Simple to follow detailed instructions for growing Dahlias in containers. Brought to you by Harvesting History, LLC an American Heirloom Horticultural Company.
Thank you... The upmost BEST and SIMPLEST video and explanation on planting dahlias in pots! I have my dahlias and large pots and soils ready to begin. I hope to emulate my grandmother's dahlias she grew in the Willamette Valley in Oregon in the 1950"s. I wish I had some of her tubers!
Thank you ever so kindly for the video, it was very informative, and greatly presented. From a very grateful gardener in England "cheers" and best wishes to you.
I can testify about the size of a grown dahlia. I bought two different types, planted them, and watched in absolute amazement as they grew almost as tall as me. And the blooms! One could be an arrangement by itself.
MarkThank you. Please visit our website in about a month when we will have the 2020 dahlias up. We will also have several videos showing what many of these dahlias look like. The website is www.harvesting-history.com. Go to the Bulbs for Spring Planting. Good Luck. Once you have planted dahlias you will never be without them.
Thanks for all the useful tips. How do i overwinter container dahlias? Can I keep the tubers in the containers and put them in a dry frost free place (like calla lily bulbs in your video)?
Hi. Thanks for the lessons, just moved some of my Dahlias out of a container because there was too many in the pot. I spent a lot of time in the seventies in Upper Jay New York, near Lake Placid. Have some great memories of Fishing the Ausable River. ;) Where are you From? Use to go to the store and get liquorice for 5 cents each and the candy too. Good old Tootsie Rolls. And good old Platsbourg Air Force base too. The times have changes a lot I bet. Last time I was there was in 1990. ;) Have a great day.
Oh im soo happy to of found u....i live in south texas and one ina pot i think i can get to live...andnwhen the hottest killing heat comes let it go dormant..what do u think. Are your dahlia just one tuber or a "hand".
I love seeing your videos! Potted my elephant ear bulb ~ 3-4 weeks ago in a 12" container after seeing another one of your videos and she's forming a nice tip now (I check every week just to be sure nothings rotted in there) and will pot up into an 18" once she sprouts. As for my dinnerplate dahlia tuber, just potted her a few weeks back into a 12" container indoors and didn't realize I'll need a bigger one till I saw this video! Should I water it actively while she's waiting to sprout? Can I pot up once she's sprouted like I will with the elephant ear? First time grower for both! Thank you!
Aashna, keep your dahlia moist, but not soaking wet. As soon as she sprouts, please place her in the larger container. You are off to a great start. I delighted to hear the progress on your elephant ear. They are such amazing plants.
Thanks for the great video! Gonna move mine to a larger pot now that I know how much space it really needs. How much sun do these beautiful plants need? My apartment patio only get about 5 hours of afternoon sun.
Marcos, dahlias need at least 6 hours of good sunlight for optimum performance. 5 hours is cutting it close, but since the sunlight is afternoon sun, you might be OK. I would suggest using a blossom booster fertilizer every 2 weeks to help with the lack of sunlight. Good luck.
Thank you for this video. I have a big beautiful dahlia growing in our sunny bay window right now. It is flowering like crazy, and cheers me every time I look at it. Its a tri-color blossom with orange purple and pink in each bloom. Have you ever grown your dahlias indoors in sunny windows? This is the first year we did this. Usually I just have large geraniums and coleus in the windows, which flower all year. Thank you again! :D
Coffee Barista That’s very impressive that you managed to get dahlias to bloom indoors. This is my first attempt at dahlias. Initially, I planted them in March, but heavy rain rotted those tubers in May, so I planted again in mid June. I live in a very hot and humid environment here in the Deep South, so I’ve planted them in containers and I put them out for full sun until about noon each day, then I move them to my porch to cool down for the afternoon.
i just received my tubers having responded to a fall ad. Now it looks like I may be too late to plant it so I am confused. I'm in zone 7. I was going to plant in the ground but would a contained be better? Should I store til spring? Also, can I plant anything with it in a container if I go that way? THANKS!!!
Received my Dahlia Tuber today, what do I do now, I have an unheated greenhouse on my balcony so not putting in there. Can I start covering it with some compost and start indoors? I have plenty of light or wait till February
Thank you! This is the best video I’ve found on caring for dahlias. I purchased two today that are already in bloom, planted in small containers. I know I need to repot them from the containers they were sold in and Now know what size to get! I heard they need a lot of sun, like fertilizer & require water once soil drys out. Is this accurate? Also, Will they live through the winter indoors in their pots? (I’m new to this). They’re beautiful & will bring joy to my balcony!
Mimi, unless you live in Florida or other parts of the Deep South, your dahlias will require full sun and will drink a lot of water. I recommend that you use Jack's Blossom Booster fertilizer every 3-4 weeks. It is a water soluable fertilizer so easy to use and very good. Your dahlias will overwinter easily if left in their containers and brought into a protected area where their roots will not freeze. They can be exposed to very cold temps as long as they do not freeze. Good Luck and welcome to our family of gardeners!
Harvesting History LLC perfect! Thank you for replying to me! One of them is thriving & the other one is struggling but showing some signs of life… I’m in Seattle Washington and it’s May we’ve had a sunny April so they’re out on the deck in the sunshine. For anybody doubting this woman 14” pots, believe it!! I tried 12” & my healthy dahlia’s already bursting out of it!!! I may step it up if this continues. Will definitely try that fertilizer as well! Thanks for the informative content. I’m excited to learn more from you.
Mimi, thank you for a comment that made me smile and for which I am very grateful. I hope I will always be able to help you with your gardening questions. You are very fortunate to live in such a beautiful city.
Hello ! I just saw your video and unfortunately little late.. I have planted 2 to 3 bulbs in 14.5 inch containers.. They have already started growing.. should I remove them now or just let them be as it this season ? I am in zone 7b (Georgia,US)
Finally found your channel. awesome tutorial. Its my first time planting dahlia this spring and I am in zone 3 just wondering what kind of fertilizer did you use.? Can I use miracle grow?
Rose, Miracle Grow is OK, but you would be better served by using a timed release, blossom booster fertilizer when you plant the tuber and then no more fertilizer.
I love love love dahlias! But I like to mix things up and have other things with it ( in the correct size pot of course). Is there and plants or other flowers that go well with dahlias or just leave it alone?
I would keep them 18-24 inches apart. You will get magnificent plants and lots of blossoms. If you plant 12-15 inches apart, your plants will be shorter and you may not get as many blossoms. Please remember that you must fertilize your dahlias every 2 weeks for the best results.
first time potting dahlia tubers. I wish I saw this sooner! I put two tubers in a 10 inch container. Bought a 14 in container today. Is it possible to move 1 of my tubers into the bigger container at this stage? One tuber has already spouted - wide spread BIG leaves (i've stopped the middle stalk already) and the smaller tuber is JUST showing. Basically wondering if I can repot the bigger tuber this early in the stage of it growing?
TVADGRL, don't worry. Yes, I would move your larger tuber to the 14 inch pot. I would use your hands to dig around the cluster of tubers. If you use a tool, you may accidentally cut the tuber. The repotting will stop the growth (probably) for a week to 10 days, but then your dahlias will take off. If you can, please water your dahlias for the next few weeks with a half diluted solution of blossom booster-water soluble fertilizer. Jack's makes a great product. Sounds like you are on the road to success and a glorious summer and fall of blooms. Don't forget to cut those blossoms for a vase in your home. The more blossoms you cut, the more you will get. Good Luck!
Thank you kindly for taking the time to respond to my query. I will absolutely be sure to cut the blossoms - Dahlia's are my favorite! I don't have a garden and live in an apartment with a rooftop, thus the need to grow everything in pots. I'm so excited to see the blossoms as the variety will be a surprise to me! I will be sure to use my hands and will follow your advise to water with a half diluted solution. At this stage I am watering when the soil is dry 1 inch below surface which is about every other day. I'm so happy to have found your RU-vid Channel. Thank you, thank you!
I'm assuming you can plant them up in anything larger then 14" diameter pots. I see you have an Espoma bag on the ground -- did you use this? Also can you use any slow release fertilizer -- I like Osmocot.
Harvesting History LLC when is the latest time of the season to plant them? I planted one after you commented and it’s coming up nicely. It’s June 1st and I’m in zone 5b. Is it too late to plant anymore in containers? Thanks.
Nappynew, sorry for the delayed response. You can plant through the end of June. In 5b you will have blossoms until around Thanksgiving unless you are hit with an extraordinary hard frost.
I've never had these before, how many years do they last for before you need to buy new tubers and do you need to do any maintainence on the tubers to encourage them to come back each year?
Peter, dahlia tubers can last for 5-10 years and more. They will not survive winters where the temps routinely drop below 25 degrees Farenheit. You need to lift the tubers in the fall after several hard frosts have killed the top growth and store them in a cool, dry area where they will not freeze. I store my tubers in wooden wine crates with nothing on them like peat moss. I lose about 10 percent of my tubers each year, but the rest survive the winter fine. If you decide to leave your tubers in the ground, cover them in the fall with 4 inches of mulch. Dahlia tubers do not mind getting very cold. It is the combination of winter cold with winter moisture that destroys them because they rot.
Good morning, I have a little doubt and I would like you to kindly clarify it. Pompon dahlias are my weakness. Having no garden, this spring I planted a bulb of that dahlia variety in a large 40 cm pot. and, really, I am delighted as much for the amount of flowering as for the size of the flowers. My question is the following: is the size of my 40 cm pot enough? so that both Pompon dahlia plants and their flowers fully develop and the flowers are the required size? To this I must add that I pay every 15 days with the liquid fertilizer of Flower Platinum. I would be grateful if you could answer me and give me some advice to keep my Pompon dahlias in the maceton of the size that I have indicated since next spring I would like to plant the same variety in more colors. I take this opportunity to congratulate you for your wonderful videos. Thank you very much and best regards.
PedroYour 40 cm pot, if that is the diameter of the pot is perfect for ONE dahlia! You will need two pots for two dahlias. Your fertilizing schedule is correct. I am not familiar with your fertilizer. Good Luck and thank you for the nice compliment.Barb
You specified to use a bloom-booster fertilizer, which is in line with what dahlia experts recommend (less nitrogen, more phosphorous and potassium). However, I see that you're using Osmocote Plus, which is high in nitrogen (15-9-12) and so is not a bloom booster type of fert. Please clarify.
Some people will not fertilize regularly so Osmocote which is a timed release fertilizer is a satifactory Plan B. I use bloom booster because I simply get more and bigger blooms.
Will you please share the depth of the 14" diameter pot that you recommend. I'm having a bit of trouble finding this size. Can you also share your pot source? Thanks so much and happy Spring.
Lisa, the depth can be 10 inches or more. Try going to a nursery that does landscaping and usually they will give you some used pots for free. That is what I do, but Boomer's comments are also true.
Ling, each 'piece' will form a young plant which may or may not produce a bloom this year, but will next year. I would start the 'pieces' in 8-10 inch pots until they grow into mature plants.
Harvesting History LLC I was told and read in a bunch of articles, that the broken off tubers will never grow into anything and will never flower unless they have a piece of the collar with an eye. Did I waste my effort to plant them? Some of the Dahlia tubers I received in the mail were practically dead. Any good places to purchase them?
What do you do when you plant a clump of tubers and get two dahlia sprouts? Is that 1 or 2 dahlias? How do you separate them if 2 dahlias came out of 1 clump of tubers? I have this problem and my two dahlias are now both over 1 foot tall.
BB, One clump of tubers can produce several sprouts. The fact that your clump produced 2 sprouts is not a problem. Most frequently, the sprouts originate at last year's stem, but sometimes they start on individual tubers. If you dig up your dahlias in the fall, you can separate the tubers. Each tuber can eventually grow into a sungle dahlia plant. Hope this helps.
I hope I’m wrong, but I think I just destroyed it trying to move it into a bigger pot. I think one of the stalks separated from the tubers, but the biggest one might still be attached. I’m going to try to keep it under the soil to see if it survives. The only reason I’m going through all this now is because the dahlias I planted in April got destroyed by excessive rainfall back in May, which caused the tubers to rot. These got planted in mid June and it’s about 16.5” tall now. First frost won’t arrive here until November, so hopefully I can get some blooms before then
BB You haven't destroyed your dahlia. it sounds like it is very healthy. If the second stem dies, then leave the tubers in the ground. It may send up a third stem or not. However, the tubers are getting stronger. It may not bloom until next year, but it will be fantastic. In the "Misery Loves Company" psychological vein, I, too, had 30 dahlias rot this spring because of rain. I have been planting in that bed for 20 years and have never lost so many dahlias.
Harvesting History LLC I appreciate your help. This is my first year ever attempting any kind of gardening at all. I needed something to do during the lockdown from March-June, so I decided to try gardening and I’ve discovered that I truly enjoy it. Since March, I’ve grown Daffodils, Calla Lillies, Tulips, Gladiolas, hydrangeas, elephant ears, zinnias, and now I’m trying to get dahlias to grow. I’m very limited on space because I live in a first floor condominium, but I’ve made use of every inch of my little yard that’s available to me. Dahlias are a bit of a challenge in this climate here in northeastern South Carolina and because I have such a high water table in my yard, containers are the only way to achieve any success with them. We have very poor drainage due to being on low lying ground and having nothing but clay in the ground once you dig past 8 inches or so.
@@BB-kt5eb your accomplishments for a first timer are impressive. Please know that in your climate, dahlias come into their own in the fall and early winter. Eventually, you are going to find that growing dahlias are one of the easiest projects you undertake. Stick with it. There are very few flowers that are so rewarding.
I use a 1" by 1" wood stake and drive it into the soil near where the plant is sprouting. You may hit a root, but the dahlia will be OK. Hope this helps.
Neonia, take heart. What I would do is fertilize your 2 dahlias once a week with Jack's Blossom Booster. It is a water soluble fertilizer that is easy to use. I don't fertilize my dahlias when they are in a 14 inch pot, but since you have 2 in a 20 inch pot, I would fertilize. I think you will be really pleased with the results
EasyTiger, a single tuber (part of a cluster) that is 3-4 inches long when first planted can grow to 10-12 inches in a season. A dahlia's root system at the end of a season will be at least 8-10 inches in diameter.
Oh dear, I came here because I had a nagging thought that I should not have planted 3 to 4 dahlias in a small pot. I will get them out of the small pots asap. Why do they need this much room? Thank you.
Juliana, they need the 14-inch diameter pots because of their root system. The tuberous roots you purchase are 1/3 to 1/2 the size they should be because they have lost a lot of their moisture content. A 4-inch long tuber will easily grow to 8 inches, sometimes 10-12 inches once the root is re-hydrated. The roots need the space, and if you crowd the roots you will sacrifice blooms. I hope this helps.
