We love dahlias for their beautiful blooms, high production, and reliability. They are easy to grow and will bloom into late summer or early fall. As a cut flower, they are unmatched when it comes to range in varieties of color, size, and shape.
All About Dahlias
It might seem a little overwhelming when you start to pick out your dahlia tubers.
With so many varieties, you will want to consider the amount of space you have available, color combinations for arrangements, different textures or patterns, and bloom size.
You can find this information on the back of tuber packets.
Dig, Drop, and Done
When it comes to planting your tubers, keep it simple!
Here are a few tips that will help you grow productive and efficient blooms:
- Keep soil moist but not sopping- tubers are prone to rot and you want to avoid molding. Do not water your tuber after planting! Wait until you see the plant emerge a few inches from the soil.
- Find the eye and lay tuber on its side with the eye facing up. If there is new growth, keep it reaching up towards the sky.
- Cover with a few inches of soil and wait for a sprout. Consider sprinkling Sluggo as slugs love the easy-to-reach new growth.
- Fertilizer will help give your dahlias strong stalks and vibrant blooms. 5-10-10 or 10-20-20 is recommended after sprouting.
- Wait to plant until ground temperatures reach 60 degrees and the danger of frost has passed.
- Plant dahlias in full sun with at least six to eight hours of sun a day- they will reward you with bigger, brighter blooms.
Dahlia Varieties
Cactus Dahlias
A dramatic dahlia with pointed petals creates a spiked look. Semi-cactus varieties are also available with a less intense spike.
Anemone and Collarette
A unique variety of dahlia, Anemones feature a central pincushion with tiny petals, surrounded by a broad ray of larger petals.
Decorative Dahlias
These evenly placed petals are typically flat-tipped and broad. Decorative dahlias are available as “formal or informal.” Informal dahlias have irregularly placed petals while formal dahlias have very regular, geometric petals.
Pompon Dahlias
A favorite for arrangements, Pompon and Ball dahlias are typically smaller in size with globe-shaped blooms. These interesting blooms add a beautiful textural element to arrangements.
There are many other varieties of dahlias, including Dinner Plates, Orchids, and Waterlily. We encourage you to try a few different varieties in your garden this year! They will not disappoint.
