Long Lasting Garden Color: Plant Inexpensive Dahlias Tubers

Dahlias are beautiful flowers that can provide you with long-lasting color in your garden. Dahlias are an inexpensive way to add pizzazz to your garden and require little maintenance during the growing season. You can find just about any color dahlia (except blue) in many sizes, ranging from petite pom pon varieties to massive dinnerplate varieties that can produce blooms over 10 inches in diameter.

What are Dahlia Tubers?

Dahlia tubers are brown potato-looking objects that you plant in the ground once the frost danger has passed. These tubers continue to grow and reproduce each year and you can split them apart to share with friends or to increase your own garden.

There are hundreds of varieties available from growers, nurseries, and even home improvement stores.

How Long do Dahlias Bloom?

Depending on your region, dahlias can bloom for months. I live in the fertile Pacific Northwest and typically plant my tubers in April. I usually see blooms beginning in July and lasting until the first hard frost in November or December. In colder regions, you will see a shorter blooming season and may need to dig your tubers sooner. In warmer regions, you will experience a longer blooming season.

How Do I Care for Dahlias?

If you live in an area that gets frost, you'll need to dig up your tubers each winter and store them in a cool, dry place. I dig my dahlias tubers in late November, split the tubers apart when needed, and clean them using water. Be sure to allow the tubers to fully dry if you clean them. Then, I store them in the garage in buckets filled with wood shavings that I pick up from a pet store.

Throughout the winter, be sure to check your tubers for any bugs or rot spots.

In warmer climates, you may not need to dig up your tubers.

I have left my tubers in the ground in past years, but I always lose a few to water rot.

During the growing season, dahlias require little care besides pruning the dying blooms periodically. You may want to stake the dahlias during planting as the blooms can get quite heavy (particularly on the dinnerplate varieties) and may bend or break the stems.

Dahlias grow best in sunny locations so I'd recommend planting them in an area of your garden that has sunshine most of the day. Avoid planting dahlia tubers in shady locations.

Can Dahlias Be Used as Cut Flowers?

Absolutely! Dahlias make beautiful cut floral arrangements for indoors. They last longer than roses as cut flowers and do not have a strong scent. In general, dahlias have strong, straight stems and sit really beautifully in vases.

Dahlias look great in your garden as single plants or in groupings. Each tuber will produce many blooms so the plant adds a huge amount of color and interest for a relatively inexpensive price. If you have a small space, you can get low growing or dwarf varieties. For larger spaces, you can get varieties that grow as tall as a person. Plant dahlias with zinnias, sunflowers, and black-eyed susans for a riotous display of color in both your garden and as cut flowers.

Check out Swan Island Dahlias for a great online selection of dahlia tubers. Order in the fall and winter for spring delivery.