Franz Kafka Dahlia Plant

Franz Kafka Dahlia charms your garden with its petite 2-3 inch blooms, showcasing dark pink to lilac-pink petals rolled into perfect, pompon spheres that float above the foliage. This delightful variety blooms steadily from midsummer to frost, adding a sweet, vibrant touch to borders, containers, and cut arrangements, set against lush dark green leaves on sturdy stems.

And this little gem keeps the magic rolling. It churns out those dainty, honeycombed flowers all season with cheerful persistence, needing just a sunny nook and a sprinkle of care to shine. Heat? It glows through it like a summer star. Pests and deer? They spot this vivid beauty and scatter, no match for its quirky allure.

Planting Instructions:

• - Plant tubers when soil reaches 60°F. Space them 4-6 inches deep with crown up and roots down

Soil Preparation:

• - Prefers well-drained, fertile soil

Watering Specifics:

• - Wait until green sprouts emerge from the soil before watering
• - Then water deeply 2-3 times per week, and daily if plants are in containers

Fertilizer Type:

• - Use fertilizers with a lower nitrogen count; half the amount of nitrogen relative to phosphorus and potassium (lower N on NPK ratio)
• - Fertilize every 2-3 weeks for containers and every 3-4 weeks for soil grown plants

Pruning and Training:

• - Pinch back the main shoot to encourage branching and more flowers
• - Deadhead spent blooms to encourage continuous flowering

Additional Pest Management:

• - Inspect regularly for pests like aphids, slugs, and snails

Temperature Tolerance:

• - Protect plants from early frosts with mulch or fleece covers to extend the flowering season

Overwintering:

• - After frost has turned the foliage brown, dig up tubers and store them over the winter
• - Clean tubers and let them dry for a few days in a frost-free location, then store in cool, dry place in slightly moist peat moss or sand