My Love Dahlia Bulbs

My Love dahlia bulbs produce charming white-petaled blossoms that have been a favorite with gardeners since being introduced in 1964. Spiky, cactus-type petals balance the garden and your cut-flower bouquets.

My Love dahlia bulbs are planted in the spring to give you incredible blooms with the most vibrant colors and designs. Dahlias should be essential to your flower garden if you love cut flowers. 

How are Dahlia flowers produced? 

Dahlia flowers are typically grown from tubers planted in the spring that are allowed to bloom and produce flowers all summer long before digging the tubers up before the first frost. Luckily, you can overwinter dahlias in Zones 9 and 10 if your area does not get winter freezes. 

Note: Dahlia bulbs are perishable items and are final sale. Growers should plant their dahlia bulbs immediately after receiving them. Dahlia bulbs are a natural product and will vary in shape, size, and weight. Each package contains (1) dahlia bulb regardless of size and appearance. See product images for an example of what you will receive.

Planting Dahlia Bulbs in Zones 9 and 10 

Planting tubers is the quickest way to get blooms and provides flowers identical to the mother plant. By planting tubers in the spring, you will get flowers you can enjoy the same year they are planted. As the blooms fade, the remainder of the plant will continue to photosynthesize and gather the energy stored in the bulbs. Dig up your bulbs around November if you live in an area with winter freezes. Store the dug-up bulbs in peat moss or pine shavings until you plant them out again the following spring.   

Planting Dahlia Bulbs in Zones 6–8  

Plant dahlias bulbs in the spring into warm and thoroughly worked soil (see below). For areas with particularly short growing seasons, you can pre-sprout your tubers by transferring them into plastic trays filled with about 2″ of seed starting or potting mix. Place tubers with their eyes facing up and the other end buried in the potting mix. Keep the tubers in the flat until their eyes begin to grow into a sprout, usually two to four weeks. Gradually give the flat more exposure to the sun. Keep the potting mixture damp but not soaked. 

During this time, you can prep your garden soil. 

Prepping Garden Soil Before Planting

Till or cultivate the soil and add compost, manure, granular fertilizer, and worm castings. Work your soil well enough for your dahlia plants to grow uninhibited. It’s also a good idea to place a sturdy plant stake in the ground to support the blooms. Placing them after the flower has arrived can be distressing to the plant, especially if you drive the stake through the tuber. 

Planting Dahlia Bulbs in the Soil 

If you pre-sprouted your tubers, when they are about 2–3 inches tall, gently remove them from the potting mix and place them in your freshly prepped garden area. Cover the tubers with 2–3″ of soil. Using shade cloth is recommended if you plant your tubers on a warm day. We also recommend you put down Sluggo Plus.  

Growing Dahlia Plants 

Once your plant has 2–4 sets of leaves, you need to top it. That happens by pinching the top of the center that is growing. Doing this will send up lateral shoots that end in flower buds. If you wish for the biggest and most robust flower blooms, pinching is how you can do that. You can also let your plants grow naturally, knowing you will likely get smaller blooms. 

Feeding Dahlias 

Dahlia flowers need lots of fertilizer to be prolific bloomers. Add Darn Good Fertilizer at the time of planting and regular applications of a liquid fertilizer like our Fish and Guano. During the blooming period of mid-summer and on, you should fertilize with a high potash fertilizer to encourage the biggest blooms. 

Harvesting Dahlia Blooms 

Harvesting your dahlia blooms is best done in the cool of the morning. Immediately place your cut flowers in water for the longest-lasting blooms, and move them into a cool area.