Dahlias are easy to grow and come in such a diverse variety of colours, almost unmatched by any other kind of flower. This has made them a highly popular flower to grow, blossoming in gardens during the warm summer months, with their radiant colours glowing. From delicate whites to vibrant pinks and purples, dahlias can certainly add some interest to your garden. You might also choose to cut them and add them to bouquets, giving you another reason to grow them.

As dahlias are easy to grow and look after, you can grow them from bulb without having to put in too much effort. Planting the bulbs at the right time of the year and giving them a little bit of attention every now and again is all you will really need to do. It’s easy to find dahlia bulbs and to grow them into beautiful garden flowers. You just need to make sure you buy high quality bulbs, and plant them at the right point in the season to help them grow into strong, healthy flowers.

A guide to planting your dahlias

Dahlias need to be planted at the right time of year for the bulbs to grow. If you do this, the success rate for growing dahlia tubers is very high. Here is a brief planting guide for new dahlia bulbs:

• Plant the dahlia bulbs around spring time. There shouldn’t be any danger of frost when you plant, otherwise your bulbs could get damaged. Usually, May to early June is a good planting time. Plant them deep enough in the soil for them to be warm, about 10cm.
• Make sure the soil where you plant the dahlia bulbs is of a high enough quality. It should be fertile and well draining if possible. Incorporate plenty of organic matter into the soil and use a fertiliser as well.
• Choose the location carefully. Dahlias need enough space to grow, so plant them around 45cm apart at least. They will thrive in a warm, sunny spot.

If you follow these instructions, your dahlia bulbs should begin to grow strong and healthy.

Caring for dahlias once they begin to grow

Once your dahlias start to grow shoots, pinch these out. This will help you to have healthy, bushy dahlias. When the flowers begin to grow, you should use a high potash liquid feed every couple of weeks. Make sure the soil is kept well watered too.

Dahlias are very low maintenance and if you live in a mild enough region, you can leave them in the ground over the winter. However, if it is colder and you live in the north, it might be advisable to lift and store tubers over the winter.

Your dahlias will continue to grow strong and healthy when you follow these tips, and you can enjoy their colourful blooms for years to come. As they grow bigger, you may want to use canes to support their growth. If you are growing giant dahlias, try to make sure each plant doesn’t have more than 3-5 flowering stems, to create the best possible shape.