How To Plant Dahlia Tubers
A Beginner’s Step By Step Guide For Planting Dahlia Tubers
Have you just purchased dahlia bulbs and now you find yourself wondering now ‘how do I plant dahlia tubers?’ Well, you’ve come to the right spot! In today’s post I’m going to teach you how to easily prepare and plant your dahlia tubers so that you have gorgeous dahlia flowers this summer! This beginner friendly, step by step dahlia tuber planting tutorial will help you to grow dahlia flowers this summer.
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A Love For Growing Dahlias
I fell in love with dahlia flowers at a very young age. Growing up I remember seeing all the beautiful dahlias grown in my uncle’s garden. When we would visit, there would be gorgeous flower bouquets throughout the house.
I also remember my mother growing quite a few dahlia plants in our yard. She would put the large dinner plate dahlias in vases in our kitchen. I always dreamed of having my own dahlia plants where I could have fresh cut flowers in my home.
Fast forward to my adult life and in 2014, I finally started growing my own dahlia tubers. In 2014 my husband and I bought a house that finally had space for a small garden! I couldn’t wait to start planting dahlias.
At first I learned the hard way that you just can’t plant dahlia tubers anywhere. Dahlias need to be planted in specific locations in order to grow big and healthy plants. Do not be intimidated by growing dahlias. If you follow these simple steps below, you’ll be equipped with the knowledge to successfully plant dahlia tubers in your own garden.
When To Plant Dahlias
To get started, you need to know when to safely plant dahlias outside. This varies from growing zone to growing zone. While it can be tempting to get an early start on growing dahlias, your dahlia tubers should not be planted until the ground has warmed and all dangers of frost have passed. The ground temperature should be above 60 degrees before planting out your dahlia tubers. Depending upon your growing season, most areas can plant dahlia tubers outside around mid April through May.
You can use the USDA Hardiness Zone Finder to check when your last average frost date is for your growing zone. As a general rule, this will tell you when it’s safe to plant out your dahlias. Of course, be sure to also check your local forecast for any late forecasted frosts. I typically wait a week or two after our last frost date before planting out in the garden.
Where to Plant Dahlia Tubers
Knowing where to plant dahlia tubers is important if you want to have big, gorgeous blooms this summer. Dahlia tubers need to be planted in a sunny site that receives at least 8 hours of full sunshine per day. If you are located in a hot climate, find a spot where your dahlias will have morning sun and afternoon shade.
Does Soil Type Matter For Dahlias
Soil type matters if you want to grow healthy dahlias. Your dahlia tubers will also benefit from being planted in well drained, sandy soil. If you do not know the fertility of your soil, I recommend getting a soil test. A soil test will provide you with important information so you can amend your soil accordingly. Doing so will reward you with more dahlia flowers this summer. Dahlias do best in slightly acidic soil with a pH of 6.5 to 7.
If your soil is too heavy, you can also amend your soil with sand, peat moss, or compost to improve soil drainage. For small areas you can find these soil amendments at your local nursery or home goods store. It is important though to not add any soil mixes that have additives or fertilizers.
Can Dahlias Grow In Containers
Can I grow my dahlias in containers? Typically growing dahlias in containers is not recommended. The best dahlias to grow in containers are dwarf dahlias and low growing varieties. If you do choose to grow dahlia plants in containers, the containers should be at a minimum 15’’ wide by 15’’ deep. You will want to use a mix of garden soil, potting soil (without any additives) and peat moss.
Growing Dahlias in Pots
Dahlias grown in containers or pots need frequent watering once they have sprouted. Be careful though to not overwater them as too much water will cause the tubers to rot. You will also want to regularly fertilize your container dahlias to make sure they continue producing beautiful dahlia flowers throughout the season.
How Far Apart Do You Plant Dahlia Tubers
Next, you need to know how far apart to plant your dahlia tubers. Most dahlia tubers need to be spaced at least 12-18 inches apart. This allows for air flow to move freely through your dahlia plant. If your dahlias are spaced too closely together, air can not flow through and you will be more likely to have pest or fungal problems on your dahlia plants.
How Deep To Plant Dahlias
When it’s time to plant your dahlias, begin by making a hole that is 4-6 inches deep. Once you dig the hole, mix in a small handful of bone meal. This will provide important nourishments for your growing dahlia plant.
Next, it’s time to put your tubers in the dirt. Begin by placing your dahlia tuber on it’s side with the eye of the dahlia tuber facing up. Gently cover up the dahlia tuber with soil. Now the waiting game begins. Some dahlia tubers can take as long as 4 weeks before you see sprouts above the ground.
Slugs love dahlia tubers
It’s important to note that snails and slugs both LOVE dahlias. After covering up your dahlia tubers, sprinkle a light dusting of snail & slug bait around the area. I like to use Sluggo to keep the slugs away from my dahlia plants. There’s nothing worse than finding your new, tender dahlia sprouts have been munched on by slugs.
When Should I Water My Dahlia Plants
How often you will need to water your dahlias depends a lot on where you are growing your dahlias. Most soil has enough moisture that you do not need to water your dahlias until the first set of true leaves appear on your plant. Watering too soon can cause the dahlia tubers to rot.
Once your dahlia plants have sprouted their first set of leaves, you should give your plants a deep watering 3-4 times per week. I prefer to use a drip line to provide a good, long soak. With a drip line, I water my dahlias for about 30-60 minutes each time.
Time To Get Growing Your Own Dahlias
Alright, it’s time to get started growing your own dahlias for your cutting garden! Hopefully after reading this post, you feel more prepared and confident in planting your dahlia tubers. Below you’ll find a FREE printable step by step guide that I’ve created to help you plant your dahlia tubers.
Have you grown dahlias before? Do you have any questions about growing dahlia flowers? If so, I’d love to hear from you in the comments below. As you get more comfortable in growing dahlias, you may even enjoy my blog post How to grow dahlias from seed! And if you found this guide helpful, please take a moment to PIN any of the images from this post to Pinterest.
Happy Gardening!
More Dahlia Posts You Might Enjoy:
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Growing and Breeding Dahlias at Scale: Inside Florelie Flower Farm in Australia
In this episode of The Backyard Bouquet Podcast, Jennifer heads south to Australia to explore what it really looks like to grow and breed dahlias at scale. Lorelie Merton of Florelie Flower Farm shares how a gifted bunch of peonies sparked her journey into flower farming, how she now manages 20,000 dahlias across multiple paddocks,…
Continue Reading Growing and Breeding Dahlias at Scale: Inside Florelie Flower Farm in Australia
5 Steps To Divide Dahlia Tubers
If you’re new to dahlias or you’ve never dug up your dahlia tubers before, this post will help you with five steps to divide your dahlia tubers for next season.
A Beginner’s Guide To Growing Dahlias
A beginner’s guide to growing dahlias. Everything you need to know to successfully plant, grow, and care for your dahlia flowers in your garden.
This is such a great post Jen! I have been growing dahlias for 5 or 6 years now, but I love learning from others. I have never added bone meal to the holes, and will try it this year. Thank you for sharing with Charming Homes and Gardens!
Thank you Kim for taking the time to read my post! Yes, adding bone meal to the holes will make your dahlias so happy! I use it for roses and ranunculus too!
Jennifer,
Love all your valuable information. Look for your feature on Wednesday’s Charming Homes & Gardens Link Party.
Rachel
Oh thank you so much Rachel for including this in your Charming Homes & Garden’s Link Party! I look forward to your weekly roundup!
Thank you so much for these growing tips for Dahlias. I haven’t grown Dahlias in a number of years and plan to do so this year.
You’re very welcome Paula! I’ll be excited to hear how your dahlias do this year! I’m hoping to grow somewhere between 700-900 dahlias this year!
I need fields of these gorgeous blooms! Thanks for sharing you tips!
Thank you Cindy for taking the time to leave a comment! I hope these tips are helpful!
Do u dig the bulbs up for winter. Tks
Yes, I do. Otherwise they’ll rot in the ground
This post is very timely for me. I just received a box full of Dahlia tubers today. I’ve never grown them before so I will make good use of your tips!
Hi Jayne, that makes me so happy to hear! How exciting that you have dahlias to plant. I actually have a very detailed beginner’s guide to dahlias coming out this weekend. Stay tuned!
You have an amazing amount of information on growing dahlias. I appreciate the effort you’ve gone to in sharing. I commented on your post about growing dahlias from seed, because I had no idea I could do that.
Thank you Brooke for the kind words! I’m happy I can share my knowledge!
Thank you for sharing this valuable information! During the pandemic I became a flower and plant lover for the first time. I have begun caring for houseplants and supporting local flower farms. Your Instagram and blog have been a great inspiration to me!
And not to mention, we are building a home in TD with a Curtis homes! I would love to add some dahlias to our garden this spring, and the easy-to-access information on your blog makes it feel feasible! Take good care and thank you.
Sarita, thank you so much! I’m glad this information is helpful!
Thank you for this very helpful information! I am new to this wonderful flower.
Are there any companion plants that dahlia’s particularly like? I would love to have a field of them but don’t have the room.
Thanks!
Dahlias can get very tall (some varieties upwards of 6′) so whatever you plant near needs to be able to tolerate the dahlias blocking their light. I have always grown mine in separate raised beds and now in my flower field.
Can you explain more about the advantage and disadvantage of Dahlia Tubers.Thank for sharing.
Question. Ive just bought a bunch of tubers. Can I pluck each individual tuber off and plant separately?
It sounds like you’ve bought tuber clumps. If these are imported tubers, I’d be cautious of any crown gall or leafy gall. Usually the clumps have lots of broken necks so people usually plant as a clump, vs separating.
Oh thank you, so much 🙂
You’re welcome 🙂
I live in SE Wisconsin (zone 5a) and just got a bunch of dahlia tubers. It’s August…when should I plant these? If I have to wait till Spring, how can I keep them good and fresh?
If you are going to hold onto them until next year it’s going to be challenging. They will need to be stored at 40-45 degrees.
Help! I bought a dahlia tubers and a white thing is growing out of it. Is it the root or the plant?
How do I plant this. Or should I plant this in September. Wasn’t expecting it to be growing out of plastic.
If it’s not in the light, it could be a stem sprouting. Dahlias are supposed to be planted in the late spring. It might be a little a late to plant.