Willow Lane Flower Farm

12/05/2023

#1

20th Ave Memory

If you have been following me for a while this sweet bloom as #1 should not be a surprise! This was the most used/requested bloom in our garden by far! A shorter plant but that’s because she is so busy pushing out blooms on long stems she has no time to grow tall! The blooms are consistently at that slight angle that is ideal for arrangements. Blooms early! Starts out pale pink when pale pink is what you’re after, then heads more blush as fall arrives. Her timing is perfect! And her tubers are plentiful and easy to divide. I will have lots of tubers in our sale as we grew a large section this season.

Top 10 List

That’s a wrap on the top 10, tomorrow I will post some honorable mentions.

These are the varieties that performed well for the majority of the season, made great cut flowers, and produced at least 5+ tubers. All will be available in our Dahlia tuber sale December 7th at 9pm.

12/04/2023

#2

Bloomquist York

This variety wins the award for most loved from visitors to our fields! Tall stately blooms that rise up on long sturdy stems! For such large blooms this plant produces and produces! This plant also creates large tubers and a LOT of them! Pairs well with KA Mocha Katie and KA Rosie Jo.

Top 10 List

Over the next few days I’ll finish highlighting my favorite dahlias from this past season. These are the varieties that performed well for the majority of the season, made great cut flowers, and produced at least 5+ tubers. All will be available in our Dahlia tuber sale December 7th at 9pm.

12/03/2023

#3

KA Mocha Katie

She had me at that delicate picotee edge! A true workhorse! Early bloomer that didn’t take a break. If you enjoy growing from seed, this gal is an amazing seed mama! I collected an average of 15 seeds per pod. This year I only grew her from cuttings. The very early cuttings produced some nice tubers, I would expect next year plants grown from tubers to be productive as well.

Top 10 List

Over the next few days I’ll finish highlighting my favorite dahlias from this past season. These are the varieties that preformed well for the majority of the season, made great cut flowers, and produced at least 5+ tubers. All will be available in our dahlia tuber sale December 7th at 9pm.

12/01/2023

#4

Irish d Porter

The most adorable little pom with strong super thin long stems. A couple of the blooms are a little older so starting to show their centers but doesn’t initially. Very productive and another that goes with any pallet, can you see a theme?😊

Top 10 List

Over the next week I’ll note my favorite dahlias from this past season. These are the varieties that preformed well for the majority of the season, made great cut flowers, and produced at least 5+ tubers. All will be available in our dahlia tuber sale December 7th at 9pm.

11/30/2023

#5

20th Ave Old Major

This plant has all the traits! But the thing that impressed me most is the longevity of these blooms! The petal count is like no other. The centers stayed tight until the blooms were literally falling apart. Not ever did they start open! Tall, sturdy stems! Generous tubers. Non-stop early bloom production! My go to for lavender.

Top 10 List

Over the next week I’ll note my favorite dahlias from this past season. These are the varieties that preformed well for the majority of the season, made great cut flowers, and produced at least 5+ tubers. All will be available in our dahlia tuber sale December 7th at 9pm.

11/28/2023

#7

Tie…Coseytown Bounty & Coseytown Gale

Both of these were stars all season. Long stems, occasionally a little thin but very usable. Amazing tuber makers! Healthy robust plants!

Top 10 List

Over the next week I’ll note my favorite dahlias from this past season. These are the varieties that preformed well for the majority of the season, made great cut flowers, and produced at least 5+ tubers. All will be available in our dahlia tuber sale December 7th at 9pm.

11/27/2023

Top 10 List

Over the next week I’ll note my favorite dahlias from this past season. These are the varieties that preformed well for the majority of the season, made great cut flowers, and produced at least 5+ tubers. All will be available in our dahlia tuber sale December 7th at 9pm est.

#8 Bloomquist Alan

You are going to find a lot of the blendy toned dahlias on our top 10 list as they work well with so many pallets. They often change slightly throughout the season fading or intensifying in color, Bloomquist Alan is no exception. Besides the generous size blooms, this plants stems were consistently long and strong all season. A nice robust plant that bloomed early all the way until the end. However, it almost didn’t make the list with the tuber production criteria, it made 5 -6 nice tubers fairly consistently with the plants that we grew.

11/26/2023

Top 10 List

Over the next week I’ll note my favorite dahlias from this past season. These are the varieties that preformed well for the majority of the season, made great cut flowers, and produced at least 5+ tubers. All will be available in our dahlia tuber sale December 7th at 9pm est.

#9 Cornel Bronze

This is arguably one of the most used dahlias in floral work. It may not be flashy but it is a neutral that works well with so many pallets. An excellent tuber producer.

11/25/2023

Top 10 List

Over the next week I’ll note my favorite dahlias from this past season. These are the varieties that preformed well for the majority of the season, made great cut flowers, and produced at least 5+ tubers. All will be available in our dahlia tuber sale December 7th at 9pm est.

#10 AC Firefly
This hit the mark for all the fall arrangements, they also looked adorable in pumpkins. An average size bushy plant. Beautiful foliage.

11/24/2023

Dahlia Tuber Preview is uploaded to our website! 80+ varieties! Please let me know if you have any questions. I will be adding item details and editing over the next few days, but if all goes as planned this will be the selection offered. Dahlia sale is December 7th at 9pm EST.

11/23/2023

11/22/2023

🌺TUBER SALE DECEMBER 7th, 9pm EST🌺

Last week the digging and dividing was completed. ✔️

Next up, updating the website with the first round of dahlia tubers! This will be the varieties that produced well. We will only be listing about 1/2 or less of our inventory to help ensure no cancellations in this first round. In March once eyes are active we will list the remaining varieties and additional stock of the varieties listed in our December sale! Lots more info coming!

A preview will be announced soon, stay tuned!

Pictured: 20th Ave. Memory was our top pre-former with
blooms and tubers, almost 200 tubers! I attribute the success of this particular plant variety to very healthy stock!

11/13/2023

Yesterday was a tough day in the dahlia patch, I found so much crown rot.😢 Farming is full of ups and downs, highs and lows, and can be extremely unpredictable. But you have to focus on the highs! And Sylvia Craig Hunter was there to cheer me up!!

Here is what I ended up with after dividing two clumps. I think she beat Bloomquist York in size! Not that size is really important when planting a tuber. In fact the opposite. A large tuber can cause a plant to be lazy and slow to get going as it has enough energy stored to last all season! About 1/4 this size is ideal but with a neck larger than a pencil.

She is a tall robust plant, blooming on the later side, but so worth the wait!

11/11/2023

“N-Force”

Up next on the chopping block! Can you believe the size of those tubers…and this is after the initial trim!

11/10/2023

Dahlia Dig & Divide Demonstration.

Tomorrow, Saturday, 4pm.
Come on out for a quick free demonstration, I will also show you how I prepare tubers for winter storage. Please message me to rsvp.

11/09/2023

“Bloomquist York”

On my top 10 list for so many reasons! This was one of our most prolific blooms and one of the biggest tuber makers! 10 plants created 182 tubers!

Look for them in our upcoming tuber sale end of December/early January.
Sign up for a notification on our website.

https://willowlaneflowerfarm.square.site/

11/05/2023

“Ferncliff Dolly”

I’ve been a little absent as it’s dahlia tuber harvest season! A little window of time… to lift, wash, divide, wash again, label, inventory and wrap for storage.. between light frost and the ground freezing.

This is the first Ferncliff variety out of the ground! While Ferncliff Dolly may not make many tubers, wowzers they are huge! She is also a generous seed producer.

And bee approved!

If you would like to see a harvest and dividing demonstration I am available today at 4pm., just message me. I will offer an additional one next Saturday as well at 4pm.

10/21/2023

🌺End of Season Special!🌺

Today and tomorrow!

25 stems $25

I will have buckets of dahlias cut, and you can select your 25 stems. I will have some vases available for a dollar each. Please message me if you would like to stop by.

Thank you so very much to all my customers this season? It has been such a joy to see the smiles flowers bring it to peoples hearts! Till next year!

Example of what 25 stems looks like in a vase.

10/20/2023

“Wildwood Marie“

I almost didn’t grow this one again because last year it struggled - mostly I think due to her tall neighbors, but apparently she liked her new spot next to the house where she can breath and do her own thing!

A delicate waterlily….that makes amazing tubers, nothing delicate about them!

10/19/2023

The state of my front porch a few minutes ago, on a rainy fall morning…

Three weddings about to be adorned with dahlia’s!

What a pleasure it has been to provide thousands of dahlia’s this season to some extremely talented wedding designers!

Let’s hope that frost holds off for two weddings next weekend, but this weekend we will start cutting back the dahlias for the harvest of tubers.

10/12/2023

Who could not resist a dahlia called “Cupcake”. This one has preformed so well for me.

10/06/2023

In our October rainbow so many of our pinks have taken on a purple hue. Here are the ones up for consideration for 2024. Which is your favorite?

10/03/2023

Did you know that if you plant seeds from a dahlia you will grow a brand new variety! Each seed will be unique! The only way to repeat the same variety is to divide the dahlias tubers or take a cutting of the foliage.

Here are a few of our favorites that came out of our little seedling patch! Thank you Lisa for some of these seeds and to Karen for germinating them!

09/30/2023

What a peaceful foggy morning in the dahlia fields, soaking up every second!

09/29/2023

09/28/2023

Thank you, Lissette, for your visit this afternoon and for capturing the magic happening in our gardens!

09/25/2023

For me collecting dahlias is like a treasure hunt! This is one treasure that is hard to find! So enjoying having GC Pink Lemonade in our field this year! Lemonade anyone?

09/22/2023

To all my floral designers. I have these interesting Aralia Sun King buds. They hold well. I would personally remove all the leaves. Stems are endless. This is a shrub that dies back each winter . I have about 8 shrubs. Let me know if you want to give them a try.

09/20/2023

09/18/2023

09/15/2023

Here are some close ups of the dahlia display for those taking notes. Of the 192 displayed, we are growing about 185 of them here at Willow Lane and should have tubers available for next season. Ruby Moon Floral will also have tubers.

Special thanks to Sue and Jaidyn for helping with the setup.

09/15/2023

09/14/2023

Not doing anything tonight?? Then come explore all the fall festivities at Ruby Moon Floral! Food trucks, music, pumpkins, mums, vendors, U-pick flower field and an extensive dahlia display! I lost count at 160!

09/13/2023

I’ve been busy cutting blooms for the dahlia display at Ruby Moon Floral tomorrow night..check out all the details for their Fall Festival!

Here are two crazy ones that will be on display along with about 150 of their friends. All individually labeled! A perfect time to start your shopping list for tubers to grow in your own garden next year!

Pictured: Normandy Wild Willie and Hollyhill Jester- almost every bloom is different with these two characters!

09/12/2023

What a fun night learning about growing dahlias! I’ve had several requests to add an alternate date. You may now register on the website for Saturday, September 23rd.

🌺🌸 NEW - included with your registration! Bucket of dahlias and mixed flowers and fillers! $45 value-which makes the class free! 🌸🌺

DAHLIA CRASH COURSE

September 23rd, 9-11am
Come spend an morning learning all things dahlia! We will cover an entire year of growing! Learn how to care for your tubers year after year so that you only have to purchase them once, but have years of enjoyment!

Class Topics

-selecting tubers for cut flowers or competitions.
-planting/stacking
-summer care/maintenace
-plant health and pest management
-harvesting blooms/vase life
-digging tubers/dividing
-storage

Included
-class
-light refreshments
-bucket of flowers-$45 value
-early access to our Website Tuber Sale this winter. Time to create a wish list from our blooming fields.

Minimum class size 4, max 20. No refunds, however, class cost may be used as a credit towards dahlias in the 2023 season.

Register on our website.

https://willowlaneflowerfarm.square.site/

Picture…the beautiful selections from last nights participants.

09/11/2023

This weeks project!
As a flower farmer that intends to sell tubers, it is vital to confirm correct identification. Here is our method. Once the tubers are dug, they will be divided one cultivar at a time and labeled on each tuber with an abbreviation of its name.
60 done, only about 900 to go!