24/08/2025
Here is a 1 minutes video of us removing bottom leaves from the dahlias.
We remove bottom leaves to help the plant for a few reasons. The major reason is the help with air flow. Good air flow under your plants helps keep the foliage dry. If you are fortunate like us, you will have lots of rain throughout the summer. If the foliage under the plant is constantly wet, if can cause a big issue with powdery mildew. Removing old and damaged leaves also helps prevent mold issues, which can rot the stalks.
We do not always get around to removing all the spent flowers on each plant. When petals drop, they can fall on these leaves and rot too. Which can cause more mold and potential breakage of stalks.
Our method may not be like everyone elses, but it works for us. The only downfall of removing bottom leaves is some plants become less stable in the wind. With less leaves towards the bottom of the plant, it does give less support. Supporting and staking your plants is a must!