You bought a Dahlia tuber/started tuber plant … NOW WHAT?!

Step 1: Pick a location
-Dahlias can be planted outside after last frost date when the soil gets to 55-60 degrees. 
-Full Sun 8+ hours, mine get some afternoon shade and in the hot summer months they seem to like that
-Fertile, well draining soil—I like to add compost, and 10-10-10 fertilizers

Step 2: Planting your tuber 
-Plant tuber 4-6” below soil horizontally
-Eye facing up
-Insert stakes at this time —dahlias get tall and require support to not fall over
-Plant tubers 8-18” apart —I like to plant  10-13” apart, this gives them room to breathe, while also offering support to each other

Step 3: Watering
-While your tuber develops roots they are susceptible to rooting, don’t over water here. I like the soil to be slightly damp to help them wake up more, but not soggy or wet
-Once you see a sprout emerge, water deeply to reach the roots
CHECK THE SOIL 1-2” Deep with your finger 
    -Dry=water
    -damp=wait a day

-WATER EARLY AM IF POSSIBLE, directly on roots 

Step 4: Early Stages
-Once shoots begin to appear, water regularly and apply sluggo if needed 
-When the plant is a foot tall, and has at least 4 sets of leaves you can pinch the center to tell the plant to send up new shoots to make more flowers!
-Cut blooms and remove dead ones to encourage your plant to make more blooms and bigger tubers

Step 5: Keeping your plant healthy

As the plant grows taller I like to pull off the bottom leaves to promote airflow, keep mildew down and it helps keep the base of the plant healthy. The yellow leaves especially. 

Hot weather=more water
Straw can help hold moisture 

If your plants have yellow leaves, the soil is soggy 
It your plant is wilting, you need to water 

Diseases- 
There are several types of things to look for when growing dahlias to keep your plants healthy
Aphids- tiny black “poppy seed” looking pests, also could look like yellow/browning petals 
    - What to do - Spray with neem oil 
Dahlia Mosaic Virus - over variegation in veins of leaves, or curled/wavy leaf edges, stunted growth - can be transferred by other bugs from other plants
    - What to do - PULL IMMEDIATELY -sanitize tools, and keep watch on the plants next to them
Leafy Gall - Cauliflower looking growths around the eye of the tuber, sending out multiple “fused” sprouts. Causes plant to shoot out lots of stems, and flowers that have deformities Transfers from water in the soil 
    What to do- Discard plant and tubers immediately and sanitize tools used. 
If this happens do not replant dahlia in this spot unless all soil surrounding is removed, or you burn or sanitize the soil 

*Sanitize tools in between clippings plants to avoid spreading 

Crown Gall - White looking cauliflower around crown of tuber, similar symptoms to leafy gall 
What to do- Discard plant and tubers immediately and sanitize tools used. 
If this happens do not replant dahlia in this spot unless all soil surrounding is removed, or you burn or sanitize the soil 

*Sanitize tools in between clippings plants to avoid spreading