How to Grow Dahlias
Planning:(Feb.-Mar.-Apr)
- Dahlias love sun, but will also thrive in partial shade so choose an appropriate loction for planting .
- Dahlias require plenty of water in well-drained, slightly acidic soil(pH6.5). Soil can be prepared as soon as weather permits.
- Enrich soil with aged manure and an application of 6-8-6 or 20-20-20.
- Allow approx. 3 feet between staked plantings.
Buying Tubers ( Dahlia Club Tuber Sale–April)
- Look for size of blooms(AA is largest), colours and forms suitable for your personal garden.
- Look for a firm tuber with an established eye.
- Store tubers in opened package in a cool dry place or plant in pot until ready to tranplant into prepared site.
Planting
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Set out tubers in the Spring in a well prepared site after all danger of frost.
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Dig a 4 – 6 inch hole about 1 foot in diameter and position a support stake in the center(rebar works well for this).
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Place the eye of one or two tubers close to stake and cover lightly with soil leaving eye visible.
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Add more soil filling in the hole as the stalk grows.
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Remember to label plant variety at this time.
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Begin tying the plants to the stake when they are approx. 2′ tall.
Pest Control
- Slugs, earwigs, aphids may be interested in the new growth.
- Use traps around the base of your plant as needed. (see club display)
Watering and fertilizing
- Dahlias love to be watered deeply in well-drained soil.
- As flowers begin to show add a fertilizer specially formulated for blooms and strong stems.
Pinching and disbudding
- Pinch out the center stem when the plant has reached about one foot tall to produce a bushier plant with more flowers.
- To produce a larger flower, pinch out the two side buds (laterals).
End of Season (mid October to beginning of November)
- Cut plants to about 6 inches from ground. Dig and lift clumps.
- Wash tubers well and store either as a clump or divided into individual tubers.
- Try to retain a piece of the stem on each tuber when dividing. This is where the eye will form.
- Store in a cool dry place.
Nanaimo Glad and Dahlia Club invites you to our club meetings on the first Tuesday of every month from February – October to learn more about Growing, Showing and Enjoying this amazing flower. For more information see the Club Website.
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