How to succeed with dahlias

1. Where and how do I grow dahlias?

Dahlias can be grown in many ways – directly in flower beds, in containers or in pots. There is no right or wrong way. Wherever they grow, the most important thing is that dahlias get plenty of sunlight, at least 8 hours a day!

Growing in flower beds

If you grow in beds, you can get big, beautiful plants – as long as they’re not planted too densely – and don’t need to water very often as long as it rains.

Before planting the dahlias, the soil should be prepared with nutrients and fresh soil. When the plants are small and brittle, it is important to keep both weeds and slugs at bay. Slugs see the brittle plants as a delicacy.

Pallet collar

If you grow dahlias in a pallet collar or greenhouse, it may be easier to keep snails at bay, but you need to keep a closer eye on watering. It’s also important not to plant the tubers too densely, so that the plants have room to spread out.

Krukor

Growing in pots is easy and convenient during planting and they don’t take up much space, which is perfect for spaces like patios and balconies. However, more watering is required here, as the volume of soil is much smaller. But don’t water too often; the soil should dry out between waterings. Check with a moisture meter that reaches all the way to the bottom.

2. When should I plant my tubers?

Dahlia tubers can either be planted directly on land or displaced. There are advantages and disadvantages to both, and what suits you best depends mainly on the conditions you have, but also on what you value most. For example, if early flowering is most important, preplanting is preferable, while a stable plant that can withstand the wind is most easily obtained by planting the tubers directly in the soil.

When propagating, many people are keen to start as soon as possible, but it is important not to start too early. If you don’t have plant lights and want to rely on sunlight, you can start propagation in April, but earlier than that often results in plants that grow tall and lanky. Propagated dahlias cannot be planted out until the risk of frost is over, often in June, and they must be hardened off before then.

3. How densely and deeply should the tubers be planted?

Dahlias thrive best when they are allowed to spread out. At first, when the dahlias are just starting to emerge or are planted out, it can feel very sparse between the dahlias. But when the side shoots appear after the first flower has bloomed, it quickly becomes a lush, large plant.

A benchmark for the planting distance is half the final height of the seedling. The more space they get, the more space they take up. If the dahlias are planted too close together, there is a risk that the dahlias will perceive that they are in the shade and become tall and lanky or flower less.

When planting dahlia tubers, they should be planted 5-10 cm deep. In a bed, they are best planted 10 cm deep, as this gives a strong plant that is stable even in strong winds. When preplanting, it is important that the entire tuber is covered with at least 2 cm of soil. Last year’s stalk and new shoots may rise above the surface of the soil, but if the shoots end up underground, they will quickly find their way back up.

4. How can I get as many flowers as possible?

Many people dream of picking large bouquets of dahlias to decorate their home or give to loved ones. If you have 30 plants, you can bring in flowers continuously, without the garden becoming empty.

1) For dahlias to flower abundantly, they should be placed in the best possible conditions, the most important being that they have many hours of sunshine, at least 8 but preferably more, and that they are not shaded by each other. Remember that different varieties flower differently. For example, the largest flowers will have fewer flowers, and single flowers usually produce more flowers.

2. CuttingCutting away over-bloomed flowers before they form seed pods stimulates the growth of new flowers, so it’s recommended that you do even on those that you don’t bring inside.

3. When bringing in flowers or removing overblown ones, it is important not to cut the stems too far down so that you don’t cut off where new side shoots will come.

4. A little extra fertilizer after the first flowering can also produce more flowers. The fertilizer should not have too high a nitrogen content, as it provides more nutrition for many green leaves.

5. When fall comes, what do I do with the tubers?

Dahlia tubers are perennials, but cannot tolerate freezing temperatures and therefore need winter storage. The plants and flowers can be left outside until the frost comes and then need to be dug up before the frost sets in – or before they get covered in snow.

Dig up the tubers with a fork; they often grow large during the fall. Once the tuber has been dug up, the soil is shaken off as best you can and the stalk is cut off. The tubers are then left to dry out in a warm, dry place before being stored for the winter. Please mark the variety on the tuber or bag before you put it in storage.

Winter storage

There are a variety of ways and places to store your dahlias for the winter. The tubers cannot tolerate freezing temperatures, so it must be a frost-free place.

The storage place should maintain a temperature between 0 and 7 degrees, but can go up to 10 degrees if the air is drier. Humidity should be between 75 and 93 percent to prevent the tubers from drying out or rotting.

In colder storage, it should not be too humid, as the tubers risk rotting. In warmer storage, on the other hand, it must not be too dry, as this can lead to dehydration. To maintain the right humidity, the tubers can be covered with moist wood shavings, sawdust, peat litter or sand. As different environments affect tubers differently, it may be necessary to experiment to find the best solution for your own conditions.

Some suggestions for storage locations are earth or food cellars, attics, garages, stables and summer cottages.

Even with good storage, you can always expect some wastage; if it’s no more than 15%, you should be happy.

In the spring, the tubers are then brought out to be woken up before planting, for another season of fantastic flowering and color. Division can be done when digging up, but is best done in spring.