GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. — Dahlias are quickly becoming a favorite flower of Instagram, and for good reason: They're gorgeous!
Dahlias come in lots of different shapes, sizes and colors, blooming from mid-summer until frost.
Each year, you have to dig out your dahlia tuber because they aren't hardy enough to survive the winter in the ground. But when you dig them out, you can split them.
To be viable, a dahlia tuber has to have three segments: the tuber, the neck and the eye.
Some shriveling or wrinkling is okay but overall you want it to be firm and plump when you plant it.
You can plant dahlias in pots now but wait until after frost if you are planting them outside.
In the ground or in a pot, dig a hole about 12” deep, fill it half way with a damp — but not wet — compost/soil mixture.
Next, place the dahlia in the hole with the eyes facing up and the tuber laying sideways. Fill the remainder of the hole with soil.
Now here’s a trick I learned from my friends Kevin and Kristi at Heartland Blooms n Berry Farm: Don’t water your dahlia just yet!
Wait to water until you see growth poking out of the ground. Watering right away will likely rot the dahlia tuber before it even starts to grow.
Once growing, your dahlia wants lots of sunshine and regular watering.
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