Crazy 4 Dahlias

Crazy 4 Dahlias

Crazy 4 Dahlias is owned and operated by John Spangenberg.  I am located in Damascus, Maryland and I have been growing and exhibiting dahlias for 18 years. I am a member of the National Capital Dahlia Society. I am a senior judge and am on the Classification Committee in the American Dahlia Society. I am also the director for the Mid Atlantic Trial Garden.

We grow about 800 dahlias each year. we grow 95% show dahlias. Our location in Maryland is not the most hospitable place to grow dahlias. There are many varieties that do not preform in out hot and humid summer. Our focus is to develop and grow dahlias that will preform at show in a hotter climate. We feel that if they do well here they should excel almost every where else. Every year we try out many new introduction to see how well they do. If they don't make the cut they are thrown out to make room for ones that do.

We are huge in trying to keep our stock virus free. We have been sample testing our dahlias for virus for the last 4 years, 2015 with the assistance of the American Dahlia Society and their endowment from Scheetz Chuey Charitable Foundation. I dispose of stock that test positive for virus or even looks like I has virus. Dahlias that come back clean are uses to propagate out stock for next year. We keep our garden as clean as possible, all tools for cutting are disinfected between each plant in the season and dividing in the fall. Virus causes dahlias to deteriorate over time and can spread, I feel its my duty to try and stay as clean as possible for our love of the dahlia!