My Favorite Dahlias for Cut Flower Use 2024
The top performing Dahlias at Three Acre Farm.
My Favorite Dahlias for Cut Flower Use
“What are your favorite Dahlias for cut flower use?”
I was asked this question a few weeks ago and I decided it would make an excellent blog post topic!
I’ve grown hundreds of different Dahlia. Some are keepers. Some are not. Every year, I add a few new Dahlias to the mix… and cull a few that no longer “make the cut” (pun intended).
“Cut Flower Dahlias” vs “Bedding Plant Dahlias”
Let me be clear. I am growing Dahlias for cut flower use, not landscape use. I only care how the bloom looks in the vase. I don’t care how leggy or unattractive the plant looks.
My #1 goal is to harvest each and every bloom at just the right stage and get it into the hands of Dahlias lovers in my community.
Some people prefer to grow Dahlias as a bedding/decorative/landscape plant. They want a plant that looks good in the garden AND produces nice blooms. These are usually Dahlia plants they purchase at a plant nursery, which are quite different than the Dahlias I plant on my farm (there are THOUSANDS of different varieties of dahlias, bred for different uses).
A pretty landscape plant is not my goal, so please note the plants I’m recommending will produce lovely blooms, but the plants may look unsightly. In fact… cutting gardens in general can look a bit unsightly!
Here's what I’m looking for in a good Dahlia for cut flower use:
Sturdy Stems. No bobble heads or bendy stems, please!
Long Stems. I harvest our dahlias into 5 gallon buckets, so I need the stems to be 18-24”. In order to get long stems like this, most of the dahlia varieties I grow reach 4-6 feet tall. Most bedding/landscape Dahlias are bred to be much shorter and are not suitable for cut flower use.
Long(er) Vase Life. As a general rule, the tighter the petals, the longer the vase life. The “Ball” type dahlias have a longer vase life than most other types. You’ll notice that nearly all the Dahlias I recommend in this blog post are Ball type Dahlias… and it’s because they have the best vase life.
Sturdy Petals. Some Dahlias are stunning, but their petals bruise easily and they don’t hold up well.
Versatile Color. For floral design, I’m usually looking for more muted, subtle colors. Some dahlias can be gaudy, garish and over-the-top.
A few other notes:
Because of their short vase life (3-5 days), Dahlias are considered an “Event Flower”, not a bouquet flower. This means, they are great for events like weddings, baby showers, parties, etc, where they only need to look good for the day of the event. Don’t expect them to last a week in a vase, like many other types of flowers. You CAN use them in bouquets, but know they will expire faster than the other flowers.
Dahlia colors can vary wildly depending on soil type, nutrient availability and weather conditions.
Some Dahlias grow better in certain climates and may need time to acclimate to a new environment. For example, when I order Dahlia tubers from producers on the West Coast, I usually have to grow them for 2-3 seasons before I can get an accurate assessment of them. Don’t give up on them after 1 season!
When harvesting your Dahlia blooms, be sure to cut DEEP into the plant, about 18-24” down from the bloom, making the cut above a set of leaves. This signals the plant to send up 2 new stems from the set of leaves you left behind.
Ok, here are just a few of my favorite Dahlias for cut flower use out of the 98 varieties I’m trialing this year!
Caitlin’s Joy
This Dahlia is a trifecta - gorgeous long-lasting blooms, productive upright growth habit and an amazing tuber producer. The warm shimmering tones are perfect for late summer/fall arrangments.
Chimacum Troy
If you’re looking for a classic wine colored dahlia, look no further. I can’t get enough of this one!
She’s a good bloom producer and tuber producer. “Ivanetti” is a very similar dahlia. Their coloring and size is almost identical, but I find “Chimacum Troy” is more prolific with her blooms.
Clearview Peachy
One of the most impressive Dahlias I’ve ever grown. The stems are exceptionally sturdy and long, and the blooms are tough and hold up to lots of handling. Clearview Peachy is the longest lasting Dahlia bloom I’ve ever encountered. I once had blooms that lasted for 14 days (3-5 is average for Dahlias!).
The peachy tones are perfect for late summer/fall.
Coralie
Talk about a winner of a Dahlia! Coralie is early to bloom and super productive over the growing season. The bloom color is endlessly versatile. The petals are surprisingly sturdy and she is an excellent cut flower.
Cornel Bronze
Ok, if you had to grow just ONE dahlia for cut flower use, I’d hands down recommend “Cornel Bronze”. The plants are sturdy and vigorous, and the blooms are bulletproof. The bronze-orange color is fantastic in fall arrangements.
She’s also a good tuber producer!
Coseytown Bounty
This Dahlia is aptly named! She’s highly productive and you’ll harvest a massive bounty of blooms of these plants. The warm tones are perfect for late summer/fall arrangements.
Crichton Honey
This one is swoon worthy! The first 3 seasons I grew her, the plants were quite short (2-3 ft) and the stems had a tendency to flop over. I almost gave up on her, but I’m glad I didn’t. Now the plants are vigorous and 3-4 tall, and holding up nicely with support.
The blooms are stunning shades of apricot, orange and yellow, and most welcome in fall arrangements.
Diva
Diva deserves to be in every Dahlia patch. She tall, strong and sturdy with classically beautiful wine colored blooms. They pair beautifully with “Chimacum Troy” and “Bracken Rose”.
While the blooms are larger, the petals are still quite durable.
Ferncliff Copper
Have you ever seen a dreamier color?!? “Ferncliff Copper” makes my jaw drop every time. Be sure to harvest her a bit on the early side, as she’ll keep opening up in the vase.
Blooms are large and robust, as are her tubers.
Isabel
Isabel grows about 3ft tall, which means she offers the best of both worlds: nice long stems for cutting, but not so tall and lanky that she requires lots of support.
Her color is a stunning cool pink with violet undertones. The petals have an iridescent quality and seem to glow from within
Jowey Winnie
Another “must have” for the cutting garden. “Jowey Winnie” blooms are a larger ball type dahlia and the bright coral color goes well with multiple color schemes. I always reach for these blooms first when I’m making arrangements.
The plants are on the smaller side (2-3 feet) but will produce nice long stems if you cut deep into the plant when harvesting.
Lark’s Ebbe
Plants are on the shorter side (about 3ft tall), but make up for lack of size with amazing productivity. The warm pink/coral/apricot blooms are exactly what colors I want to see in September and October. She’s a winner!
Mini Cafe au Lait
This Dahlia is a variety that was sold to us years ago as “Cafe au Lait”, but it was mislabeled and we have no idea what it’s actually called.
The blooms are similar coloring to “Cafe au Lait”, but have a different petal shape and the blooms are much, much smaller than the dinnerplate sizes “Cafe au Lait”, which makes them easier to use in bouquets and arrangements. They come in shades of pink and cream. I’ve tried to separate the pink plants from the cream plants over the years… only to notice they will change color halfway through the season! I give up ;) They are all beautiful.
The plants/stems are incredibly strong and sturdy, and they are an excellent tuber producer. The only downside is the petals can bruise easily, which almost made me cull them from this list… but if you can handle with care, they make a great addition to the cutting garden.
They pair perfectly with “Cafe au Lait” and “Bracken Rose”.
Peaches ‘n Cream
“Peaches n’ Cream” is one of the earliest blooming and most prolific bloomers on our farm. The plants seems to tolerate heat and humidity better than other dahlias.
Her blooms are truly magnificent and it’s 100% worth trying to get your hands on some. Stems are thin, yet sturdy and the bloom size is perfect in arrangements.
Snoho Doris
“Snoho Doris” is such a fun, playful Dahlia. I love using her blooms in mixed bouquets. They are a little bit funky, but in a subtle way. ;) Each bloom is different and colors change over the growing season.
Snoho Sonia
Snoho Sonia is pure perfection. Long sturdy stems, super productive and long lasting blooms. She’s a dream come true.
Woodland’s Wildthing
One of the first Dahlias we grew on Three Acre Farm, “Woodlands Wildthing” is like a good friend you’re thrilled to see again each year. She makes me laugh with delight!
Be sure to give her lots of support because she gets wild! Plants can easily reach 6-8 feet tall. Bloom are absolutely gorgeous, on nice long stems. Harvest her blooms when they are in this stage shown above, then watch them open and unfurl. The blooms are at their most stunning stage right before they expire.
Want to know when our Dahlia tubers are available? We offer them in the spring, after we have finishing dividing, inspecting and inventorying all the tubers.
Join our email list using the form below to make sure you don’t miss out!
Want to learn more about Dahlias? Check out these resources:
Three Acre Farm Dahlia Tubers
Beginner’s Guide to Growing Dahlias
How to Dig and Store Your Dahlia Tubers
Not sure how to dig, divide and store your dahlias? Relax! Here’s everything you need to know to successfully overwinter your dahlia tubers!
How to Dig and Store Your Dahlia Tubers
This time of year, I receive countless questions about digging and storing dahlia tubers. There is so much conflicting advice and uncertainly. Some people start to panic!
I get it. Tubers are a big investment and of course, you want to do everything you can to ensure your tubers survive over the winter.
I’m going to walk you through the process we use for digging and storing our dahlia tubers. After reading and watching the videos, you should feel more confident and ready to try it on your own!
Before we dive in, I want you to know 2 things:
1. There are several different methods that can be used to store dahlia tubers. When you hear “seemingly contradicting” advice, just know that different methods work for different storage situations. The way WE store them might not be best for YOU, since we don’t have the exact same storage spots.
2. If you are new to storing dahlia tubers, I highly recommend you try a few different storage methods and locations. This will help you discover the ideal methods for YOU. It’s never a great idea to “put all your eggs in one basket”. This way, if one method is a flop, you have a back up supply of tubers.
Got it? Good.
So, first… here’s a quick video that shows you what dahlia tubers clumps should look like AFTER you dig them up. Notice the big clump of tubers and the short stem.
Ok, now that you know what you’re going for and what the tubers look like, let’s get digging!
Digging and Storing Your Dahlia Tubers.
Step 1: Wait for Your First Frost
Dahlias are very sensitive to frost. You’ll know you’ve had a frost because one day your plants will look beautiful… and the next day they will be black and dead (see before and after photos below). Flower farmers call the First Killing Frost of the Season “Frostmas”. ;)
Feel free to go out by your dead dahlias and cry a little bit. No judgement here. Goodbye, my loves…
Frost covered dahlias are gorgeous, but they only look pretty for about an hour and then they turn to mush. Get out there and take photos! It only happens once a year!
You don’t HAVE to wait for the frost to kill the Dahlias in order to dig them up. However, it’s best to allow them to grow for at least 135 days (four and half months)… which naturally coincides with many grower’s frost dates, which is why frost is usually the signal to start digging!
Happy Frostmas! “Black Satin” after the first frost.
BEFORE: Dahlia field the day before the 1st frost.
AFTER: Dahlia field the day after the 1st frost. These photos were taken within 24 hours of each other!
Step 2: Cut Back the Plants… and Wait
Once the frost has killed the plants, go through with a heavy clippers or loppers and cut back the main stem and all the foliage, leaving a “stem handle” sticking up out of the ground about 4-6” long.
Once you have cut back the plants, it’s time to WAIT. You can relax for a week or two. Simply leave the tuber clumps in the ground, undisturbed.
Cutting back like this signals the tubers below the ground to set “eye” (sprouts) on the tubers. This is helpful because you need to be able to see the eyes if you plan on dividing your tuber clumps right away.
Cutting back also signals the tubers to cure and toughen up, which helps them store better over the winter.
Don’t have to time to leave them in the ground? Sometimes the weather or your life commitments are not conducive to waiting. No problem, friend. You can cut and dig on the same day. It just might be a little trickier to see the eyes when you dig them up.
If you have not received a killing frost by November 1, you can start cutting back plants anyway. You want to leave yourself enough time to get them out of the ground before the ground freezes. Yup, I’ve been out there digging the last of the tubers out in the snow in December. ;)
We made “Cut Back the Plants” day into a work party and cut back the whole field in 1 hour!
Step 3: Time to Dig!
After 1 -2 weeks of curing in the ground (or less, if you need to dig right away), you can begin digging.
Using a pitchfork, CAREFULLY loosen the soil on all sides of the tuber clump. Take care to NOT break the tubers. They are EXTREMELY fragile.
Do NOT yank up the tuber clump by the “stem handle.” Instead, place one hand on the handle and use the other hand to pry up the clump with the pitchfork.
Gently remove excess soil from around the tubers with a pencil, stick or paint brush. Clip off “root hairs” and any broken tubers.
Using a loppers or heavy clippers, cut off the “stem handle” near the base of the clump, leaving about 1-2 inches. Do NOT cut too low or you will cut off the “eyes”!
Place the clump in a bag or crate with the dahlia variety name clearly marked on it.
Bring the bags/crates to a cool, dry location out of direct sunlight (like a garage or covered porch) and allow them to dry to the touch. This may take a few hours or a few days, depending on weather conditions and temperature. BUT MAKE SURE THEY DO NOT FREEZE DURING THIS TIME!!! Unfortunately, we know this from experience. :(
Do NOT set tubers directly on concrete to dry. It will dry them out. Place them on tables, counters, pallets, crates, etc.
A nice looking dahlia tuber clump!
Step 4: To Divide… Or Not to Divide
Once your tubers have dried for about a week, you need to decide:
Will you divide your clumps now or in the spring?
We usually divide in the spring (we simply don’t have time to deal with them in the fall!), so we store our tubers in clumps. We feel keeping the clumps whole as long as possible helps the tubers to store better… but obviously, it takes up waaaaaay more room than storing individual tubers.
If you do decide to divide in the fall, you will need to do a little more babysitting over the winter.
*Please note: We HIGHLY recommend you sanitize your snips/knife/tools between tuber to clumps to prevent the possible spread of disease between plants.
IF YOU DIVIDE IN THE FALL:
Wash clumps and allow them to dry overnight… or simply brush off excess dirt with a paintbrush (this works best for light sandy soil. If you grow in heavy clay, you will need to wash them).
Divide the clumps into individual tubers (watch the video below to learn how). Allow cut ends on tubers to dry and cure, about 1-2 days. Remember: ONLY tubers with “eyes” are viable!
Store tubers in bins/boxes filled with vermiculite, peat moss, or wood shavings. Be sure that they are not touching each other! Fill the bin with about 1-2 inches of storage material and carefully place the tubers so they are not touching. Sprinkle another 2 inches of storage material on top and add another layer of tubers, and so on. They can also be wrapped in newspaper to prevent touching.
Store at 40-45 degrees Fahrenheit, with about 80-90% humidity.
“Eyes” on a tuber.
IF YOU ARE LEAVING THE CLUMPS WHOLE:
Leave clumps unwashed. Brush off as much dirt as possible.
Store in boxes/plastic or paper bags/crates at 40-45 degrees Fahrenheit, with about 80-90% humidity. If you are storing in a dry place, plastic bags may work best. If you are storing in a damp place, paper bags may work best.
Tubers in a paper bag ready for winter storage.
Step 5: Long Term Storage
THIS IS THE TRICKIEST PART OF GROWING DAHLIAS. Dahlias are relatively easy to grow, but proper winter storage can be a struggle!
Here are a few tips for storing your tubers over the winter, regardless if they are divided or not.
Store at 40-45 degrees Fahrenheit. If the tubers freeze, they will turn to mush when they thaw. If they get too warm, they could rot.
Humidity at about 80-90%. Ensure that the tubers are not too dry (they will shrivel) and not too wet (they will rot). If your space is dry, you can control this by storing in plastic bins/bags and occasionally spritzing with water. If your space is damp, try storing in paper bags/cardboard boxes that will help absorb moisture. Peat moss, wood shavings and vermiculite will also help regulate humidity. You may need to run a dehumidifier OR a humidifier, depending on your needs.
Check on your tubers every few weeks. Remove any rotted, mushy tubers. Mush is no good. If the tubers looks shriveled and dry, don’t toss them - move them to a more humid location. I’ve seen the most terrible dead-looking tubers come back to life in the spring.
Sometimes the tubers develop small amount of mold. Don’t panic. It means your spot is too humid. Move them to a drier spot and simply brush off or wipe off the mold.
FOR BEST RESULTS, we recommend trying a few different storage methods and locations. Keep notes and make observations. Until you discover what works for you, it’s wise to not “put your eggs in one basket.”
People are always asking me:
“How do you store YOUR Dahlia tubers?”
I’m reluctant to talk about our storage method, because it’s nearly impossible to replicate our method. If you want to see how we do it, you can read about it HERE.
BOTTOM LINE: You will have to do your own experimenting/trialing to figure out the best place and method for YOU to store YOUR Dahlias tubers. What works for someone else could be disastrous for you.
I wish there was a “one-size-fits-all” solution. I really do!!! But there isn’t, because every single Dahlia grower in the world has a slightly different storage solution. Nobody has the exact same storage area or conditions.
Concluding Remarks
Thanks for taking the time to read this. I know, it’s a lot of overwhelming information and some of you are wondering if it’s worth all the time and effort. And maybe now you understand why dahlia blooms cost more than most other flowers! They are a real labor of love!
You don’t HAVE to dig up your tubers every fall. Some people simply decide to purchase new tubers every spring and that is fine! If you are on our email list, you’ll be the first to know when we have dahlia tubers available in the late winter/early spring.
You also can try experimenting with “overwintering” you tubers in the ground, depending on where you live. Here in Zone 5b in the Great White North (Michigan), dahlias will not survive over the winter, but… let me tell you what happened to us last year!
We had several “Blizzard” variety dahlias that we did not need to dig up (because each plant produces about 20+ new tubers!) so we left them in the ground. Our neighbors gave us huge loads of maple leaves and they ended up in a giant heap (2-3 feet deep) over the dahlias. We meant to move them but didn’t get around to it before the snow came.
Come spring, I lifted up that thick layer of leaves… and found a dozen healthy dahlia plants sprouting! We transplanted them and they did GREAT this season. So, it IS possible to overwinter them, but it might have been a fluke.
It’s worth experimenting with though, if you have large amounts of leaves you can mulch with…
That’s it, folks.
Have fun digging your tubers!
-Lori
Beginner's Guide to Growing Dahlias
Want to try growing dahlias? We can help!
Beginner’s Guide to Growing Dahlias
It's 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 1000 dahlias each season 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!
Dahlia FAQ's
1. I heard that dahlias are hard to grow. Is that true?
Yes. No. Maybe? While I would say they are NOT difficult to grow, they ARE one of the most labor intensive flowers grown for cutting. So, yes, they are "easy to grow" but require some special care.
They require careful planting, staking, pinching (more about that later) and the tubers must be dug up each fall.
If provided with proper growing conditions, they will perform beautifully and provide you with many blooms over the late summer and into the fall! Here in Michigan, September is “peak season” for Dahlias.
2. 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.
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).
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 health of the plant.
According to Michael Genovese of Summer Dreams Dahlia Farm, a tuber the size of a 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 or damaged, the tuber is worthless.
3. Pinching? What does that mean?
If you want your plant to produce multiple blooms, you must "pinch" or cut back the plant early on, when it has reached 12-16" tall. Find the center stalk, count down about 1-2 sets of leaves and make a cut with clean clippers, removing the top inch or two of the center stalk. This signals the plant to "branch out" and put it's energy into creating more branches and more blooms.
If you want bigger blooms (but less flowers in total), then do nothing.
4. Do I need to stake dahlias?
Yes, most varieties will need to be staked, otherwise the wind may flatten and ruin the whole plant. Gently tie the plant to a sturdy wooden or metal stake. A tomato cage would also work!
You can also use netting stretched between posts, hovering about 12-18" from the ground. The plants grow right up into the netting, which keeps them in place.
5. Wow! Some dahlia tubers cost over $15... 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. It's all done by hand!
Keep reading... Question #6 may ease your mind...
![20171101_125409[2].jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/582b872529687fd6acb7423d/1522886249744-NZYXPE3O1SLK0NNJTI77/20171101_125409%5B2%5D.jpg)
6. You said in the video that the tubers multiply each year. Does that mean I'll be able to plant even MORE of them next year?
YES! If you dig up the tubers in the fall, properly store them and divide them, you can easily triple or quadruple your stock in 1 year. Once you factor that into the price of buying a tuber (I’ve paid up to $25 for a single tuber!), they don't seem so expensive anymore!
See the photo below? I planted ONE tuber in the spring... now I have more than I can count! Yes, all of those grew from one tuber.
![20180316_153256[1].jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/582b872529687fd6acb7423d/1522885401599-H3SZO80TID2LLNZECGHB/20180316_153256%5B1%5D.jpg)
7. So... do I HAVE to dig up the tubers every fall? What do I do with them?
No, you don't HAVE to... but then you will have to by new tubers each spring, which gets expensive!
Wait to dig up your tubers until a few days AFTER a hard killing frost. This signals the tubers to go into “storage mode” and you’ll have better success storing the tubers over the winter.
After killing frost, tubers can stay in the ground for a while, so there is no huge rush… but do dig them up before the ground freezes!
Tubers are best stored in a cool, dark location - not too warm (they will rot) and not too cold (freezing will ruin them). A root cellar is perfect.
8. Ummm... how do I divide them? That sounds hard.
I'll admit it takes practice and you will make a lot of mistakes at first, but it gets easier with time.
Want to see how to do it? Watch this short video!
9. Help! I divided my tubers and now they have blue mold where I cut them!
No worries! This type of mold is generally just a surface mold and does not penetrate the tuber. Double check to make sure the tuber is not mushy. If it’s still solid, simply wipe off the mold with damp towel or brush it off.
See the “Before” and “After” photos below:
10. My dahlia tubers arrived in the mail but it’s too early to plant them! What do I do with them while I’m waiting?
No worries, friend! You have 2 options:
1. Leave them right in the bag they arrived in. Be sure to open up the bag to let them “breath” a bit and regulate humidity. Store the bags of tubers in a cool, dark, dry location, such as a basement or garage. Do NOT store them in a place that dips below freezing.
2. Pot them up! You can fill a small pot with potting soil and pop the tuber in there. Be sure to “plant” it tail down, and head up (look for the “eye” or sprout on the head of the tuber). Water the pot sparingly (not too wet, not too dry) and place in a warm, sunny spot. The tuber will send up shoots and leave above the soil and roots into the soil. Simply transplant outside when the weather warms up, being sure to cover the crown of the tuber.
Ok, feeling a little more confident now? Read on for instructions on how to grow these beauties!
How to Grow Dahlias
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. It's 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.
![IMG_20171111_121012_638[1].jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/582b872529687fd6acb7423d/1522885053209-L1EJTKY2QQ549ZIE6FU4/IMG_20171111_121012_638%5B1%5D.jpg)
Questions? Comments? Just let us know.
Happy planting!
All About Dahlia Tubers
Questions about dahlia tubers? Here you go!
All About Dahlia Tubers
Are you a beginner dahlia grower? If so, you probably have lots of questions about dahlias and how they are grown. I’m here to help answer some of your questions!
1. How are dahlias grown?
Dahlias are grown from tubers, which are “bulbs” that grow underground. Dahlia tubers are a lot like potatoes - you plant one tuber and end up with many more at the end of the season.
Dahlias CAN be grown from seed, but dahlias grown from seed are not genetically stable and often turn out to be “duds”, with irregular forms and deformed petals, like the one pictured below. I was told by Dahlia breeders that it takes planting about 800-1000 Dahlia seeds to discover a “diamond in the rough”… and I believe it!
If you’re mostly concerned about growing flowers for bees, Dahlias from seed is fine. But if you’re looking for beautiful blooms for bouquets or Dahlia shows, you’ll want to grow Dahlias from tubers, which are genetic “clones” of their mother plant.
Growing from tubers is the easiest and most popular way to grow dahlias. To grow a dahlia plant, all you need is ONE tuber with ONE “eye”/sprout.
A viable tuber needs to have an “Eye”, a neck and a body. If the “tail” is too long, you can cut off up to 3/4 of the tail and the tuber is still viable.
For new growers, locating the “eye” can be tricky at first, but with practice you’ll be able to spot them.
When you plant one tuber in the spring, the plant will grow and multiply… and when you dig up the plant in the fall, you will have MULTIPLE tubers! It’s like magic!
Yes, ALL of these tubers in the photo below grew from ONE tuber! Each one of these tubers can be planted out and now you have over a dozen plants!
2. Do all tubers look the same? Does the size of the tuber matter?
NO!!!!! There are thousands of different types of dahlias…. and each one grows it’s tubers a little differently. There is a shocking amount of variety in shape and size!
Some are tiny and slim, like a pencil. Some are short and stubby, with little to no neck. Some are huge and chunky. Some are skinny with loooooooong necks.
The size of the tuber is irrelevant in most cases. We grow some varieties of dahlias that never produce tubers larger than our pinky, while some produce HUGE tubers that we have to cut down to size. It all depends on the variety of dahlia.
Here is an example of some of the dahlias we grow. Notice how all of them look completely different! Each one of these tubers is good example of their variety.
And here are a few more examples of viable tubers. Some of them look pretty funny ;)
3. My tubers look a little shriveled. Will they still grow?
In most cases, YES. Remember, as long as the tuber has an eye, it will grow.
Give the tuber a squeeze.
Is it firm and pliable? It’s probably still ok. Plant it!
Is it slimy, mushy and oozing? Throw it out.
Is it brittle and cracked? Throw it out.
Here is an example of a tuber that is completely dried out and desiccated, and does not have an eye. This one will not grow.
This tuber felt suspect, so we cut it open. Healthy Dahlias have clean firm white tissue. This one is rotting.
Below is an example of one that looks ugly, wrinkly and a little dried out…. but it will still grow. Notice the eye at the top. This tuber is not pretty, but it will still get the job done!
If all your tubers are shriveled and dried out, it means your storage space is too dry. Dahlias do best stored in locations that stay about 40F with 80-85% humidity.
Do not assume that tubers are worthless just because they look ugly. Those “ugly” tubers usually grow just fine. On our farm, we sell the “pretty” tubers and keep the “ugly” ones for ourselves. We love ugly tubers ;)
Below is an example of an “ugly tuber”… and the beautiful bloom it grew!
4. I DIVIDED MY TUBERS AND NOW THEY HAVE BLUE MOLD WHERE I CUT THEM! What do I do?!?
Step One: Take a deep breath and relax. :) It’s probably going to be ok.
Step Two: Check the tuber. If it’s slimy, oozing or mushy… discard the tubers. If it’s still somewhat firm (not slimy, oozing or mushy), proceed.
Step Three: Wipe off the mold with damp towel or brush it off.
This type of blue mold is very common. It’s usually a surface mold and it does not penetrate the tuber. Most often this mold grows because the humidity level in your storage space is too high. Try moving the tubers to a location that is a bit less humid.
See the “Before” and “After” photos below. Underneath the blue mold, the tuber is still firm.
5. Can I “pot up” my dahlia tubers to give them a head start?
Absolutely! We pot up a couple varieties each year, but the vast majority are NOT started in pots, simply because we don’t have room to pot up 1,000+ tubers ;)
Potting up is easy. Simply fill a 4” pot with potting soil, stick the tail end of the tuber in the soil and leave the head sticking out. Keep the soil slightly damp, allowing it to dry out between waterings. Do NOT over-water, as tubers can rot in wet conditions.
Keep the pots in a warm, sunny spot.
(You can watch a video demonstration of the process HERE)
After a few weeks, you will notice the eyes beginning to sprout and roots poking out of the bottom of the pot. Hooray! The tuber has done it’s job! The tuber is simply a food source until the plant creates roots.
Roots starting to poke out the bottom!
Eventually, the eye will turn into a sprout!
Bonus: If you are plant savvy and know how to make “cuttings” of plants, you can make cuttings from your tubers and propagate/clone them that way. It generally has about at 50-75% success rate, depending on your skill level. It does NOT hurt or damage the tuber, and the tuber will send up more sprouts to replace the one you cut off.
When it’s time to plant them outside, simply dig a hole about 6 inches deep and wide. Take the sprouted tuber out of the pot and bury it so the head is a couple inches below the surface of the soil. If the sprout sticks out of the soil, great!
If not, no worries! It will grow and emerge from the soil in no time. And if you accidentally break off the sprout - do not panic! It will grow a new one.
If you are planting a potted up, actively growing Dahlia plant with leaves/foliage, be sure to water it well at planting time and water the plant regularly as it’s growing.
In contrast, if you are planting a Dahlia tuber (not actively growing leaves), be sure to avoid watering until AFTER you see the sprouts/leaves emerging from the ground.
Hope this information helps! if you have any more questions, leave them below!
-Lori
Want more info about dahlias? Here you go!
The Beginner’s Guide to Growing Dahlias
Too Soon to Plant Your Dahlias? Here’s What to Do
Too Soon to Plant Your Dahlia Tubers? Here's What to Do
Too cold to plant your dahlia tubers? Here’s what to do while you wait!
Too Soon to Plant Your Dahlia Tubers? Here’s What to Do
If you are like us, we are DYING to get our dahlias in the ground in the spring!
Unfortunately… dahlias are NOT FROST HARDY and cannot handle freezing temperatures. Around here in West Michigan, our “Average Last Spring Frost” is May 15, which means we really need to wait until mid May before we think about planting them outside. On our farm, our goal is to get them in before Memorial Day.
So, what are you supposed to do when your tubers start arriving in the mail in mid April, but you can’t plant them out for another MONTH?!?
You have 2 options:
1. Leave them right in the bag they arrived in. Be sure to open up the bag to let them “breath” a bit and regulate humidity. Store the bags of tubers in a cool, dark, dry location, such as a basement or garage. Do NOT store them in a place that dips below freezing.
2. Pot them up! You can fill a small pot with potting soil and pop the tuber in there. Be sure to “plant” it tail down, and head up (look for the “eye” or sprout on the head of the tuber). Water the pot sparingly (not too wet, not too dry) and place in a warm, sunny spot. The tuber will send up shoots and leave above the soil and roots into the soil.
Watch the tutorial below to see how it’s done!
Once your soil is warm and dry, and the risk of frost is over, you can plant them out!
If you’ve potted up the tuber, simply remove the entire contents of the pot (tuber with the potting soil) and place it in the ground (dig a hole slightly larger and wider than the pot), being sure to bury the crown of the tuber (where the shoot/leaves are coming out) about 4” below the surface of the soil.
This might mean you’re completely burying the shoot/leaves. Don’t worry - it’s not a problem at all. The shoot will keep growing and poke out of the soil soon.
And if you happen to accidentally break off the shoot while planting… Don’t panic! It will send up a new shoot!
Water regularly to help the plant get established. This is an established plant and like all newly planted plants, it needs adequate water at planting time and for the next few following weeks.
If you’re planting an un-potted tuber, simply dig a 4-6” hole in the ground, drop the tuber in with the eye facing up and back-fill the hole. DO NOT WATER until you notice the shoots/leaves pushing through the surface of the soil. Avoid planting tubers right before a large storm. Keep an eye on the weather and try to plant during a dry stretch of weather.
Want to know more about dahlias? Be sure to check out this post: The Beginner’s Guide to Growing Dahlias
Happy planting!