How to Grow Dahlia Tubers

Dahlia tubers can grow into stunning flowers.

Dahlias are big, colorful and robust flowers loved by gardeners around the world. Dahlia tubers are the bulbous pods at the root end of the plant. Tubers store nutrients for the growing flower to feed upon. To grow dahlia tubers, you need to cultivate the flowers themselves. Each tuber can develop into a new plant, provided it's cut and stored properly.

Things You'll Need

• Dahlia tuber
• Spade
• Aged manure
• Trowel
• Fertilizer
• Garden pole

Instructions

1. Prepare an area for your dahlias. Choose a part of the garden that gets drenched in sunlight for at least half of the day. Till the soil to a depth of 8 to 10 inches, folding in manure or compost as you go.

2. Dig a hole in the soil up to 10 inches deep. Use a small fork or trowel to loosen the soil further for a few inches past the base of the hole. Insert a tuber and cover with soil. Plant tubers in mid to late spring when the ground has warmed up. Drive a solid garden pole into the ground alongside the tuber to aid plant stability.

3. Water the soil generously. Do so every day. Ensure that the soil stays damp--but stop watering before it gets too wet. As the tuber starts to sprout, feed the plant with fertilizer. Pile more soil around the stem for the first 6 inches of growth.

4. Pinch off the first few leaves that appear on your plant. This will encourage a healthier bloom later.

5. Dig out the tubers in late fall or early winter. Dig 2 feet around the plant and gently pry the tubers up and out from the ground. They will probably form a cluster. Shake clumps of soil from the roots. Allow the tubers to dry out for a few days in a cool sheltered location.

6. Separate the tubers carefully. Ensure that each tuber has an eye bud with a small piece of growing stem, or it will not develop. Store in a dry location that doesn't get hotter than 50 degrees F or reach freezing. Cellars are usually ideal. You will now have dahlia tubers ready for planting next season.

Tips & Warnings

• If you can't see the bud eye on a tuber, leave it in peat soil for a couple of weeks and check again.

• Check your stored tubers every week or two for signs of rot.

References

• University of Minnesota: Growing Dahlia
• North Dakota State University: Questions on Dahlia
• Anglo Dutch Dahlias: How to Grow Dahlias