TIPS FOR PLANTING THE DAHLIA TUBERS
by Jeffry Laseduw
Prepared holes for planting should be 5 to 6 inches deep.
If you plan to stake the plants, NOW is the time to do this and not later when you may damage the tuber by running a stake through it.
Pound a sturdy stake, 4 – 5 feet tall into the ground beside the tuber hole.
Tomato cages are generally only satisfactory for the smaller plants. With the stake or tomato cage in place and a planting hole on one or both sides of the stake, place the tuber in the hole laying longwise on its side, with the sprout or eye facing up.
If the tuber has a sprout an inch long or more, care should be given not to damage the fragile shoot.
Do not add fertilizer to the hole as this may damage the new tender root system.
Cover the tuber with 4-5 inches of dirt. Some gardeners have found it helpful to hill the plants as they grow to provide support to the stems, but often this is not adequate in wind prone areas.
Tie a name-tag on your stake so you will know later which plant is growing there.
HOW TO WATER DAHLIAS
Unless it is a very dry spring, it should not be necessary to water at the time of planting. The tubers will begin growing with the warmth and moisture in the soil.
It is vital that they form a root system early in their planted life to assure a strong and healthy plant.
Watering at the time of planting may encourage rot causing you to wonder why that prized variety is not growing.
Not a pretty sight!
Once the plant begins to grow you can begin to water every few days.
Water dahlias at the root level using a drip system.
Deep watering, or in other words, a good soaking is better than passing a spray on the plants for a short period.
Many growers find the soaker hose in its various forms to be the best and then the water goes in the soil where the plant needs it.
HOW TO FIGHT DAHLIA PESTS
Once the shoot is above the soil surface, the first slug within a city block will ‘smell’ it. Be prepared!! Get out that slug bait and spread it liberally everywhere, or the slimy pests will devour every tender morsel for lunch!
MORE DAHLIA GROWING AND PLANTING HELP
Now that you have gone to all that work, you will want to care for your plants and see them produce beautiful prize-winning blooms.
Also remove any broken or damaged foliage.
Good air circulation, especially near the ground is needed by the plants to prevent powdery mildew.
Once the plants are several feet high the lower leaves can be removed to increase air circulation.
TYING DAHLIA PLANTS TO THE STAKES
When the plants get to be a foot tall, be sure to begin tying them to the stakes.
A wind will lay your plants flat from here on and may even break the stalk from the tuber. If you grow 4 or more plants of one variety, you may find it easy to run garden twine the full length of the row.
This can easily be done down each side of the plants using the existing name stakes.
The twine should be spaced every 8 – 10 ” up the stake and can be secured on the stakes just with a single wrap around each stake as you go down each side of the row.
This fast method works well until your housemate snips the string while cutting a bouquet of flowers.
DAHLIA click here
HOW TO GROW DAHLIA PLANTS click here
| 
