A Few Early Stars
- Debra Flaming
- Jul 27
- 2 min read
July 27th, 2026
Every summer has a season of waiting.
If you walked through our dahlia field today, you might be surprised to find very few flowers. Just last week we gave nearly every field plant its annual haircut, cutting them back to about 12–18 inches tall.
It feels a little strange to cut back healthy plants covered with buds, but this simple step is one of the best investments we can make for the season ahead. By encouraging each plant to branch, we're growing stronger stems, fuller plants, and healthier tubers that will reward us with even more beautiful blooms later this summer.
For now, the field is busy doing its work beneath the surface.
Fortunately, our garden tells a different story.
Because these dahlias were started early in the greenhouse, they have been blooming for several weeks and are giving us our first real glimpse of what this growing season has in store.
Even after trimming them back, many have already begun producing fresh blooms, and every morning brings another flower ready to enjoy.
One of the greatest joys of walking through the garden is seeing our own Flaming Acres Original varieties come to life. After making crosses, growing seedlings, and harvesting tubers, keeping them over the winter only to plant as tubers…it is so satisfying to see the beautiful foliage and flowers produced.
Several of these originals are blooming beautifully right now, and we couldn't be more excited to share them with you.
Many of the extra tubers from these varieties will become customer giveaways throughout the coming year. We love finding ways to thank those who have supported Flaming Acres Dahlias, and sharing these special varieties is one of our favorite ways to do it.
So while the field quietly prepares for its spectacular late-summer display, the garden is offering a beautiful preview of what's ahead.
We hope you enjoy these first blooms as much as we do.
The best is still to come.
Sincerely,
Debra Flaming
