Dahlia ‘Linda’s Baby’

Dahlia ‘Linda’s Baby’ is a delightful ball dahlia variety, offering a beautiful blend of soft, peach pink color, perfect form, and reliable growth. Its adaptability, ease of cultivation, and charming appearance make it a highly desirable choice for gardeners and floral designers. Whether used to enhance the beauty of a garden, as a standout in floral arrangements, or as part of a competitive display, ‘Linda’s Baby’ continues to enchant with its delicate beauty and horticultural charm. This dahlia is featured in our top 40 must-see dahlia flowers.

Dahlia ‘Linda’s Baby’: An In-depth Look

Dahlia ‘Linda’s Baby’ is a charming member of the ball dahlia category, renowned for its neatly formed, compact blooms. It captivates with its soft peach-pink petals, presenting a delicate and refined appearance. Ball dahlias are celebrated for their geometrically precise, spherical flowers.

Native: Dahlias are native to Mexico and Central America. This cultivar results from extensive breeding and does not occur naturally in the wild.

Plant Type and Habit: This dahlia is a tuberous-rooted perennial with a bushy, upright growth habit. This variety is appreciated for its robust growth and ability to produce a significant number of blooms throughout the growing season.

Size: It generally reaches about 36 inches in height (90 cm) and spreads around 18-24 inches (30-60 cm), depending on growing conditions.

Flowers: The blooms of ‘Linda’s Baby’ are particularly eye-catching, displaying a soft peach-pink color. They are medium-sized, typically measuring 3-4 inches (7-10 cm) in diameter. The petals are tightly arranged in a spherical shape, creating a full, globular bloom that is both elegant and striking.

Bloom Time: Blooming from mid-summer until the first frost it provides long-lasting color in the garden.

Foliage: The foliage is a lush green, providing a fresh and vibrant backdrop for its colorful blooms. The leaves are compound and arranged symmetrically along the stems, contributing to the plant’s overall healthy and full appearance.

Uses: ‘Linda’s Baby’ is highly versatile, making it an excellent choice for both garden beds and floral arrangements. Its neat, ball-shaped blooms and soft coloring are perfect for cutting gardens, and it serves as an attractive addition to borders or mixed beds. The plant’s ideal size also makes it well-suited for container gardening.

Hardiness: Dahlias are hardy in USDA zones 8-11. In colder zones, tubers need to be lifted and stored over winter.

Toxicity: Dahlias are toxic to dogs, cats, and horses. Their ingestion can lead to gastrointestinal upset and other health issues in pets and livestock.

Wildlife: The flowers attract pollinators such as bees and butterflies.

Deer and Rabbit: Dahlias are somewhat resistant to deer and rabbits but may still be vulnerable to browsing.

Invasiveness: Not invasive; dahlias grow from tubers and do not spread aggressively.

Dahlia Growing Tips

Light: Dahlias love the sun, so choose a location with at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight daily.

Soil: Dahlias prefer well-drained, loamy soil. They don’t tolerate water-logged conditions, so if your soil is heavy clay, consider amending it with compost or peat moss to improve drainage.

Planting Time: Dahlias are usually planted in the spring after the risk of frost has passed and the soil has warmed up.

Planting Depth: Dahlia tubers should be planted about 4 to 6 inches (10-15 cm) deep, with the “eye” (the small bump from where the stem will grow) facing upward.

Watering: Dahlias like consistent moisture. Water them deeply a couple of times a week, more often if your area is experiencing a drought. Avoid overhead watering to reduce the risk of fungal diseases.

Fertilizing: Dahlias respond well to low-nitrogen fertilizers, such as a 5-10-10 or 10-20-20. Too much nitrogen can lead to lush, leafy growth and fewer flowers.

Deadheading: Regularly removing the spent flowers (deadheading) will keep your dahlias producing more blooms.

Overwintering: In colder climates (zones 7 and below), you’ll need to dig up and store the tubers indoors over the winter.

Pests and Diseases: Dahlias are generally relatively disease and pest-resistant, but there are a few common issues to watch out such as aphids, botrytis blight, earwigs, powdery mildew, slugs and snails, spider mites, and thrips.