Dahlias are one of my favorites to grow in the garden for it’s beauty outside and as cut flower to enjoy inside! They come in so many colors and shapes that they can instantly transform your garden or patio. Planting dahlias in pots is a great way to enjoy these beautiful flowers even if you don’t have a ton of space. Below I will go through the step-by-step process of how we plant our dahlia tubers in pots.

Choosing The Right Pot
I use a container that is a minimum of 12″ – 16″ wide and deep. This allows room for the tuber to grow and develop a healthy root system and more tubers for you to plant next year. The pots I mainly use are the 5 gallon garden grow bags. I then place the grow bag into a wood sleeve. Which ever container you choose be sure it has drainage holes to prevent waterlogging and root rot.

Potting Mix
Your Dahlias love well-draining, fertile soil. I use a combination of a 45% raised bed soil, 45% compost and 10% perlite or vermiculite. This mixture aids in drainage, retains some moisture, and provides essential nutrients for your dahlias.

Planting Your Tubers
I fill the pot with the prepared potting mix, leaving about 4″ inches from the top. Then place the tuber horizontally in the pot, with the eye (the growth point) facing upward. Cover your tuber with roughly 3″ of the potting mix then water. I don’t water them again until I see a sprout poking out of the soil.

Providing The Best Growing Conditions
Your Dahlias love sunshine! They thrive in full sun. When you are looking for a location to place your your container be sure that area gets a minimum of 6 hours of sunlight each day. We keep the soil consistently damp but not soggy, watering the pot when the top inch of soil feels dry to the touch is a good practice. Our Dahlias do well with a slow release fertilizer once a month! We use Espoma Organic Plant Tone.

Pinching Back
While this can be a bit tough to do because you’re so excited that your Dahlias are growing it’s a definite must in my book. When your dahlias reach about 12″ tall, pinch off the growing tip just above a leaf node to encourage more blooms!

Supports
I don’t use supports or stakes unless the Dahlia appears to be struggling to stand up on its own. If one is need I use the single stem supports. 

Pests & Diseases
Be sure to monitor your dahlias for any signs of pests or diseases, such as aphids or powdery mildew as these can be common. 

In about 8-10 weeks you should see blooms appearing! They do great on a patio, balcony or in your garden! Enjoy the beauty of these special flowers!