How to plant Dahlia tubers

sarahraven.com

Dahlias are some of the lowest maintenance, highest production cut flowers and garden plants you can grow.

In a good year, they’ll flower from late June to early December (particularly in a sheltered spot).

They come in all shapes and sizes, and are available in most of the best flower colours.

Don’t forget to check out Sarah’s video guides on our website at www.sarahraven.com/videos

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Dahlias are tender tubers so can be started off under cover (somewhere frost-free) in early spring for planting out after the frosts.

Half-fill a 3 litre pot with peat free multipurpose compost. Place the tuber in the pot with the central stem upwards and cover with more compost so that the stem is at soil level.

Label and water the pot, and place where it will receive some warmth and light – a frost-free greenhouse, or windowsill for example.

Shoots should start showing after 2-3 weeks, although some varieties may take a little longer. As they grow, pinch out the tips of the main shoot, either with a sharp knife or squeezed between your thumb and forefinger, down to the top pair of leaves.

As the plant grows, you also need to remove all but five shoots sprouting from the tuber. It feels brutal, but with only five stems allowed to develop, you will get strong, vigorous growth that will produce lots of flowers.

Plant out in the garden after the risk of frosts. Look out for our spring bulb instruction booklet sent with your tubers.

Learn how to take dahlia cuttings with Sarah’s video

tutorial on our website

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