Welcome to the Dahlia Club! 🌸

Congratulations! You now own one of nature's hardest-working flowers. With a little love, your dahlia will reward you with months of spectacular blooms.

Here's your simple step-by-step guide.

Step 1. Meet Your Tuber

Open your package as soon as it arrives.

Your tuber might look a little unusual—that's completely normal! It doesn't need to be pretty to grow into a beautiful plant.

✔ Check that your tuber feels nice and firm.
✔ It may have a small pink or green "eye" beginning to grow.
✔ If it looks a little wrinkly after travelling, don't panic—it will usually plump back up once planted.

Step 2. Not Time to Plant Yet?

Dahlias absolutely hate frost.

If your last frost hasn't passed, store your tuber somewhere:

• Cool
• Dry
• Dark
• Frost-free

A garage, shed or cupboard works perfectly.

Leave it in its paper bag or box with good airflow and check it every couple of weeks.

Step 3. Choosing the Perfect Spot

Dahlias are sun lovers.

Choose somewhere with:

☀ 6–8 hours of sunshine every day
🌿 Well-draining soil
💨 Protection from strong winds if possible

The more sunshine they receive, the more flowers they'll produce.

Step 4. Planting Time!

Once all danger of frost has passed and the soil has begun to warm, it's time to plant.

Dig a hole around 10–15 cm deep.

Lay the tuber on its side with the growing eye facing upwards if you can see it.

Cover gently with soil.

Don't worry if you can't find the eye—nature usually sorts it out.

Step 5. Give Them Some Space

Dahlias become surprisingly large plants.

Space them approximately:

45–60 cm apart

This allows good airflow and gives each plant room to shine.

Growing in Pots?

Absolutely!

Choose a pot that's at least:

• 45–50 cm wide
• 40 cm deep

Use a premium potting mix and ensure there are plenty of drainage holes.

Remember that pots dry out much faster than garden beds, so they'll need watering more often.

Step 6. Easy on the Water

After planting, give the soil a light watering.

Then...

Wait.

There's no need to keep watering until shoots appear above the soil.

Once your plant starts growing, water deeply whenever the soil begins to dry rather than giving little daily drinks.

Step 7. Pinch for More Flowers

When your plant reaches about 30–40 cm tall (around 4–5 sets of leaves), pinch out the growing tip.

Simply remove the very top shoot.

It feels scary...

But this encourages the plant to branch, giving you a bushier plant and many more flowers.

Trust the process!

Step 8. Feed the Flowers

Dahlias are hungry growers.

Feed every 2–3 weeks during the growing season with a fertiliser that's higher in potassium than nitrogen.

Too much nitrogen encourages lots of leaves but fewer flowers.

A layer of compost around the base also works wonders.

Step 9. Give Them Support

Many dahlias become tall and heavy once flowering.

It's much easier to stake them at planting time than later.

Use:

• A sturdy stake
• Garden twine
• Soft plant ties

Tie stems loosely as they grow.

Your future self will thank you after the first windy day!

Step 10. Enjoy the Flowers!

The more flowers you pick...

The more flowers your plant produces!

Cut blooms early in the morning or late in the evening.

Regular picking keeps your dahlia flowering right through summer and autumn.

Winter Care

After the first frost, the foliage will turn black and die back.

Now you have two options.

Option 1 – Lift and Store (recommended for colder areas)

1. Cut stems back to about 10 cm.

2. Carefully lift the tuber clump with a garden fork.

3. Brush off excess soil.

4. Allow the tubers to dry (cure) in a cool, airy place for a few days.

5. Store them in a frost-free place over winter in paper bags, cardboard boxes, or crates filled with slightly damp wood shavings, vermiculite, or peat-free storage medium.

Option 2 – Leave Them in the Ground

If you live in a mild, well-drained area with little risk of prolonged frost, you can leave your tubers in the ground.

Simply:

• Cut the stems back.
• Cover the crown with 10–15 cm of mulch such as straw, bark, or compost to help protect it through winter.

Avoid waterlogged soils, as wet tubers are more likely to rot than freeze.

A Few Extra Tips

🌸 Deadhead spent flowers to keep new blooms coming.

🐝 Dahlias are fantastic for bees and beneficial insects.

✂ The more you cut flowers for the house, the more your plant will bloom.

🌼 Every season your tuber clump will grow larger and can be divided to make even more dahlias.

Happy Growing!

Thank you for supporting Inbloom Greytown.

Every dahlia we grow begins with a little patience, plenty of muddy boots, and a whole lot of excitement. We hope yours fills your garden—and your home—with flowers for months to come.

Happy growing,

Bex
Inbloom Greytown 🌸