Ahhhh dahlias, my dreamy girls!
Few flowers can contend with the beauty of the dahlia – their large, billowy blooms, some with hundreds of petals, and colors ranging from whites to pinks to purples to burgundies to corals to yellows.
Flowering for months, they inject color and drama anywhere you grow them – in the landscape, in mixed borders in the garden, on the farm or in containers. Depending on the variety and your location you can find them for sale at farm stands from July through November.
In addition to being widely beloved and excelling in variety, dahlias are actually very easy to grow and do well both in the ground and in containers. With over 20,000 varieties in existence, and more new hybrids coming out each year, it can be overwhelming to choose a favorite!
These decadent blooms are some of my favorite flowers of all time in the garden and in the vase. Read on as I share all my tips and tricks for planting, cultivating and harvesting beautiful Dahlias!
1. Choose the Right Dahlia
There are actually tens of thousands of different types of dahlias so first things first, choose your favorite/the variety you want to try your hand at!
Listed below are some of the most popular categories you might see on retail websites and I’ve also noted my personal favorites!
Dahlia flower forms grown from tubers:
- Anemone and Colarette: Single dahlias with defined centers, about 3″ bloom diameter. My favorite is this mix from Eden Brothers.
- Ball and Pompon: Compact, prefect globe-shaped blooms with quilled petals, 2-4″ bloom diameter. Favorites are ‘Jowey Winnie,’ ‘Bonanza,’ ‘Burlesca’ and ‘Cornell.’
- Cactus: Big flower heads with wiry, curled petals. Not my favorite form, but ‘Bora Bora’ is pretty.
- Decorative: Double dahlias with broad, flat-tipped petals. Favorites are ‘Brown Sugar,’ ‘Eveline’ and ‘Karma Chocolate.’
- Dinner Plate: Big, decadent blooms with wavy petals, ranging from 8-12″ in diameter. Favorites are ‘Cafe au Lait’ and ‘Labyrinth.’
- Semi-cactus: Defined by slightly curled/wiry petals (not as exaggerated as Cactus), favorites are ‘Henriette,’ ‘Verda’ and ‘Surprise.’
Dahlia Seeds vs. Tubers
Most gardeners are used to growing dahlias from tubers but seeds are another option! The flower heads are not nearly as gigantic and impressive (only 2-3″) and the plants are much more compact so they are perfect to use as container and bedding annuals!
Dahlias from seed, though smaller, are bright, compact and easy to grow, plus they come in a dazzling array of colors! Some of my favorites are Coltness, Early Bird, Mixed Mignon and Unwins Bedding Dahlia. Like tubers, all are still annuals that require moist, well-drained soil in full sun.
Dahlia Tuber Sources
These are my favorite sources for purchasing dahlia tubers, I have personally bought and grown tubers from each other these farms and they have always been super healthy! Let me know if you know of other sources for me to try!
