How to Plant and Care for Dahlias

Planting dahlias is so easy. People think they are complicated but they are not. You'll have flowers from midsummer until your first frost. That's a loooooong time.

After the ground has thawed and risk of a frost is over you can:

· Find s sunny area in your garden.

· Dig a hole 6”-8” deep to plant your tubers.

· Add some compost if you have some (recommended).

· Place tubers with “eyes” facing up.

· Cover with dirt.

· Water every few days if you’ve not had rain.

After dahlias come up you may want to stake them, but I have definitely grown mine without stakes. The stems get long and hollow so stakes help keep them taller. But, if you don’t get to staking, the stalks bend a bit but the flowers are still beautiful.

Best to enjoy cutting the flowers because this encourages more blooms and helps with the shape of the plant. Plus, your bouquets will be beautiful!

Tip: Dahlias are gorgeous fillers in new gardens. When bushes are small and haven’t grown into their spot fully, dahlias are a beautiful way to fill in the holes without worry about the plant spreading or taking over. In colder climates the tubers should be pulled up and stored in a box in cool storage. If you don’t pull the tubers then consider them annuals and replant again the next year.