Dahlia

How to grow Dahlias in a garden

Starting from a seedling or potted plant:

1. Choose a position in full sun with well-drained soil.
2. Enrich the soil with Yates Thrive Natural Blood & Bone with Seaweed.
3. When planting into prepared garden bed, ensure seedlings/plants are well spaced – at least 20 to 30cm apart.
4. Dig the planting hole twice as wide and to the same depth as the root-ball. Remove the plant from the container. Position in hole and backfill, gently firming down. Form a raised ring around the plant, creating a well so that water will go where it’s needed most. Water in well.
5. Water in gently and keep soil moderately moist at all times.
6. Mulch with an organic mulch such as bark chips, woodchip or pea straw to a depth of 5 - 8cm, keeping it away from the base of the plant.
7. Feed with Yates Thrive Rose & Flower Granular Plant Food. TIP: for an added boost, apply Yates Thrive Roses & Flowers Liquid Plant Food.

Starting from seed:

• Fill starter pots or trays with Yates Black Magic Seed Raising Mix. Sow seeds, lightly cover with mix, firm down and gently water in well. Keep moist at all times and place in a warm and sheltered position until seedlings have grown to 5 cm tall, then plant into the garden.
• Alternatively, sow direct where they are to grow in rows or in scattered clumps around the garden. Cover with a 12mm layer of Yates Black Magic Seed Raising Mix. Lightly firm down and keep moist. Just be sure to enrich the soil with Yates Thrive Natural Blood & Bone with Seaweed prior to sowing.

Starting from tubers:

• Once the weather warms up, stored tubers will start to form eyes or shoots. Once these start to form, the tubers are ready to plant out.
• Plant them whole with the growing eyes or shoots facing up. When planting make sure that the root end of the tuber is covered by at least 10 cm of soil. Just be sure to enrich the soil with Yates Thrive Natural Blood & Bone with Seaweed prior to planting.
• Once planted, do not water the tubers right away as this could encourage rot. It is best to wait until the sprouts have appeared above the soil to water.

How to grow Dahlias in a pot

Starting from a seedling or a potted plant:

1. Choose a pot at least 200mm wide with adequate drainage holes.
2. Position pot in full sun.
3. Fill the pot with a quality potting mix such as Yates Premium Potting Mix.
4. Remove the plant/tuber from the container. Position in hole and backfill, gently firming down.
5. Water in gently and keep mix moderately moist at all times.
6. Feed with Yates Thrive Roses & Flowers Liquid Plant Food. TIP: for an added boost, apply Yates Thrive Natural Fish & Seaweed+ Plant Food Concentrate.

Starting from seed:

• Fill starter pots or trays with Yates Black Magic Seed Raising Mix. Sow seeds, lightly cover with mix, firm down and gently water in well. Keep moist at all times and place in a warm and sheltered position until seedlings have grown to 5 cm tall, then plant into the pot.
• Alternatively, sow directly into the pot where they are to grow. Cover with a 12mm layer of Yates Black Magic Seed Raising Mix. Lightly firm down and keep moist.

Starting from tubers:

1. Once the weather warms up, stored tubers will start to form eyes or shoots. Once these start to form, the tubers are ready to plant out.
2. Choose a pot at least 200mm wide with adequate drainage holes.
3. Position pot in full sun.
4. Fill the pot with a quality potting mix such as Yates Premium Potting Mix.
5. Plant them whole with the growing eyes or shoots facing up. When planting make sure that the root end of the tuber is covered by at least 10 cm of soil. 
6. Once planted, do not water the tubers right away as this could encourage rot. It is best to wait until the sprouts have appeared above the soil to water.
7. Once the sprouts have appeared, water deeply and keep mix moderately moist at all times.
8. Feed with Yates Thrive Roses & Flowers Liquid Plant Food. TIP: for an added boost, apply Yates Thrive Natural Fish & Seaweed+ Plant Food Concentrate.

Growing tips

• Remove spent flowers to encourage further blooms during summer and autumn. 

• Taller varieties of Dahlias will require staking to maintain healthy growth and lovely blooms. For these varieties it is best to stake the plants upon planting the tubers to avoid any root disturbances later on.

• To encourage bigger blooms, leave two or three flower buds on the plant, disbud any additional or smaller buds that may form.

• Allow the plants to die down in late autumn and winter. Once the plants have died down, you can cut the plant down to ground level.
  
  
• In cooler areas or in poorly drained soils, it is best to dig up the tubers and store for the winter. When removing, take care not to damage the tubers and store in a cool dry place until ready for planting. 
  
  
• Dahlias can be propagated from soft tuber cuttings in spring. Once the shoots have formed carefully cut between the shoots leaving some stem tissue surrounding the shoot and one or two tubers attached.

• When picking flowers for indoor decoration, this is best done in the cool or the evening.