Dahlias are truly stunning but absolutely intimidating to me. This year, I decided to fully embrace the dahlia obsession and try growing them in three different ways: from seed, from tubers, and from purchased starts. Dahlias can be quite an investment and take a bit more work than other flowers in my area (Zone 5a).

Dahlias just have that “wow” factor that so many people adore in their bouquets. Not only do I want the blooms to enjoy in the backyard, but I wanted something more extravagant for the bouquets I sell.

Starting Dahlias

This is where the learning started. In all of my initial research, I kept hearing the word “tuber”, so I thought that was the only way to start them. I quickly found out that dahlias also produce seeds. So why was everyone online going crazy for the tubers and digging them up every year to store then, when they could just start them from seed?

Little did I know how genetically complex dahlias are. They have 8 pairs of chromosomes and cross pollinate. However, the cross pollination only affects the new seeds, not the new blooms on the current plant. With the complexity of their genetics mixed with the cross pollination, no two dahlia seeds will ever be the same. Dahlias started from seed tend to grow blooms with fewer sets of petals. Basically, with starting dahlias from seed, you will have no idea what the final bloom will look like.

Tubers are completely different. Tubers are a thickened root that stores water and nutrients for the plant. They look similar to a bulb or potato and come in many sizes and shapes. The tuber will produce an exact genetic clone of the parent plant. The plant will multiply and produce additional tubers with the same genetic makeup, and essentially duplicating the plant. This is why so many gardeners love the tuber method. They know exactly what they are getting as a final product, and can control exactly what they are growing. However, the tubers can be quite pricey ($5-$25 for EACH tuber depending on variety).

The good news, dahlia plants started from seed will produce tubers. As long as you like the blooms your seeds produced, you can dig up the tubers and store them for the next year!

Adding Purchased Starts

To round out my dahlia collection, I also added a few established starts. The dahlia obsession kicked in fast and hard. I picked up a few dahlia starts (and a few more tubers) at our local farmer’s market last weekend because I just couldn’t resist. I had to pull out a few chamomile plants to make room for the new additions, but I have plenty of “volunteer” chamomile that started this year so I’m not too worried.

What I’ve Learned So Far

Although I’m still early in my dahlia-growing journey, I’ve already learned a few important lessons:

Size

Dahlias get big FAST. It’s important to give them enough space and support, especially if you live in a windy area. We put up a support system for the dahlias to grow into as they get taller.

Labels

I had so many tubers and quickly got overwhelmed. I thought I had a good system for labeling the garden tags next to the tubers, but once everything was in the ground I got a bit confused. I’ve been trying to refer back to photos I took of the tuber packaging sitting on the bed to figure out where I planted each one. I think I figured out which ones are where, but I’m sure I will have a few surprises once the blooms start appearing. If you are just growing dahlias for pretty blooms, this might not be as big of a deal. However, I plan to dig the tubers up, label them, and store them for next year, so I really want them to be labeled accurately if possible.

Looking Forward to Bloom Season

Right now, my dahlias are still growing and establishing themselves, but I find myself checking on them constantly. There were a few spots that I thought weren’t going to have tubers come up, and after some good rain they are slowly emerging.

I am anxious to cut baskets full of blooms and save tubers at the end of the season for next year’s garden.

Final Thoughts

Trying dahlias from seeds, tubers, and starts all in the same season has been a fun experiment and I am learning so much along the way.

If you’ve been thinking about growing dahlias, consider trying more than one method. Whether you’re starting with a packet of seeds, a box of tubers, or a few nursery starts.

This is my first year growing them, and I already have a feeling they won’t be my last.

If you have grown dahlias before, I’d love to hear more!