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Growing Dahlias

Prepare

  • Dahlias love sun. Find a spot with at least 6-8 hours of sunlight.
  • Your area should have well drained soil. Water should not sit on top of the ground after a heavy rain.

Plant

  • Do not plant tubers until after your last spring frost. Check with your county extension office to find frost dates.
  • Dig a hole 4”- 6” deep. Place one tuber per hole horizontally with the eye facing up, cover with soil.
  • Do not water tubers until they are approximately 6” tall. Too much water will cause rot and your tuber will not grow.
  • Spread Sluggo Plus over the area you just planted. Slugs and snails are dahlia killers. Be sure to reapply once a month through the season.

Tend

  • Once plants 6” tall you can begin watering regularly. Drip line or soaker hoses are recommended to achieve deep watering.
  • When plants reach 18” it is time to give them a hard pinch. Pinching promotes branching and will give you more blooms. Snip 3”- 4” out of the center stalk right above the next leaf set.
  • Staking your dahlias is also recommended for long straight stems and to prevent your plants from wind/weather damage. We use the corralling method, but you can also stake individual plants if you have just a handful.

Harvest

  • The more you cut, the more dahlias you will grow. Cut stems a minimum of 12” long, long cuts produce more long stems.
  • Early morning (before 9 AM), is the best time to cut dahlias and will be crucial for a longer vase life.
  • Take a bucket of water out to the field with you and place dahlias directly into water after cutting.
  • Depending on size and form, most dahlias will last 4-6 days in a vase. Be sure to keep them out of direct sunlight and refresh vase water daily.