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Dahlia

Dahlia variabilis

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Belonging to the Dahlia genus, Dahlia has a botanical name of Dahlia variabilis. The botanical name epithet variabilis means 'variable'.

Grown as an annual higher then zone 8, or they may be dug and saved overwinter.¹ Dahlias come in many colors and sizes.

Blooms appear in these approximate colours: Light goldenrod yellow. The mature flowers are of a single form. Leaves appear approximately as a Dartmouth green colour. It is a flower / ornamental that typically grows as a perennial, which is defined as a plant that matures and completes its lifecycle over the course of three years or more. Normally growing to a mature height of 30.0 cm (11.7 inches), Dahlia grows with a erect habit.

Mexico is believed to be where Dahlia originates from.

Being a fairly low maintenance plant, Dahlia is normally quite easy to grow provided a minimum level of care is given throughout the year. It will be helpful to note the correct soil, sun and water needs of this plant to ensure that this plant thrives.

This plant info is provided by the myfolia gardener's wiki. All details about Dahlia have been kindly provided by our members.

How to grow Dahlia

Full Sun
+
Medium

Prefers rich soil.

Even though dahlias prefer warm climate they will die to the ground and the roots can be lifted from the ground and stored in cool, yet frost frost free conditions during the winter. Another way is to plant the tubers quite deep which also provides protection from frost. Some dahlia cultivars need staking for support. All garden dahlias need deadheading regularly.³

Try to plant in a location that enjoys full sun and remember to water moderately. The USDA Zones typically associated with Dahlia are Zone 8 and Zone 11. Planting Dahlia in loamy soil with a ph of between 6.0 and 6.5 is ideal for as it does best in weakly acidic soil. Keep in mind when planting that Dahlia is thought of as tender, so remember to ensure that temperatures are mild before moving outdoors.

Growing Dahlia from seed

By our calculations*, you should look at sowing Dahlia about 49 days before your last frost date .

Transplanting Dahlia

Harvesting Dahlia

After a killing frost the roots may be carefully dug and stored through the winter.

Companion plants for Dahlia

These plants have been known to grow well alongside Dahlia so consider planting:

Repellent plants for Dahlia

These plants will not grow well with Dahlia so avoid planting these within close proximity:

Common Dahlia problems

These problems, diseases and pests are known to affect Dahlia plants:

tuber rots
ring spot
vascular wilts
mosaic virus
powdery mildew
botrytis blight

Slugs and snails are serious pests when new growth starts in spring. Earwigs can also disfigure the blooms. Affids are another pest that will attack dahlias, these will feed on the tender new growth and young buds. Capsid bugs are responsible for contortion and holes at growing tips.³

Latest Dahlia Reviews

21 Apr 2012

Tubasteve42's Dahlias was Reviewed day 36

never germinated

0 stars
18 Feb 2012

Kevalsha's Dahlias was Reviewed day 0

Dahlias are growing pretty good. I have started 18 more seeds and they all sprouted.

2 stars

See all Dahlia reviews and experiences »

Dahlia care instructions

Category The lifecycle that this Dahlia exhibits. Perennial Difficulty How easy is Dahlia to grow? Easy 2/5
Lifecycle The lifecycle that this Dahlia exhibits. Perennial Growth Habit What shape or habit does Dahlia grow into? Erect
Hardiness How frost hardy is Dahlia? Tender Country of Origin Where did Dahlia come from? Mexico
Mature Height How tall does Dahlia grow? 30.0 cm / 11.7 inches Mature Spread How wide does Dahlia grow? Help build our wiki!
USDA Zone Range Which zones does Dahlia grow best in? Zone 8 to Zone 11 pH Range The level of acidity for Dahlia. 6.0 - 6.5
Water Requirements How much water does Dahlia require? Medium Nitrogen Requirements How much nitrogen fertilizer does Dahlia need? Medium
Soil What sort of soil should I plant Dahlia in? Loam Sun How much sunlight does Dahlia need to grow? Full Sun
Can Sow Direct? Can Dahlia be sown directly? No Sowing Depth How deep to plant Dahlia? Help build our wiki!
Sowing Distance Apart How far apart to plant Dahlia? Help build our wiki! Sowing Row Distance Apart How far apart to plant rows of Dahlia? Help build our wiki!
Ideal Germination Temperature Range What temperatures does Dahlia need in order to germinate? Help build our wiki! to Help build our wiki! Growing Temperatures What temperatures are best to grow Dahlia in? Help build our wiki! to Help build our wiki!
Planting Distance Apart How far apart to plant Dahlia seedlings. Help build our wiki! Planting Row Distance Apart How far apart to plant rows of Dahlia seedlings. Help build our wiki!
Bloom Time When will Dahlia bloom? Help build our wiki! Harvest Time When is Dahlia ready for harvest? Help build our wiki!
Pruning Time When should I prune Dahlia? Help build our wiki!

How long does Dahlia take to grow?

These estimates for how long Dahlia takes to sprout, grow and harvest are from real observations from real gardeners, right around the world. Start logging and journaling your observations to participate!

Days to Germination How long does it take Dahlia to germinate? days Average days | Min days | Max days (0)
Days to Transplant How long until I can plant out Dahlia? + days Average days | Min days | Max days (0)
Days to Maturity How long until Dahlia is ready for harvest / bloom? + days Average days | Min days | Max days (0)
Total Growing Days How long does it take to grow Dahlia? = days

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