As you can probably tell from my very rational rant here, I am one of the biggest Spring stalkers you can ever meet. I must confess that Spring 2019 has left a lot to be desired. Way too much rain and much colder than usual.
The cooler Spring even affected on of my favourite festivals, the blooming time was delayed at the Ottawa Tulip Festival!
Well all I can say to me is “suck it up buttercup… move on”. It’s time for you to prepare for your own garden to explode. It’s times for my babies (well one of them!)
Dahlias are the bestest, most awesomest, most beautifulest, most ohmygoshest flower on the planet. Now that I have greatly disappointed my English teacher, let’s talk about how to grow them.
Don’t let the snow deter you, if you want to get an early start on the flowering season, you can start your dahlias indoors in April. This way you have beautiful blooms a whole month before planting outdoors.
Dahlias grow from tubers, these tubers do not tolerate cold very well. When outdoors, it’s very important to wait until the risk of frost is gone. The ground temperature should be at least 15C (60F).
They should be place in well-drained soil in a sunny location. Dahlias prefer slightly acidic soil, PH 6.5-7. For soil with a more clay like texture, you can add sand and peat moss to lighten the soil.
Dahlias 4 ft and over, should be planted about 3 feet apart, shorter varieties about 2 ft apart. Remember you’re planting for the height and width of plant. The spacing will allow more air flow between the plants and this in turn will reduce the chance of fungus .
The hole for the tuber should be about 6 to 8 inches deep and wide enough to accommodate the size of the tuber. Place the tuber in the whole with the eyes facing up, mix in a handful of bone meal with some soil and sprinkle in the hole. You can either cover completely or partially fill the hole (about 2-3 inches), the fill completely once the tuber starts growing.
Starting Dahlias outside also makes them more prone to pests as the grow. As the leaves grow out, it makes them a perfect resting place for slugs and and other insects. Don’t lose heart, just follow these options for dealing with pests.
Be careful watering the tubers. You can spritz slightly but generally you can leave the tuber as is and water once it starts to grow. Be careful, tubers are prone to root rot is over watered. Learn more about watering your Dahlias.
Remember taller varieties of Dahlias need to be staked. You can insert the stake when planted or you can wait until it’s grown a bit before inserting stake. Just be aware that tubers will have grown and you don’t want to damage them.
Take good care of your Dahlias to get the best results. Find out about watering, fertilizing and deadheading. Dahlias also make excellent cut flowers.
Did I mention that Dahlias are the bestest, most awesomest, most beautifulest, most ohmygoshest flower on the planet.
Who’s Your Dahlia – It’s About Bloomin’ Time!!!