Growing Dahlias

When you receive your tubers:

When you receive your tubers please inspect them and email us with any concerns within one week of receiving them. All tubers will be individually packaged in peat moss and labeled with the variety. I inspect all the tubers before shipping them off, that all tubers have a solid body and neck and at least one viable eye.

Keep the tubers in the bag they are shipped in until you are ready to plant. They should be stored in a cool but not freezing dark location.

If the eye or shoot breaks off, do not worry, another will grow in its place.

When will you receive your tubers?

Shipping begins at the end of March/ beginning of April once all chance of frost is clear in your growing region.

When to plant:

You can begin planting your tubers once all the risk of freezing temperatures has passed, dahlias are very cold sensitive and will die if frozen.

Where to plant:

Choose a location with fertile soil, good drainage, and receives a minimum of 6-8 hours of sun a day.

How to plant:

Dig a hole 6” deep and space them 12” apart. Place the tuber flat on its side with the eye/sprout facing up toward the sun and cover with soil. Do not water your tuber until you see a sprout emerging from the ground unless you live in a very dry climate. I am in zone 8b and will typically wait to water till I see green poking through the ground. Dahlias can rot easily if over watered in the beginning.

Protecting your dahlia:

Slugs and earwigs love young dahlia plants so be sure to ward them off early in the season and continue through out the season if the problem persist. We use Sluggo Plus which is a great organic slug bait option and safe around pets (I have 4 dogs and 7 cats). I spread this at planting time and then about one month later when the plants have started growing. There are lots of critters that like to eat dahlia plants so be sure to talk to your local garden center for all other options to be used.

Protecting your dahlias from the wind can be important as well. You can individually brace each plant by placing a support rod (t-post, wood steak, ect.) next to the plant. Or if planting in rows the coral method works great as well using t-posts and string.

Watering:

Dahlia tubers can be prone to rot. wait to water until the sprouts emerge from the ground. Once your plants are 4-6” tall increase watering more to everyday or every other day to 30-60 minutes. Methods or watering can be done by drip line, soaker hose, or overhead watering. Established and mature dahlias need deep watering every day to thrive.

Fertilizing:

Dahlias like rich soil with low to medium nitrogen levels. We like to use all natural fertilizers with where the nitrogen levels are about half the potassium and phosphorous levels. Example of N-P-K numbers would be 5-10-10 or 10-20-20. The best way to know what fertilizers you should use would be to run a soil test and see what you are working with and then amend the soil based off the results. Soil tests can be done at local extension offices, soil test kits, testing meter, local NRCS Natural resources conservation services, or college or agricultural sciences.

Harvesting Dahlias:

Dahlias are not known for a long vase life but can last up to 7 days. For the best results harvest in the early morning or late evening and put the cut stems directly into almost boiling water about 160-180 degrees once the water has cooled you can replace it with fresh cold water for the longest vase life.

Dahlia care tips:

Pinch or cut the top of the main stalk of your dahlia out once they reach 12” tall and has 3-4 sets of leaves. This will promote the side branches to grow tall creating a fuller bushy plant with many more blooms. Be sure to regularly dead head your dahlias plants for continuous blooms all season long.

Storing Dahlias:

Dahlias are considered a tender perennial if you live in zones 8 or higher and can be left in the ground to over winter if you choose. If you live in zones 7 and below you will want to dig your dahlias after the first frost and store them in a cold but not freezing dark room, temperatures between 40 and 45 degrees with humidity around 70%. There are many ways to store dahlia tubers so be sure to research and find what might work best for your climate.

Questions:

If you have any other questions or concerns or are interested in learning more about your dahlias please email Christy@manning-gardens.com or message through Instagram or Facebook @Manninggardens.