Van Bourgondien

Garden Guide Planting Instructions for Pot Dahlias

For the best results with Pot Plant and Border Dahlias, certain instructions must be followed. Dahlias may be started indoors. Plant one clump in a 6-8" pot. Use a soil mixture of equal parts of potting soil, sand and peat moss. Good drainage is essential.

Plant with the crown slightly above the soil surface. The soil surface should be at least 1/2 to 1" below the pot rim. Do not divide roots prior to planting. See figure 1.

After planting, water well and continue to keep the soil moist but not wet.

When the flower buds appear, water may have to be increased due to the increased demand of the plant for water while developing buds. Do not wet the plant foliage when watering. Fertilizer should be applied as soon as the foliage begins to appear. Slow release fertilizer (14-14-14) is recommended. For maximum flowering, dahlia shoots must be pinched. The terminal shoot should be pinched after the 3rd or 4th pair of leaves have unfolded. Pinch the strong shoot of a 2-shooted plant. Pinch all single shooted plants. Do not pinch 3 shooted plants, but do not allow more than 3 main shoots to develop from the crown. The pinch should remove all growth above the 3rd or 4th pair of leaves. See figure 2.

The dahlia plant should be placed outdoors after all danger of frost has passed. They must have full sunlight. If they are planted in a garden, they should be spaced 10-12" apart.