Planting, Caring, Digging & Storing

When and Where to Plant:

Dahlia's love to be in the sun and require 6-7 hours of direct light sun per day. 

They like well drained soil with a pH of 6.5-7.  Note that the pH of the soil can alter the vibrancy and colour of the flower. Dahlias require frequent watering, but are very susceptible to rotting when conditions are too moist or wet, especially in the spring before there is an established root system.

In southwestern Ontario we plant dahlias after the threat of hard frost in mid-late may depending on location. 

Depending on storage conditions throughout the winter, some tubers may take  longer than others to "wake up". Unfortunately some do shrivel a bit... That is okay as long as the tuber doesn't completely dry and shrivel like a raisin.

Plant tubers horizontally 4-5" below the surface in well worked & fertilized soil. I usually plant the tuber with the "eye" facing upwards to make it easier for the sprout to emerge from the dirt. (See anatomy of the Tuber in the Tuber vs Seed section)

If the dirt is extremely dry, a small amount of water wont hurt. However, if the soil is already moist I don't water tubers until I see a green shoot through the ground as they are prone to rotting.

Spacing: 

Give space on either side of your dahlia; it's recommended to plant minimum 3ft apart, however if growing in small spaces, you can plant them closer. [I plant 2ft apart).

Care:

Fertilize weekly when there are minimum 4 sets of established leaves. Young plants are delicate and sensitive to fertilizer. If you prefer longer stems (for cutting) pinch the plant down to 2 sets of leaves when its about 2 feet tall. It seems counter productive, but in the end it will encourage the plant to push up more shoots, thus produce more flowers.

* To have blooms all season, be sure to cut flowers before they go to seed. 

Digging & Storing:

Dahlias require a full season (roughly 120 days) to fully grow and multiply under the ground. After the first hard frost the plant will die off, and tubers will be ready to dig up. This is a bitter sweet time... the feild starts to look grey and dystopic but the excitement to see what's under the dirt makes up for it.  

*dig up using a fork instead of a shovel, as you're less likely to "chop" tubers off. Start by digging and loosening dirt about 1 ft away from the stem and loosen from all sides. Pull up on the stem (gently) and voila!