Last year, I planted some beautiful dahlias around May, and they bloomed until October. I know I was supposed to dig them up for winter, but I didn't get around to it. I'm curious to know when I might see new growth this year if they made it through the winter. I also have a few new dahlias ready to plant if nothing shows up by the end of April.
3 Answers
It really depends on how warm the spring is. I’m in the Southeast, and my dahlias that I've never dug up start showing around mid-April. The ones I moved last year took until early May to pop up properly.
Just to jump in, is it true that you only need one bulb per dahlia? I’m planting some in a raised bed for cut flowers, so I want to arrange them in a grid. Should I just put one bulb in each spot?
Actually, you'll want to plant a clump together, usually between 3-7 bulbs/tubers count as one piece, all in one hole.
The biggest concern is slugs munching on your dahlias rather than them not surviving winter. Mine do just fine even further north, and I start checking on sunny days to protect them from those pesky invaders until the growth can outpace the slugs by April.
How far north are you? Are you near Glasgow?
Thanks for the heads up! I’m in Wales, and I thought they might struggle with all the rain, but it sounds like they could make it!
That's good to know! When did you notice your first growth last year? I've been hesitant to dig mine up as well.