoot flowers) or cut it less fully open.
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| Dahlia 'Great Silence' ready for a vase |
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| Dahlia 'Great Silence' in a vase with a little Princess Nadine flower |
The above Great silence dahlias in a vase were cut not fully open to give side shoot buds left on the plant a chance to create bigger flowers.