For some reason, the beginning and end of dahlia season seem to be the most confusing for new dahlia growers. I get so many questions about what to do with tubers to get them started and what to do with them during the winter. Well- let’s talk about Spring stuff since we are almost there- only a few days!

If you need a quick refresher about what to do when your tubers arrive- Click here for last week’s post.

OK— So— Waking those tubers up from their winter nap:

First thing: Do you have to wake up your tubers? No- they will be perfectly fine if you unpack them from storage and plant. This process is not necessary but does have some advantages.

Advantages- If you live in a short season climate, waking tubers up gives you a bit of a jump and makes sure you have blooms before it frosts.

If you have a small garden, waking tubers up makes sure you take advantage of every space and you don’t plant a dud. This applies to commercial growers too- we don’t plant anything we don’t see a viable eye on b/c we need every spot to be productive!

So how do you it? It’s very simple- Take your tubers from their storage location and move them to a frost free place that’s around 65-70 degrees. A little warmer is okay but not too much. You still need to be paying attention to humidity b/c if not, it’s possible for your tubers to shrivel at this point. So keep that humidity high 80-90% if possible.

Keep checking on your tubers regularly and within about 2 weeks you’ll see a few starting to swell at the eyes- there will be green or purple (occasionally white) nubbins which will turn into sprouts. Once you see these, you can plant if you are past your last frost date. This process is called “eyeing” up your tubers. Eyeing up your tubers can help them to sprout a little quicker when you plant.

Few more questions I get — Do you need to remove them from the storage medium? Maybe— The medium can help you control humidity. This is why you need to monitor them. We remove ours from the storage medium and we usually put a lid on our container for a few days. BUT— I always check in after 2-3 days. If I see any sign of condensation on the container, I will crack the lid.
Do I need to pot them up into containers with potting soil? This is not required for the “eyeing up/waking up” process. The only need to pot up would be if you desire to take cuttings or really need to get a head start on growing them. Potting up with soil is going to be like planting them- so you’ll need lights and a place for them to grow and will actually mean you are looking after them for much longer (6-8 weeks) before planting out. So you only need to do this if you have a very short season or need a super early bloom.

Now you may be thinking, this is too much trouble- Can’t I just plant them when I receive them? Well that depends- if you are past your last frost date, then most likely you’ll be fine to plant. Why do I say most likely? B/c ideally you need your ground to be warm, 55-65 degrees to really get the tuber going. A last frost date by definition is just when you have a 50% chance or greater of not having a frost. But what really matters is your soil temps. So it never hurts to wait a bit. Or if you get impatient (like I often do), lay a black tarp/plastic over the area a few weeks before last frost and it will warm your soil up!

I know this has been a post with a lot of caveats- but that’s just growing anything. Everyone’s climate is a bit different. Microclimates play a big role in how well things grow. So remember- There’s no set way to start a dahlia- you have options. Pick the one that’s best for you!