10 Questions About Growing Dahlias
If you are growing dahlias this year, you may have a few questions. Though these summer-blooming bulbs are not difficult to grow, they can be puzzling. Even to gardeners with many years of experience. Read on for answers to some common questions about growing dahlias.
A healthy dahlia tuber that has already sprouted.
My dahlia never came up. What happened?
When you are planting dahlia tubers, you may or may not see a sprout. Often, the tubers don’t sprout until they have been in the ground (or in a pot) for 4 to 6 weeks. It takes tubers longer to come out of dormancy when they are planted early in the season and the weather is cool. Sprouting happens more quickly when you’re planting late and the soil is already warm.
If your tubers have been planted for more than a month and there’s still no sign of growth, it’s OK to do a little investigating. Use your fingers to very gently dig up a tuber. Take care because if there is a sprout, it’s very easy to accidentally snap it off.
If the tuber feels firm, it’s probably fine and just off to a slow start (some dahlia varieties grow more slowly than others). Carefully replant the tuber and wait a few more weeks. Should you find the tuber is soft, it may have rotted because the soil was too wet. Unfortunately this is not reversible. Dahlia tubers contain their own source of moisture and should be given little to none until they are in active growth.
Remember that no matter what sort of plants you are growing, a 100% success rate is rare. Most dahlia tubers eventually sprout, but it’s possible to get a dud without a viable eye. As long as you start with good tubers, don’t overwater, and keep slugs and snails at bay (more on that below) you can expect a 80-90% success rate. This means 1 or 2 no-gos out of 10 is relatively normal.
This dahlia is making a comeback after being mowed down by slugs.
Something ate one of my dahlias. What do you think it was?
For slugs and snails, young dahlias are a delicacy. If you know you have these pests in your garden, don’t take any chances. As soon as the sprouts begin to emerge, surround them with slug bait (use an organic option such as Sluggo). Refresh the bait weekly and after rain. Once the plants are 6” tall, the stems will be tougher and more resistant to nibbling.
Rabbits, groundhogs and deer may also munch on young dahlias. If you know your dahlias could be at risk, protect young plants with garden fabric, a scent deterrent, or a temporary fence. Should a stem get broken off or chewed, wait a couple weeks to see if the plant sends up new sprouts. They often do. You may also want to grow a few replacement plants in pots and keep them at the ready.
Here’s what a dahlia looks like 2-3 weeks after being pinched. The plant will soon have twice as many branches.
Some of my dahlias are tall and leggy. What should I do?
There are hundreds of varieties of dahlias with many different growth habits. Some are short and stocky. Others are naturally tall and lanky. Most fall somewhere in between. Though pinching your dahlias isn’t absolutely necessary, it helps to level the playing field – and most people who grow dahlias recommend it.
Dahlias should be pinched once when the plant is between 6 and 12” tall. Use your fingers or scissors to remove the center shoot just above the third set of leaves. If there are already multiple stems, you can remove all of the center shoots.
A dahlia that’s pinched produces twice as many branches from each leaf node. This gives you a stronger, bushier dahlia with more flower stems. Though pinching slows growth for about 2 weeks, the plants quickly catch up.
Dahlias can also get leggy if they are not receiving enough light. In most parts of the country, these high energy plants should be grown in full sun. If you garden in one of the central or southern states, your dahlias will appreciate some shade to help keep them cool during the hottest part of the day.
I planted my dahlias weeks ago. Why are they growing so slowly?
Knowing where a plant comes from can help you understand how to help it grow. Today’s dahlias are hybridized versions of plants that are native to mountainous regions in Mexico and Central America. At these elevations near the equator, the soil is always warm and air temperatures are constant, ranging from highs of 75°F during the day to lows of 60°F at night.
There are only a few areas in the US that offer similar growing conditions. We just have to do our best to make our dahlias happy. Most importantly, don’t plant too early. If the soil temperature is much below 65°F, dahlias grow slowly, if at all. Too much moisture also slows their growth. If you live in a cool climate with heavy soil and wet spring weather, consider growing your dahlias in raised beds filled with lighter soil. Another strategy is to plant the tubers so the eyes are no more than 2” below the soil surface. Once the plants are 12-18” tall, you can pull more soil up around the base of the plant for added support.
Even when growing conditions are good, it takes time for dahlias to find their stride. When you transplant a potted annual or perennial, the plant already has an established root system. Dahlias have tubers to support sprouting and the very first stages of growth. But then they have to create an entire root system from scratch — one that will support a 4′ plant that flowers non-stop for 3 months straight. Once your dahlias make the shift from roots to shoots, you’ll be impressed by how quickly they grow.
My dahlias are getting tall and starting to lean/bend/break. What should I do?
Depending on the varieties you are growing, some of your dahlias could get to be 4 to 5 feet tall. Because these plants have hollow stems and big flowers, breakage can be a problem — especially in wet and windy weather. The best way to avoid heartbreak is to stake your dahlias. And the best time to do it is before it’s needed.
If you have less than a dozen plants, it’s easy to support each one individually. You can use stakes and ties, a tomato cage or a cage made from concrete reinforcing wire.
With more plants, you may want to use the corral method. Insert 5’ wooden or bamboo stakes about 3 to 4 feet apart along the sides and at the ends of the bed. Use twine to connect the stakes and contain the stems. You’ll want to have several rows of twine and can crisscross from one side to the other for extra reinforcement.
Should I be watering my dahlias?
Not at first, but once your dahlias are at least a foot tall and growing strong, they usually benefit from getting about an inch of water per week. But there’s no hard and fast rule. With dahlias, too much water is worse than too little.
If the soil is sandy and the weather is hot, dahlias get very thirsty and should be watered deeply once or twice per week. But if the soil is heavy and the weather is cool and wet, you may not need to water them at all.
A dahlia’s feeder roots are very close to the soil surface. In most parts of the country, dahlias benefit from being mulched with shredded leaves or straw. This helps to protect the roots, retain soil moisture and minimize weed growth. But if you live where summers can be cool and wet, keeping the soil bare will encourage good air circulation and minimize slug and disease problems.
Do I need to fertilize my dahlias?
This depends on the fertility of your soil. Dahlias grow best in rich soil with lots of organic matter. If possible, enrich the soil with compost before you plant. Six weeks later, once the plants are in rapid growth, you can top dress with more compost or begin applying a low or no-nitrogen fertilizer.
While some people never fertilize their dahlias, others feed their plants as often as once a month. Many dahlia growers recommend using MorBloom (0-20-20), an odorless liquid concentrate made from fish and other organic ingredients.
A dahlia with tarnished plant bug damage.
I think something’s wrong with my dahlias. What could it be?
Dahlias have far fewer problems than roses, but like most plant, they can be troubled by certain pests and diseases. Common pests include earwigs, tarnished plant bugs, potato leafhoppers and spider mites. Dahlias can also suffer from several fungal diseases and viruses. We will have a new article about dahlia pests and diseases available very soon and will add the link here.
Do I need to deadhead my dahlias?
Yes! Removing spent flowers encourages dahlia plants to continue producing more buds. It also helps keep the area clean, which minimizes problems with pests and disease.
When you cut off a spent flower, don’t just snap off the head. Take time to remove the entire stem right back to a main stalk. This encourages the plant to produce longer stems and also promotes good air circulation within and around the plant.
When do I cut the flowers and how can I make them last?
Unlike tulips and daffodils, dahlias do not open up after they are cut. Flowers should be picked when they 3/4 open and before the back petals begin to soften.
Cut your dahlias early in the morning while the blossoms are cool and well hydrated. Bring a bucket of clean water out to the garden. To avoid crushing the stems, make your cuts with a sharp knife rather than scissors. As you cut, trim off the lower foliage and remove side buds that could steal water from the main flower.
Flower farmers are divided as to the best way to condition cut dahlias. Some recommend standing cut stems upright in a bucket filled with 2-3” of very hot water (165-170 degrees F). Leave them there for an hour as the water gradually cools down. The stems may get discolored, but don’t worry about it.
An equally popular technique is to submerge freshly cut dahlias up to their necks in a bucket of cool water for 1-2 hours. If you are holding cut dahlias for an event, keep the flowers cool, at 55-60°F. Colder temperatures may damage the blossoms.
Ready to learn even more about growing dahlias? Here are some additional articles available on our website:
All About Dahlias, 8 Tips for Growing Better Dahlias, Dahlia Tubers: What You Need to Know, How to Grow Dinnerplate Dahlias, How to Grow Border Dahlias, Tips for Growing Dahlias in Hot Weather, How to Pinch and Stake Dahlias, How to Overwinter Dahlias, and Dahlia Flower Types and Sizes
Great artical, awsome information. Thanks Cflowers
Hi Chris – Great! Thank you for leaving a comment. 🙂
I have been lifting Dayhlia tubers in winter but this year will leave them in ground as the climate has changed what do you think ? Live in Essex SE.
Hi Janet – with warming temperatures, more gardeners are finding their dahlias can survive the winter outdoors. If the temperature doesn’t get cold enough to freeze the tubers and the soil stays dry enough to keep them from rotting, you should be fine. No guarantees when it comes to gardening!
Great info. Thx
Thanks, Alan!
My dahlias had one beautiful bloom on each plant. Once I cut it down as it withered I hoped more would bloom. The plant still looks great and healthy but 3 weeks later no more blooms. Should they have bloomed more than one flower each?
Hi Christina – It takes a couple months for dahlias to develop their root systems. As the plants get bigger and stronger, they will be able to give you lots of flowers, continuously all the way into early fall. To produce that first bloom takes lots of energy and sets the plant back a bit. For this reason, many gardeners cut off the first couple buds. This forces the plant to concentrate its energy on continuing to develop the roots and foliage. But that is hard to do when you are eager to see the flowers. At this point you just need to be patient as more blooms will come. Water and fertilize as needed. Enjoy the flowers!
I can not get my dahlia to bloom. The plant looks good and I pinched it back. This is the 2nd year I’ve had it. It didn’t bloom the 1st year either. It’s planted in a pot. Any ideas why it won’t produce flowers. Zone 6. TIA
Hi Yvonne – I don’t know why this plant won’t bloom. Is it growing in full sun? Is the pot large enough for the root ball?
I only give my plants a couple chances to perform. If your dahlia doesn’t bloom this year, I suggest starting fresh with a different plant next spring.
[…] #2 Healthy dahlias are naturally much more resistant to pests and disease. For best results, pamper your dahlias as you would a prized tomato plant. Learn about caring for them here: All About Dahlias, 8 Tips for Growing Better Dahlias, and 10 Questions About Growing Dahlias. […]
I’ve planted several dahlias and they are growing so well..the problem is I didn’t realize I needed to have any support for them before planting! I’m new to this. Now I’m trying to play catch up and get them supported correctly without hurting the plant/blooms. Any last minute suggestions? I keep having to add another post and more tying every week…. They are getting SO tall and really pretty, I don’t want to mess it up! 🙂 I should also add, they are in an area at my house that is very visible, so I would rather not do something that will be an eye sore.
Hi Page – Staking and tying is your only option at this point. You’ll get to know your dahlias very well! Have you tried using bamboo? It’s available in many different heights and thicknesses. If you are staking as you go along, it’s nice to have choices. I think the bamboo also blends in better than wood stakes – especially after the first year and it’s weathered a bit.
I have Voles, Meadow mice eating my dahlias. Apps. 15 out of 20. Any suggestions?
Hi Bridget – This was the first year I lost dahlias to voles. The plants were about a foot tall and looking good, then one day toppled over. I dug them up and the tubers had been eaten. Where I live, it’s been the worst rodent year in memory. Voles, mice, chipmunks and rabbits. We trapped dozens of them. Hopefully it was just a population surge and next year we will be back to more normal numbers. I have read about dahlia growers who keep their plants in pots — just dig a hole and plant the whole pot. Have not tried it myself, but that would probably protect the tubers. Good luck!
Thanks for this great article. I’m going to get better at growing dahlias each year. I’m looking forward to ordering more tubers as soon as they’re available. When will that be? My dinner plate dahlias inside my green house at 7,000’ in New Mexico are getting brown edges on their leaves. Some leaves turn yellowish green too or spotted. Even though I have two big fans and one medium fan, it can get up to 105 degrees on a hot summer day, then fall to 60 at night. Often I need to water every day if it’s really hot or they wilt. But I see it says here that they don’t like to be over watered. I’m having similar problems with my hibiscus even though it produces lots of flowers. And I’ve had fruit drop on my fig trees. I’m wondering about spider mites too as occasionally the dahlia bud seems malformed or brown. Any suggestions? Thank you.
Hi Diane – You are doing the right thing. Just try to get your plants through these very hot days and they will be happier as it begins to cool down. Unfortunately, spider mites like heat and dry air.
We start taking orders for dahlias in December for shipping March-May.
Hi, my Dalias are in pots and I haven’t changed the pots they are in for two years. Could this be the reason they aren’t budding? And if so what is your recommendation for repotting? I live in CT so they come inside for the winter, go dormant and then I start to water again in March, FYI. TIA!
Hi Mindy – Overcrowding could be the reason your dahlias are not producing flowers. I overwinter dahlia tubers as well, but always divide them in the spring. Try doing that next spring – divide the clumps in half or thirds and repot in fresh soil. That said, there are other things that can cause dahlias to be stunted or not flower. Where I live, my dahlias have been affected by this year’s early summer heat and drought. It’s early August now and about half of them have yet to bloom, which is very unusual. But recent rain and cooler weather has transformed them. Now they are growing quickly, have healthy foliage and lots more buds are coming. Dahlias are so rewarding when they bloom and so confounding when they don’t. Good luck!
Today, 21/08/2020, I saw a mouse eating the flower petal of a fully grown dahlia. Closer examination of other dahlias in the raised bed revealed mouse droppings on three other dahlia blooms.
Hi – That’s a new one. Mice, chipmunks and other rodents are having a banner year.
Some of my dahlias are stunted with curly, puckered leaves. They have been in this state for a number of weeks since they got about 18″ high. I sprayed them a couple of days ago with Sevin thinking that they have been attacked by aphids. It is too early to know it it worked. Is there any other disease or pest that would cause this condition?
Hi Nicholas – This does not sound like pest damage. More likely it is disease or stress. We have a recent blog post about dahlia diseases: Common Dahlia Pests and Diseases. You don’t say where you are located, but this year many gardeners on the east coast are reporting that some of their plants are stunted and not flowering. Dahlias hate weather extremes (some varieties more than others) and unfortunately, when they get stressed early in the growing season sometimes they are unable to recover. Hopefully the majority of your plants are thriving. Best of luck
Many of my dahlias have yellowing leaves. Web sites recommend lots of organic material so this year I mixed dehydrated cow manure (1 part per two parts of original soil) when I planted the tubers. One website suggested sulphur to lower pH which I did a month ago then this week and iron chelate. I sprinkled Espoma Iron Tone around each plant. I don’t think my dahlias are as good this year as in previous seasons. The same is true for my vegetables. Lots of aphids, thrips and various fungus and virus diseases which I never had before.
Some years are better for dahlias than others. But since you are having problems with other plants as well, here are some suggestions. Dehydrated cow manure is more concentrated than regular composted manure. The amount you applied is much more than I would recommend. This may have stressed the plants – especially when first getting started. Also, always do a soil pH test before trying to raise or lower the pH of your soil. Too much in either direction causes problems with nutrient uptake.
Hello,
I planted dahlias for the first time this summer. I live in northwest Georgia and our summers are very hot. They did pretty well other than laying down, however, I did not stake them and upon reading your suggestions, I should have maybe pinched them back. Note, that our soil is clay.
My question is, do I need to dig up the tubers since the ground here doesn’t really freeze in winter. We may get snow once a year, but it quickly melts. Temps may go below freezing but it might just be a few days out of the winter.
I would really like to plant more for cutting next summer. They did well except for them laying down and splaying outward. thank you,
Hi Laurie – It looks like you live in growing zone 7, so your dahlia tubers should be able to survive – except in very cold winters. Unfortunately, clay soil can make it more difficult because the tubers can rot if the soil stays too wet. That said, I would give it a try!
How do we protect against gophers?
Hi – Unfortunately, gophers and voles love to munch on dahlia tubers. Sometimes cats and dogs can be effective vole and gopher killers. You can also try planting the tubers into wire cages made from hardware cloth. Though this material is heavy and can be hard to work with, you need the 1/2″ mesh to keep the voles out. This article on our website may give you some other ideas: How to Protect Flower Bulbs from Voles.
Why have my dahlia bulbs risen above the soil? Should I cover them up?
Hi Fiona – It will not hurt the plant to have some of the tubers showing above the soil surface. But hilling up some soil (5-6″ deep) around the base of the plant will help keep the root area moist and also give the plant some additional support. Dahlia stems are hollow and more likely to break when they are planted shallowly. If you are concerned about that you can add some stakes and tie in the large branches.
I have a bed that I am preparing for dalias in zone 6, it is 5’x10’. How many plants should I plan on purchasing? Can I plant daffodils bulbs with them to help control pests. Thank-you.
Hi Susan – Depending on the dahlia’s mature size (it varies from one variety to another) we recommend spacing the plants 15-18″ apart on center. Sorry, but daffodils do not control pests.
So my dahlia plants finally hit 12 inches but it’s now October 21st, no blooms still. The plant is beautiful, green and lush, no blight just no blooms. We are expecting a frost here in Seattle Wa area this weekend, do I cover? Do I cut back & leave tuber for next year? Do I dig up tuber? I planted 3 tubers two came up like described above, 1 is a stunted joke. Very bummed at my first try!
Hi Michele, it’s been a pretty terrible year for dahlias — for me, the worst in 15 years. Several varieties that I have grown for many years (from saved tubers) didn’t put out a single flower. Some plants performed normally, many plants grew well but failed to bloom, and other plants were about 25% of the height they should have been. Gardeners and flower farmers on the east coast as well as in the southwest and northwest have experienced the same thing. Where I live, we suspect it was excessive heat in June followed by 2 months of little to no rain. But other areas had different weather and similar problems. If you want to save the tubers, let the plants get frosted and then dig them 1-2 weeks later (information about digging and overwintering is on our website). I decided to toss the plants that didn’t perform and kept the ones that did. Hopefully we will all have better luck next year!
I love these flowers i do dinner stes and this was very helpful .