first things first — figure out your planting day and location. it’s important to note that you should only be planting your tubers outside after the danger of frost has past and when the soil is consistently warm and well drained. choose a site that receives at least 6 hrs of direct sunlight per day; afternoon shade is fine!
If you’ve just received your tubers and are not planning on planting them in the ground right away, you can give them a bit of a heads start by ‘waking them up’. they have been sitting covered for quite some time and all they need is a little warmth to get their eyes sprouting. to do this, you can plant your tubers in small pots with slightly moist soil and keep them in a warm area in your home. it’s okay if their necks are sticking out of the soil! once their eyes start to grow sprouts, you can place them near a window to give them some light. if you don’t have a spot to start warming them up, you can keep your tubers in a cool and dry spot (like a basement) until you are ready to plant them outside. be sure to Keep them in their peat bags so that they don’t dry out or rot.
once planting day arrives, be sure to prepare your soil with compost so that your tubers have good drainage and the proper nutrition to grow. space your tubers about 8-12” apart depending on the side of the bloom. for example, XL dinnerplate varieties typically need more space. dig a hole about 4-6” deep and wide enough to accommodate the length of your tuber. place your tuber in the hole with the ‘eyes’ at the top (or lay it on its side) and back-fill the hole gently, covering the tuber completely with a few inches of soil. dahlia can also be successfully grown in large pots.
tubers can rot in overly moist soil, so be sure to only give them a light watering after you plant. if you live in a rainier climate or have very moist soil, you do not need to water until the plant sprouts and begins growing roots.
*for optimal blooms, pinch the plants when they reach about 12-16” in order to signal the plant to produce more branches (and more blooms). plants will begin to bloom in late July and produce until the first killing frost of the season.
