Its hard for me to believe how much dahlias have changed our lives in the last few years… You can read more about it here, but long story short, my husband came home from work one day and declared that he wanted to start growing dahlias. As our love for dahlias grew, we read everything we could get our hands on… and my husband even joined the West Michigan Dahlia Association so he could soak up knowledge from dahlia experts and enthusiasts. In the past few years, we have gained so much experience and currently, we grow about 1,800 dahlias on our small farm.
Below, I’ve compiled a list of some of the most common questions we receive about dahlias. Hopefully this helps you feel more clear and confident about growing dahlias yourself!
1. Choose a location with at least 6 hours of direct sun (the more sun, the better!) and well drained, fertile soil. Compost and all-purpose fertilizer worked into the soil before planting will help.
2. Plant AFTER the threat of frost has passed (about May 15, here in West Michigan). The soil should be warm and well drained.
3. Space tubers about 18” apart. Dig a hole about 4-6″ deep and wide enough to accommodate the tuber. Place tuber in the hole with the “eyes” at the top (or lay it on it’s side) and back-fill the hole gently, covering the tuber completely with a few inches of soil.
4. DO NOT WATER after planting, unless the soil is super dry. You want the soil to be just slightly damp. Too much water can cause the tuber to rot. REPEAT: DO NOT WATER. Its also wise to check the weather and avoid planting right before a huge rain storm.
5. Once the plants have sprouted, you may begin watering regularly. When plants reach about 8″, begin fertilizing with all purpose liquid fertilizer about twice a month.
6. Pinch the plants when they reach about 12-16″, to signal the plant to produce more branches (and more blooms).
7. Plants begin to bloom in late July and produce heavily until the first killing frost of the season.
Dahlias are beautiful summer-blooming tubers that add a pop of color to any garden. With flowers that can grow over 12 inches across on tall, slender stems, staking dahlias is often necessary to prevent damage, but do you really need to stake them? Here’s what you need to know about staking dahlias and when it is recommended.
Why Dahlias Tend to Flop Over
Dahlias produce gorgeous, colorful blooms on hollow stems that can grow quite tall, sometimes up to 4-6 feet depending on the variety These tall, slender stems are prone to breaking or falling over (flopping) for a few key reasons
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The hollow stems are naturally weak and flimsy. They tend to bend and break easily, especially when heavy blooms form on top
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Dahlia blooms can grow exceptionally large and heavy, weighing down the stems.
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Weather elements like rain, wind, and storms can cause damage to the fragile stems.
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As the blooms open up, the weight distribution changes, causing stems to bend and sag.
Without proper staking, dahlia stems often end up flopping over into surrounding plants or onto the ground.
When to Stake Dahlias
Staking is highly recommended for most dahlia varieties to prevent flopping, stem damage, and wasted blooms. Here are some key times when it’s important to stake dahlias:
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At planting time – Put stakes in the ground where each tuber will be planted. This allows the stems to grow right alongside the stakes.
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When stems reach 12-18 inches – Once stems are tall enough, begin loosely tying them to stakes.
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During budding/flowering – The weight of blooms will cause bending, so extra ties are needed.
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Before major weather events – Staking minimizes damage from heavy winds and downpours.
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Continually as they grow – Add ties every 6-12 inches up growing stems.
What Happens if You Don’t Stake Dahlias
Neglecting to stake dahlia plants can lead to a variety of issues, including:
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Stems snapping or breaking under the weight of large blooms.
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Flopping stems ruining the visual appeal of the garden.
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Blooms laying on the ground quickly dying or rotting.
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Insect/disease problems from blooms resting on damp ground.
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Reduced lifespan and fewer blooms per plant.
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Wasted time picking and discarding broken blooms.
Overall, failing to stake dahlias results in lost flowers and a messy, unattractive garden bed. Properly staking them improves their appearance and productivity.
Best Ways to Stake Dahlias
There are many effective methods for staking dahlia plants, including:
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Individual staking – Use bamboo canes or metal stakes for each plant, placing stakes before planting tubers. This provides customized support.
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Netting – Run stakes down rows/beds with mesh netting attached between. Allows plants to grow through holes.
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Cages – Cylinder cages surround plants to hold stems upright while allowing airflow and light penetration.
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Teepees – Teepee-shaped structures with tall stakes connected at the top keep surrounding plants supported.
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Trellises – Train stems up vertical trellises or panels attached to stakes running down rows.
Whatever method you choose, secure growing stems loosely to allow some movement yet prevent toppling over. Use plant ties, garden twine, or twist ties to attach stems to stakes or structures.
Consider Your Dahlia Variety’s Needs
The staking method you choose may depend on the growth habit of your particular dahlia variety:
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Tall varieties with huge blooms will require extensive individual staking.
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Low-growing bedding dahlias may only need marginal staking or grouping together.
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Small-flowered types are less prone to flopping and may not need staking.
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Vining dahlias can be trained up vertical supports like obelisks or trellises.
Take into account the mature size and growth tendencies of your variety when deciding on the best staking approach.
Staking for Healthy, Productive Dahlias
Staking dahlia plants takes a bit of time and effort up front, but it pays off all season long through healthy, upright plants and abundant blooms. Make staking part of your routine dahlia maintenance for the most vigorous, visually appealing plants possible. Your garden will thank you!
Wow! Some dahlia tubers cost over $20… for just one tuber! Why do they cost so much?
- Remember in Question #1 when I said they are labor intensive? Dahlia tubers are not cold-hardy and will not survive over the winter in most climates. They must be dug up. By hand!
- Dahlia tubers are quite fragile and break very easily. If they break, they are worthless! As of yet, no one has been able to successfully mechanize the dahlia tuber digging process without suffering major losses. Hand digging is the most gentle method resulting in MUCH less breakage… but it is HARD MANUAL LABOR… hence the high cost of tubers.
- Once the tuber clumps have been dug up, they must be divided into individual tubers… yet another extremely labor-intensive job that cannot be mechanized. Its all done by hand!
- Keep reading… Question #6 may ease your mind…
What is a “tuber”? Is that like a “bulb”?
- Dahlia tubers are sometimes called a “bulb”, but they are technically a tuber, similar to a potato. Similar to a potato, the tuber sends up a shoot that becomes the plant, which produces leaves and flowers. Underground, the tubers multiply each year (again, like a potato).
- You only need one tuber with one “eye” to successfully grow a vigorous dahlia plant. Ever left a potato in the pantry too long and noticed “eyes” sprouting? Same thing with a dahlia tuber.
- Watch the short video below to get an overview of dahlia tubers.
Interested in growing dahlias? Watch to find out how they grow… and multiply like crazy!
Tubers come in all sorts of shapes and sizes! Some are long and skinny, some are short and stubby, some are huge (up to 10” long!) and some are tiny (the size of your pinky).Click HERE to read “All About Dahlia Tubers”. It’s a common misconception that “Bigger Tuber = Bigger Plant”. This is not true. The tuber is simply the food source for the plant until they have about 3-4 sets of leaves. After that, the root system growing from the tuber is responsible for the health of the plant. According to Michael Genovese of Summer Dreams Dahlia Farm, a tuber the size of an AA battery or larger is considered usable. All three of the tubers pictured below are acceptable, but the two tubers on the right are considered ideal sized.
So if tuber size doesn’t matter, what DOES matter?
Two things are necessary for a viable tuber:
1. The tuber MUST have 1 eye. The eye is where the sprout will grow (similar to a potato left too long in the pantry).
2. The neck MUST be intact. If the neck is broken/snapped, the tuber is worthless.
101. Staking Dahlia Plants.
FAQ
What happens if you don’t stake dahlias?
- Yes, most varieties will need to be staked, otherwise the wind may flatten and ruin the whole plant.
- You can also use netting stretched between posts, hovering about 12-18” from the ground.
- You can learn more about staking and supporting methods in this THIS BLOG POST.
Do dahlias need a support?
As they grow it’s important to provide tall dahlia stems with good support to help the plants weather any storms and strong winds. Yesterday, my gardener Brian O’Kelly, along with the help of Phurba Sherpa from my outdoor grounds crew, staked every plant using bamboo canes and jute twine.
Which dahlias need staking?
Dwarf bedding dahlias don’t need staking. For most dahlias, strong bamboo canes should be sufficient, either singly or four in a square around the clump, with twine looped around the outside. Giant dahlias with very large flowers need stout posts for support, one per stem.
Do I need to stake dahlias?
There’s no need to stake border dahlias and other types that are under 2 feet tall. Full size dahlias, and especially those with large flowers such as dinnerplates, perform better when their branches and blossoms are supported. The best time to stake or cage dahlias is shortly after you plant them.
Do dahlias require support?
Dahlias need support, especially the heavier-bearing plants, to ensure that their blooms stay erect and out of the dirt. The larger the bloom, the more support it needs. There are many professional dahlia staking ideas available for purchase, but you can also make your own dahlia support inexpensively.
Should you staking dahlia plants?
Individual staking is ideal for backyard gardeners only growing a few dahlia plants. It will allow you to focus on each stalk so every plant will hold up to the elements. When you care for every plant, you can ensure that no flower will go to waste. Individual staking is also an option for those growing tons of flowers, like commercial growers.
What is the ideal height for a dahlia stake?
Stakes should be at least 6 feet (2 m.) tall and driven into the ground until firm. Every gardener has their own ideas of the best ways to stake dahlias. Purchased forms or even pruned sticks in the shape of a “y” remove the need for most tying. These allow the plant to rest its stem naturally in the “y” and support it gently.
How many times should I stake my dahlias?
Stake Multiple Times: Depending on the size and variety of your dahlias, it may be necessary to stake them multiple times throughout their growth. As the plants mature and produce more branches and blooms, additional stakes may be needed for extra support. Check on your dahlias regularly and add stakes as necessary.
How do you stake a dahlia plant?
Good staking starts from the very beginning. Before you plant your tubers or seeds, place stakes where you want your dahlia plant to be. Sturdy stakes will be about one foot deep in the ground, which must be done beforehand so you don’t accidentally damage tubers or tender root systems.