Pretty, perfect, pink Dahlias are alliterative with the title of this post. What is more Dahlias are easy to grow and they produce prodigious posies of pickable flowers (enough with the P’s, Dahlias make a big vase-full not a posy.ed.)

Top Ten Dahlia Pointers

1. Plant good clean tubers in a large hole that has been well dug and improved with manure or garden compost.
2. Give each plant plenty of space. Dahlias do not appreciate over crowding.
3. Support your growing plants with a good stake and string frame work. Dahlias get heavy with all the flowering.
4. Water regularly and add soluable fertiliser. Dahlias are gross drinkers and feeders.
5. Pinch out the first early buds to keep the plant growing and not putting early energy into flowering.
6. To get big individual blooms pinch out any side buds and weak side shoots.
7. Pick the blooms regularly and new ones will follow. At worst deadhead promptly and regularly.
8. Plant a range of the many types and varieties – see below.
9. Flowers will continue until the first frost. Cut back when the leaves are frosted to black.
10. Save the best tubers for next year in a frost proof shed. In mild zones they can be left in the ground but I prefer replanting in fresh composted soil for the following year.

Top Dahlia Posts

• Bishop’s Dahlias and Bishop’s Children with Dark Foliage Dahlia library
• Big Brash Dahlias Dahlia library
• Quick Single and Collerette Dahlias Tips Dahlia library
• Red Hot Dahlias Dahlia library
• Cactus Dahlias Flower Until November Dahlia library
• Dahlia History and the Blue Dahlias Dahlia library
• Growing Cactus Dahlia from your Own Seed Dahlia library

Dahlia Propagation

• Dahlias from Tubers – propagating
• Dahlias From Seed – propagating
• Dahlias from Cuttings – propagating

Credit
Pink dahlias by robynejay mosaic CC BY-NC-SA 2.0