Words Jo Barnes
Photos Autumn Marshall Photography
It has been said that Epsom salts in the bath can put you “in the pink.” However, when Epsom salts are used with the dahlias at Havenley Farm, it not only puts them in the pink, it puts them into the purple, orange and burgundy too!
Nicki Blakesley puts a lot of care and thought into growing dahlias, and her application of Epsom salts during their final growth stage is critical to their appearance.
“It is just me and my husband, and it’s hard work for 10 months of the year,” shares Nicki. “Every grower has their own ways. Mentors who have taught me have 30 years’ growing experience. We use Epsom salts during the later part of the growing process. There is magnesium in Epsom salts, and later in season is when flowers are deficient in magnesium. It really brings the colour out of the flower.”
In 2021, Nicki and her husband Connor purchased the seven-acre property tucked away off Burnside Road West, and since then, the dahlia operation has grown tenfold. Nicki relates how a trial planting grew into a huge passion.
“I like the symmetry and hardiness of dahlias. They are tight and symmetrical and last well in vases. I read a few books about dahlia cultivation, and that was it, I was hooked. Initially, I grew 20 tubers. I now grow almost 2,000 dahlias.”
Havenley primarily focuses on sales of dahlia tubers which are the tuberous root part of the dahlia plant containing the food, water and nutrition for the dahlia plant to grow in the beginning of the season. In addition, the farm offers custom bouquets, a delivery flower subscription and event floral orders through its online marketplace.
“I grow 130 varieties of dahlias, mainly formal, decorative and ball form. I love the dark and moody colours and all the pastels, anything outside of primary colors,” relates Nicki. “Flowers are harvested late August to Thanksgiving and offered online through the growing season and weekends at our onsite roadside flower stand.”
Foundational to successfully growing dahlias is careful maintenance beginning with attention to soil quality. The property was a longtime horse pasture, so the soil needed remediation. “We needed to do a lot of work here. We took soil samples and sent them through Integrity Sales to get a diagnostic report,” says Nicki. “The results showed a very low nitrogen content, so we did soil amendment.”
Infrastructure also needed to be established. “Connor put in irrigation, drainage, fencing and building structures,” shares Nicki. “He built a wonderful cooler which is vital to moisture control and keeping the tubers dormant in the winter months. It also keeps harvested flowers fresh during the summer.”
The farm’s customer base has grown quickly and now includes clients as far east as New Brunswick and P.E.I. and as far north as Yukon. Key to this growth has been Nicki’s enthusiasm for dahlias which is reflected through her detailed educational website and customer care. There is a whole host of valuable online how-to information on growing dahlias including storage, planting, maintenance, harvesting and other useful tips.
“I think people invest in the person they are buying from. On my website, I share a variety of information,” shares Nicki. “I provide a product and want to encourage others to successfully grow their own gardens. I love it when someone wants to grow something that I find so rewarding.”
In addition to growing dahlias and helping others with their own flower gardens, Nicki is also an active member of the Victoria Dahlia Society. “I have been involved for the last four years. I’ve met amazing mentors who have taught me a lot. I want to be the best grower I can be,” she says. “I began attending meetings, building my knowledge and experience, and now serving as a show competitor and accredited judge at local competitions.”
Always up for a challenge, Nicki seeks out any opportunity to branch out in her knowledge of and experiences with dahlia flowers. Recently, she began to research and explore the peculiarities of hybridization. “I’d like to create my own line of flowers, like a legacy of sorts, so I started to try my hand at growing dahlia from seed, both naturally and hand pollinated,” she relates. “They are harder to successfully grow and very challenging to show at competitions.”
Nicki’s dedication and effort is garnering public recognition. “I was excited to win ‘Best in show on the Head Table’ for a triple bloom submission in my just second year of growing. A ‘triple’ means three uniform and identical blooms are submitted in a group, shown in a single vase. It was also the ‘open’ category, so judges score this specific entry heavily on perfection. I thought ‘just go for it’.”
For Nicki, however, the lasting reward is the opportunity to grow these spectacular flowers and share her passion. All she needs is sun, soil, water, and maybe … a few Epsom salts.
www.havenleyfarm.com
