Tuber Storage & Growing Information

After you receive your tubers, open each individual paper bag and inspect the tuber. I inspect every tuber before they are shipped, however if something got damaged during shipping or you have any questions please contact me at Sarahjane@willowrockacres.com.

Leave the bags open and store them in a cool, dry place until you no longer have freezing temperatures at night and are ready to plant outside. A closet or other area works great for storage. Your new tubers have been in 68 degree temps waking up while in my care.  Do not leave them in an area that is below 40°. If they freeze they will die.  Dahlias do best when planted in soil that is an average of 60° Fahrenheit. Plant your tubers 4-5 inches deep with the sprout or eye facing up. If you do not see the sprout or accidentally plant the tuber with the sprout facing down, do not worry. The sprout will naturally reach up towards the sun and warmth.  If you accidentally break the growing sprout before planting, fear not. Dahlias really want to live! In the event the main growing stem breaks off the tuber will send 4 or 5 new sprouts in its place. This is completely normal. 

After you plant your tubers, do not water them until you see sprouts above the ground. If tubers get too wet before growing roots they will rot and die. Additionally, you will not want to plant them in dirt that is overly wet. Too much water is your enemy when planting fresh tubers. If we get lots of rain before planting, I will cover the planting area with a tarp to dry out the soil before planting. As soon as I plant, I cover with area with the tarp again for about a week or two until they start breaking above the soil. It is important to remember to check them frequently if you choose to do this because you do not want to leave them covered once they are trying to break above the soil. 

Dahlias are a flower that really thrive by being "pinched". This is when you remove the main growing stem after seeing 4 or 5 sets of leaves. This tells the plant to put energy to the lateral sprouts and produces a bushier plant with many more blooms. Kristine Albrecht, an amazing dahlia hybridizer located in California has a great instructional video regarding pinching on her YouTube channel. A link to that video is here. She has many great informational videos on her YouTube channel. 

I fertilize my growing dahlias with Agrothrive Organic liquid fertilizer every month once planted. I have a link to all of my favorite products here. This works well for me, but there are many options when it comes to dahlia fertilizers. Pick an all purpose fertilizer of your choosing & happy growing!