Dahlia Tubers
All the tubers are from dahlias that we have grown and cared for in our flower fields. They are all cut-flower varieties that we have been picking from for the past year and they have been amazing. To help you buy with confidence, please note that we are conscientious about sterilising all tools that come into contact with the dahlias to try and eliminate the transfer of disease. We do this painstakingly during the picking season, during the lifting of the tubers and while dividing the tubers. All tubers are divided so that there is a viable eye which will grow your new plant.
Storing your tubers
If you receive your tubers any time before around October, you will need to know how to safely get them through the cold, wet months. Every dahlia grower has their own methods, and because we are not prone to hard frosts, I do very little to store my tubers until summer. Mine remain in crates, often outside against the side of the shed where they get rain, but are protected from frost. This prevents them from drying out and shriveling.
If you are in a colder area or have fewer to store, nestle your tuber/s carefully into barely moist woodshavings. It should not be too wet, as this will cause them to rot. Check on them often (at least weekly) - if they show signs of shrivelling, moisten the wood shavings slightly.
Planting time
The old adage says that Labour day is Dahlia planting day. Again it would depend on your climate. The thing to remember is that your tuber has no roots - in other words no way to absorb the moisture in the soil - and would then be prone to rotting. Dahlias dislike cold and wet conditions. So be patient and wait until your soil is just a little bit warmer before you put them in the ground. This should also give your tuber enough time to wake up and start pushing out a green shoot from the eye.
Before planting, I loosen the soil, add a good handful of blood and bone or sheep pellets, and plant them on their sides at an angle so that the eye is nearer to the surface. Cover your tuber, add a stake (the taller varieties tend to flop over if they don't have support), and a name tag if that is important to you. If the soil is dry, water once and then wait till you see green above ground before watering again. Normally coming out of winter, the soil will be moist enough to activate the tuber into growing, without the need for additional watering.
If you are impatient, you can always start your tuber in a pot inside under cover. All the same instructions apply, except because they won't stand in the rain or have the risk of frost, you can start them earlier and plant out established plants by the time Labour Weekend comes around.