Welcome to another installment of the Garden Diaries, a series in which I share all of the highs and lows of the growing season. Today’s big news is definitely a “high”- the very first dahlias of the season have bloomed. Finally!
After a rough start to the growing season (lots of rain, cold nights, etc.), our dahlias have had a good stretch of warm weather, including warm nights, to help them grow over the past month or so. Just a couple days ago the first hints of pink peeked from one of the buds and soon we had a couple small dahlia blooms. Better late than never!
Aren’t they beautiful? I may love peonies most of all, but Dahlias are a very close second in my ranking of favorite flowers.
It looks like we’ll soon have even more dahlia blooms to share as other buds are beginning to open up.
I do have to say that it has been a very odd season for dahlias here. Of course, as I said, there was the cold and damp start to summer. But now the dahlias seem to have grown as tall as they’ll be and are ready to bloom, but they’re so short! Even the dinnerplate dahlia plants are oddly small this year, literally feet shorter than they should be. If the blooms are as big as they are supposed to be, they’ll be as big as the actual plant!
I have seen other people comment that their plants are also quite small this year, perhaps due to the weird growing season. But I’m curious- did anyone else have the same experience? If you’re a dahlia grower, please comment below!
Veggie Haul
My little veggie garden has been doing so well recently. Peas are in season now, and we’ve been snacking on them almost every day. They’re also so delicious in grilled vegetables!
I planted some little green onion starts in the beginning of summer that are now ready to be picked and used. They’re so fresh and super tender- perfect for adding to salad dressings and as toppings for potatoes.
My bell peppers are also beginning to ripen. I’m really looking forward to cooking with and snacking on these! There’s no comparison between fresh ones and those from the store- the ones from the garden just have so much more flavor.
Last but not least, my green bean plants (which I have never grown before) have been very happy. I picked a ton of green beans off of them this week, and we ate some with dinner the other night. There’s something so rewarding about eating something you grew yourself.
I’ve been storing the peas and green beans I’ve been picking in these Debbie Meyer Green Bags, which my mom has been using forever. They are meant to keep produce fresher for longer and are also reusable. I highly recommend them if you’re going to be harvesting from your own garden, or if you just want to keep store-bought produce fresh for longer in the fridge.
| Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|
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Debbie Meyer GreenBags 32-Pack (16M, 8L, 8XL) – Keeps Fruits, Vegetables, and Cut Flowers, Fresh... |
$17.99
$16.99 |
Buy on Amazon |
Last update on 2024-09-12 at 03:14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API / Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
That's all for this little update!
Nights are already beginning to cool down again around here and I can feel autumn creeping in. It’s kind of crazy… it feels like summer just started. While I love fall, I’m not really ready for it to start quite yet.
Hopefully, I’ll be updating you again soon with more dahlia pictures, but until then you can check out my other Garden Diaries posts below and shop some of my gardening favorites.
Catch up on the Garden Diaries:
Shop My Garden Favorites
Grow Bags
for flowers, veggies, and more
| Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|
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JNYONG 12-Pack 7 Gallon Thickened Non-Woven Grow Bags, Aeration Fabric Pots with Handles |
$21.99
$20.99 |
Buy on Amazon |
Last update on 2024-09-13 at 01:01 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API / Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Osmocote Plant Food
for vegetables & flowers
| Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|
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Osmocote Smart-Release Plant Food Flower & Vegetable, 2 lb. |
$15.49
$10.98 |
Buy on Amazon |
Last update on 2024-09-12 at 03:31 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API / Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
