About Dahlias
Grow
Care
Explore
About
Dahlias come in many different types, shapes, and sizes. They are tender perennials but with the right care, they can reward you with more and more beautiful flowers each year.
Lifecycle
Perennial but NOT frost hardy
Plant
March - June
*Protect from frost*
Flowers
As early as late-May until the first frost
Scent
Dahlias are pretty but do not have any scent
Height
from 50-120 cm, varies by type
Grow
Ways to grow dahlias
There are a few different methods to grow dahlias - seeds, tubers, cuttings.
I occasionally grow from seeds and try to experiment with cuttings, but the latter is something I need to spend a little bit more time on - learning and trialling.
With that said, you can safely guess that I grow most of my dahlias from tubers.
How I grow my dahlias (a very simple process)
01
Compost
A well-draining compost is essential to prevent tubers from sitting in water and eventually rotting.
My growing medium is mainly compost with perlite. On occasion, I may add vermiculite or horticultural sand.
For in-ground planting, I have used mushroom compost and yet to try well-rotted manure.
02
Pots or containers
I use a pot based on a tuber's size, and usually it is a 3L pot.
**I have also just started trialling the plastic bag method to start off some dahlias.
03
Location
The dahlias are either kept in an unheated greenhouse or indoors (in the evening) until any danger of frost has passed.
04
Once all danger of frost has passed the dahlias are either planted in-ground or moved to larger pots.
Care
Sunlight
Full sun
Pests
Aphids, slugs, snails
Diseases
Powdery mildew
Mosaic virus
Feed
I use liquid seaweed for my dahlias, but others can be used too
Storage
If digging up, store tubers in a cool dry place
Explore
This section contains (in no particular order) experience, learnings, and observations, and some tips growing this plant, which will continue to be updated accordingly.
Storage
I store my tubers with wood shavings in cardboard boxes and ensure there is good circulation.
Conditions that have worked for me are temperatures between 4-18 degrees celsius, and humidity levels around 60-80%
Storage
Storing tubers with vermiculite in crates DID NOT work for me. The tubers ended up freezing, thawing, and rotting.
Diseases
Other dahlia diseases include leafy and crown gall.
General
How a dahlia tuber looks vary from type to type. Some are long and slender, they can also be big or small, some compacted but fairly easy to divide, while others are very compacted.
How slugs and snails damage on dahlias look like
Share your thoughts!
Any questions, feedback, tips, or just want to chat about gardening & plants? I would love to hear from you so please do not hesitate to reach out!
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All information provided on this website are based on personal experience, growing zone, and in-house tests conducted. Experience and results may vary depending on one's location and growing conditions.
If you have any questions or feedback regarding any of the contents of this website, please do not hesitate to get in touch.