Planting can start in February, but be cautious to wait until the risk of frost has past. It’s best to hold on to your tubers (bulbs) a little longer, to be sure that the cold weather is behind us and to save you the heartbreak! You can continue to plant summer bulbs (and tubers) up until May.
Planting Dahlias
1. Get a trowel to dig your hole or trench.
Summer bulbs, corms or tubers are planted at a depth twice as deep as the bulb is tall.
2. Make the soil loose at the bottom of the hole/trench, not firmed down.
Gently place the bulbs at the bottom of the hole with their ‘noses’ pointing upward.
3. Cover with soil and immediately water liberally.
4. Wait and then enjoy!
1. Being tender tubers, Dahlias are rather vulnerable to frost, so plant them into decent sized pots, just below the surface, using multi-purpose compost.
Place them with their ‘noses’ pointing upward and their ‘fingers’ pointing downward.
2. Keep them in a frost-free location, with plenty of light. Be sure to keep the compost moist.
You should have bushy plants before the summer’s here!
3. Plant them in the ground when the frosts have begun to subside.
Layer some manure at the base of the hole and water well.
Hammer down a strong stake for each plant, then place the dahlia in the hole beside it. If you’ve heavy clay soil, add grit.
4. If you’ve got foliage before the frosts are completely gone, protect with a cloche or horticultural fleece
5. Feed (fish, blood and bone) and water after one week. Then, every two weeks, water thoroughly and feed with balanced liquid feed.
6. Don’t forget to tie them in.
7. Enjoy!
Watch this very simple demonstration of how to plant your dahlia tubers. It’s a lot easier than you think!
