Her flower farm in Watsonville, California, is full of colorful varieties that ultimately grace many gardens around the country. One of these beauties is the dahlia. Arietta shows us how to grow them successfully and shares some of her tips on floral design, including creating arrangements from both freshly cut and dried flowers.
Dahlias produce large blooms with intense colors.
They are hardy in every state in the United States, but they may have problems with mildew and snails. To prevent mildew from attacking her dahlias, Arietta practices flood irrigation only when blooms emerge. She uses snail bait to reduce the number of snails in her garden. Floral arrangements and displays are an excellent way to add color and personality to a room. Arietta suggests floating dahlias in a shallow glass or silver bowl.