Dahlia - Mix 'Terrace View'

You can start planting dahlia tubers during spring. Dahlias are sensitive to frost, therefore, they should be planted when winter is completely over, when there are no signs of late night frosts. A good time to plant dahlias outdoors in the ground is between late April and mid-May in full sun or a partially shaded position. Prepare a large hole in well-drained soil, place the tubers carefully into the hole and cover with 3-5 cm of soil, approximately 30 cm apart. Press gently and water lightly. If planting for the patio, plant in a good potting compost in a pot with adequate drainage. Dahlias will bloom to their maximum potential in complete sunshine. Forcing dahlias to bloom early It is possible to bring your dahlias into flower earlier by 'forcing' them.
Lay the dahlia tubers in moist compost from the beginning of April, at a temperature of 15-20°  C. Pot your dahlia tubers up when you see the first shoots appear and from the start of May you can gradually acclimatise them to going outdoors. Mid-May, your dahlia tubers can finally go outdoors into the garden or in pots.

Fertilise your dahlias on a monthly basis throughout the flowering period until the first frost. Deadhead the faded flowers to prolong the flowering period. Prevent the soil from drying out during dry periods. As these dahlias are fairly tall it is sometimes necessary to support their stems. Overwintering dahlias Dahlia tubers can easily be overwintered. If you want to do this, dig up the plants after the first night frost. Then cut all stems off 15 cm above the tuber. Attach a label with the name of the dahlia to remind yourself for the next year. Shake the soil from the dahlia tubers and place in a box with peat dust or sharp sand. Store the dahlia tubers in a frost-free area such as a garden shed or greenhouse. Next spring you can plant the dahlia tubers again and they will reward you with their wonderful flowers.

This fairly small but very diverse genus originated in Central America. It has been crossed and re-crossed, the world over and so selected that there are currently many thousands of different cultivars available. Different in height, flower colour, flower size and flower shape. This led to dahlia cultivars being under-classified into various flower shapes too.
Dahlias are classified under Compositae.