Flowering Dahlia Bulbs For Sale at Nature Hills!
Dahlia and their many varied forms are show-stopping flowers that bring a stunning rainbow of color to any garden! Native to Mexico, Dahlias are tuberous, herbaceous perennial plants that range from miniatures that are a few inches tall, to huge flowers that are the size of dinner plates!
There are over 40 species of Dahlias, and these plants come in a multitude of heights, sizes, colors, and petal forms that come in a dizzying array of shapes and sizes!
Dahlia In The Landscape
Add Dahlias to either a garden bed or a large planter to easily create a brilliant focal point in your garden! These are vivid landing pads for pollinators and Hummingbirds!
Dahlia has leafy stems that feature a single flower per stem, but Dahlia has multiple stems on each plant and keeps pumping out the blooms until frost! The more you cut for bouquets or deadhead the flowers as they fade, the more they will produce! No Pollinator garden, Perennial bed, cut flower border, or proper English Cottage garden should be without these magnificent extended-bloom flowers!
Dahlias never cease to amaze you with their vivid, saturated colors, a multitude of petal forms, and range of heights from small to large! The leafy green foliage fills out fast and the tall stems range in height from 12 inches to more than 8 feet!
Planting & Care of Dahlia Tubers
Even though they are often referred to as 'bulbs' the roots of this plant are tubers (like potatoes) and sprout from their 'eyes' and have shallow roots.
- Full Sun - at least eight hours of direct sunlight a day.
If you live in a hot summer climate, choose a location that provides morning sun and afternoon shade. The morning sun is best due to its drying power to clear the leaves of dew. Dahlia foliage also appreciates very good air circulation!
- Well-Drained Enriched Soil
Choose a location that is well-drained and enriched with plenty of organic matter and water regularly. Preferring consistently moist but not soggy conditions.
- Mulched Beds
A 3-4 inch deep layer of arborist mulch and/or compost helps hold in moisture, reducing watering frequency, and insulating the roots.
Using a layer of mulch around the plant (not pushed up against the stem) will prevent water from splashing onto the leaves - carrying with it potential fungal and disease issues. This also helps keep the vegetative leaves looking cleaner! Water your plants only at the root level to avoid getting excess water on the foliage.
Plant Dahlia in the late spring after the threat of frost. Or - Start indoors 4-6 weeks before your area's last frost date. Transplant indoors starts once the threat of frost has passed and water in well
Plant Dahlia tubers between 10-12 inches deep in loose, enriched soil. Space tubers apart based on their mature spread so they have plenty of room to grow.
- Watering & Moisture Needs
Cover with soil and water in well - just enough to remove air pockets and prime the soil. Water again once you see new growth (the tubers need little until they are growing).
Tubers planted directly in the ground will start to sprout in about 3 weeks depending on your climate and weather. Once they do get growing - they take off!
- Pruning & Storing Dahlia
Deadhead blooms as they fade to encourage new blooms to quickly follow.
Dahlias can be grown as perennial bulbs in the ground year-round in USDA planting zones 8 and up, but Dahlias grown in colder than Zones 2 to 7, need to be lifted in the autumn after the foliage begins to die back after a light chill.
In very cold climates, to save your tubers for the next year, dig up the plants, remove the wilted leaves, and snip back the stems. Let them dry a bit and remove excess soil. Store in a cool, dark place in a paper bag for the winter. Mist occasionally with water to prevent them from drying out too much.
Warmer climates can leave them in the ground and simply trim back the stems in the fall. Fresh growth will appear in the spring.
Start Your Dahlia Obsession At Nature Hills!
Nature Hills has a wide selection of Dahlia plants, and dormant Dahlia bulbs for you to choose from! No flower will give a gardener a more spectacular reward than the Dahlia!
Once you've grown one of these beauties, you will add more! Growing Dahlias can easily become an obsession once you see the staggering array of choices available to you! Order now at NatureHills.com or call (402) 934-8116!