QUESTION
I’m waiting for my mail order dahlia tubers to arrive, what do I do next? By the way, I’ve never grown them before.
Anne Davis, Garden Clinic Member
ANSWER
Don’t panic, they are super easy to grow. While you’re waiting, select a sunny, wind-protected spot with welldrained soil. Incorporate compost and aged manure into the soil in preparation for planting. When they arrive, remove from packets. You can plant straight away but since you're new to dahlias, I suggest doing what I do and ‘start’ them in small pots of potting mix to see them shoot then plant out. Bury the tuber 15-20cm, check label for height of plant and place a suitable sized stake adjacent to the tuber, if needed. Keep just moist, not wet, as the tuber can rot quickly.
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