I’m planting dahlias! Join me on this adventure from start to finish as I discover the joy of growing dahlias. This is a new mini-series here on Inspired by Charm, and I can’t wait to get started!
Dahlias are absolutely stunning flowers that can transform any garden with their vivid colors and impressive blooms. These popular tuberous plants are surprisingly easy to grow right in the ground providing continuous color in beds and borders from midsummer into fall. With proper planning and care anyone can cultivate vibrant dahlias directly in their garden beds for maximal enjoyment.
Why Grow Dahlias in Garden Beds?
While dahlias grow well in containers planting them right in the garden soil offers some key advantages
- More space for tubers to expand and grow larger plants
- Natural drainage and airflow around the tubers
- Easy lifting and division of tubers each season
- Ability to naturalize and spread over time
- Less frequent watering required
- Lower cost compared to planters and potting mix
Growing dahlias in beds and borders also allows you to seamlessly integrate them into the landscape design. They pair beautifully with other flowering perennials, annuals, shrubs and grasses.
Choosing the Best Dahlia Varieties
With over 20,000 registered dahlia cultivars, selecting the right varieties for your garden can seem daunting. Consider the following factors when deciding:
- Plant size – Compact bush types or tall cutting garden varieties
- Bloom form – Simple, double, anemone, collarette and more
- Bloom size – From giant 15-inch blooms down to 2-inch pompons
- Color – Any hue from bright neons to soft pastels
- Bloom time – Early, mid or late season bloomers
Aim for a balanced mix of heights, colors and bloom times for non-stop flower power. Be sure to choose varieties suited to your growing zone.
Preparing Garden Beds for Dahlias
Proper planning and preparation ensures your dahlias get off to the best start In early spring
- Loosen and break up any compacted soil with a spading fork
- Mix 2-4 inches of aged compost or manure into the top 6-8 inches of soil
- Remove any weeds which will compete for water and nutrients
- Test soil pH and amend if needed – dahlias prefer slightly acidic soil
- Consider building raised beds for improved drainage
Dahlias are heavy feeders, so incorporating plenty of organic matter when preparing beds is key. Well-drained, nutrient-rich soil encourages strong tubers and vigorous growth.
When to Plant Dahlias Outdoors
Timing is crucial when transitioning dahlia tubers into the garden:
- Wait 2-4 weeks after your last expected spring frost
- Ensure overnight lows stay above 50°F
- Allow soil to warm to 60°F before planting
- Avoid planting if cold, wet weather is forecasted
Planting too early risks the tender tubers rotting in chilly, damp soil. Waiting until optimal conditions helps establish plants quickly.
Planting Dahlia Tubers in the Garden
Follow this simple process when planting dahlias in beds:
- Dig holes 6 inches deep, spacing tubers 12-24 inches apart
- Place the tubers horizontally with the eye end facing up
- Backfill with 2-4 inches of soil, leaving some stem exposed
- Pinch out the center growing tip to encourage bushy growth
- Install stakes next to sprouts for supporting stems later
After planting, water thoroughly and mist the soil regularly until sprouts emerge.
Caring for Dahlias During the Season
Attentive maintenance throughout the growing season keeps your dahlias looking their best:
- Watering – Supply 1-2 inches per week, targeting the soil not foliage
- Mulching – Apply 2-4 inches of organic mulch to retain moisture
- Fertilizing – Feed plants monthly with a balanced liquid fertilizer
- Pinching – Pinch lateral shoots to grow bushy, compact plants
- Disbudding – Remove side buds to create one large central bloom
- Staking – Stake and tie stems to supports as needed
- Deadheading – Remove spent blooms to prolong flowering
- Pest control – Monitor for common pests like earwigs and beetles
Providing adequate water and nutrients is essential for the extensive root systems dahlias produce. Address any pest or disease issues promptly to avoid damage.
Cutting Gorgeous Dahlia Blooms
Begin harvesting flower stems once at least half of the petals have opened. Follow these tips for the best results:
- Cut stems early in the morning while well hydrated
- Use clean, sharp pruners to avoid crushing stems
- Cut each stem at an angle right above a leaf node
- Immediately place in clean, cool water
Frequent cutting extends the blooming period right up until fall frost. Enjoy the exquisite blooms indoors in vases for 7-10 days with proper postharvest care.
Overwintering Dahlias in the Garden
In fall, dahlias must be dug up in regions with freezing winters. To overwinter the tubers:
- Cut back the stems to 6 inches after frost
- Carefully dig up tubers and brush off excess soil
- Allow to dry out in a cool, dark place for 1-2 weeks
- Store the tubers in sawdust or vermiculite at 40-45°F
In spring, divide tubers and replant the healthy growth. Discard any rotted or diseased portions before storing again.
Achieve Dahlia Success!
With some planning and TLC, it’s easy to grow striking dahlias right in your garden beds for season-long color. Give them a sunny location with rich soil and consistent moisture. Stake plants for support, deadhead spent blooms, and control pests as needed. Choosing a diverse blend of varieties ensures waves of flowers for cutting. Incorporating vibrant dahlias will bring your landscape to life!
Planting Dahlia’s: A Novice’s Journey
Yes, my friends. I am deep into dahlias. This past week I planted 27 dahlia tubers in one of my raised garden beds and thought you might want to go along on this gardening adventure. Before we get into what I did, I want to remind you that I am not an expert on dahlias or plants of any kind. I planted several dahlias for the first time last year. This is only my second year growing them, and so I’m still very much a novice.
My goal with these posts is to tell you what I learn. This series is not a definitive guide on planting and growing dahlias. I just thought you might enjoy following along on this fun learning journey. As I discover experts, resources, guides, and more about dahlias, I’ll share everything with you.
First off, they’re my favorite flower.
Secondly, according to Wikipedia, “Dahlia is a genus of bushy, tuberous, herbaceous perennial plants native to Mexico and Central America. … Its garden relatives include the sunflower, daisy, chrysanthemum, and zinnia.”
Dahlias come in an array of colors, shapes, and sizes. I’m going to include a few pictures here of arrangements I’ve made in the past that have incorporated these beautiful blooms so you can get an idea of what they look like. I also love this guide from Longfield Gardens. They detail many types of dahlias with s.
Orange and Pink Dahlias from my Outdoor Fall Tablescape (see more this table here)
Maroon Dahlias from my Fall Tablescape (see more of this table here)
A dahlia arrangment I made for a dahlia arranging class.
They’re STUNNING, right? Their beauty, shape, and form just boggle my mind. And the colors! My goodness! I find one that I “love the most,” and without fail, I see another that I like even more. As I mentioned, I planted 27 dahlias. I put in more than 12 varieties, and I still yearn for more. It’s a problem!
How to Plant Dahila Tubers?
Here’s what I know…
I live in Pittsburgh, PA, which is in Zone 6. Our winters require dahlia tubers to be dug up before winter and replanted in the ground after the threat of frost (mid- May)
I had been told that dahlias like rich, well-drained soil, so a week before planting, I amended my planting bed with a few bags of composted cow manure and a bag of peat moss. These enrich the soil and help with drainage. A friend who likes to grow flowers recently reminded me that “manure equals blooms” and even recommended a thin top dressing of manure once all of my tubers were planted.
Dahlias like full sun so plant in an area that gets 6-8 hours of direct sunlight each day.
Dahlias can be planted 12-18 inches apart. Because of the size of my raised bed, the spacing between my tuber clumps is just 12 inches. This could be problematic, but I’m hoping for the best.
I’ve been planting my dahlia tubers in the clumps sent by the suppliers. I don’t know what the standard is for planting, but it’s my understanding that a single tuber will grow a plant. As you can see by the array of tubers on my counter, each clump of tubers is what I’m considering “one plant.” This is how I planted the dahlias last year, and the results were good.
I used thick popsicle sticks and these extreme permanent Sharpies to label all of the tuber clumps. This way I’ll know what’s growing where and be able to organize the tubers when I take them out of the ground in the fall.
I also created a map showing each plant in case I’m unable to see or locate the popsicle sticks as the plants start to grow.
The tubers should be planted under two inches of soil with their “eyes” facing up. On some tubers, it’s fairly obvious where the top is, but on others, it’s a bit more challenging to tell. In that case, I usually just lay the tuber on its side and hope for the best. I’m not sure if that’s correct, but in my mind, it’s better than the top facing down.
Something else that’s important to know: There’s no need to water the tubers until the dahlia plants start to grow. This is something I only learned this year. Last year I watered my tubers after I planted them. Oops! From what I’ve read, tubers can rot if they are overwatered. A local friend even recommends covering them if a lot of rain is in the forecast. Once the dahlias sprout, the threat of rot is gone, and you should water them 2 or 3 times a week to soak the ground.
Armed with all that information, I got to work on planting my dahlias. In no time, I had my bed filled with tubers and the promise of a lush garden of beautiful blooms!
There is much more to do once the dahlias start to sprout, but I’ll save that for another post. In that update, we’ll talk about staking the plants, pinching off some of the growth (which is important for lots of blooms), and any other tidbits I discover about growing dahlias.
Now I’m going to keep my fingers crossed that all 27 of the tuber clumps sprout and that there’s no rot. Originally, I planned to keep some tubers back in case a few failed. However, I was able to fit everything in the beds so I may be scrambling to find more tubers if there are duds. Hopefully, that won’t happen
One final question:
How To Plant Dahlia Tubers in Raised Beds | Planting Dahlias in Ombre Rainbow | Maple Leaf Barn
FAQ
Where should I put dahlias in my garden?
Pick a sunny spot. Dahlias are sun worshippers and won’t take kindly to shade. They’ll just about tolerate half-shade but will most likely not blossom with quite such abundance. Some varieties can grow pretty tall, so make sure to support their long legs. Tie them to something solid, a cane or similar.
Do dahlias do well in raised beds?
Dahlias grow well in raised beds but they do need support. When I went to fill up the raised beds each year, my local home improvement had raised bed soil so I began to use that product.
What not to plant near dahlias?
Cattails, flag iris, marsh marigolds, and rush reed plants thrive in soils that stay soggy all year long and make poor companions for dahlias. Plants that prefer drier soils or desert climates also are not a great match with dahlia.
Can I plant dahlias next to tomatoes?
You can grow dinnerplate dahlias between your tomato plants; decorative dahlias among your peppers, and border dahlias in your herb garden.