Spring
Planting dahlia tubers
Dahlias don't like cold soil. Plant after your last frost, once the ground has warmed to about 60°F. Here in the Lakes Region that's usually late May into early June.
- Choose a spot with full sun, at least 6–8 hours a day, and soil that drains well.
- Lay the tuber on its side about 4–6 inches deep, with the eye (the little bud near the old stem) facing up.
- Space plants 12–18 inches apart. Put a stake in at planting time so you don't spear the tuber later.
- Don't water until you see green shoots. Wet, cold soil before the roots form is the most common cause of rot.
Want a head start? Pot tubers up indoors in April and plant them out once frost is past.
Summer
Pinching, staking & care
When a plant is 12–16 inches tall with three or four sets of leaves, snip out the center tip just above a set of leaves. It feels brave, but it gives you a bushier plant with many more long stems for cutting.
- Tie the main stem to its stake as it grows, or run garden twine around the outside of the row.
- Water deeply once or twice a week once plants are growing, more in a heat wave.
- Watch for earwigs and slugs on young shoots and blooms. Check in the evening, when they're most active.
August to frost
Cutting dahlias
Cut in the cool of the morning or evening, when blooms are almost fully open. Dahlias don't open much more once they're cut. Cut deep, just above a pair of leaves low on the stem, and you'll get longer stems and more flowers. Put them straight into cool water.
Fall
Digging, dividing & storing
Dahlias aren't hardy in New Hampshire, so the tubers come out of the ground each fall.
- After the first hard frost blackens the leaves, cut the stalks down to a few inches. Many growers wait a week or two before digging.
- Dig wide around the plant with a fork and lift the clump gently. The necks between tuber and crown snap easily.
- Rinse off the soil and let the clump dry a little. Divide with clean, sharp snips so each piece has a tuber, a neck and at least one eye.
- Label every division. You'll be glad you did in spring.
- Store them somewhere dark and cool, around 40–50°F, packed in slightly damp vermiculite, peat or wood shavings so they don't shrivel.
- Check once a month. Remove anything soft or rotting, and mist anything shriveling.
This is exactly how we prepare every tuber we sell.
Late winter
Starting flowers from seed
All of our seed is open-pollinated and saved from our own plants. Count back from your last frost date to know when to start. Most flowers want bright light, steady moisture and a gentle start before going outside.
Snapdragon
Start indoors 8–10 weeks before your last frost. Press seed onto the surface and don't cover it; it needs light to sprout. Snapdragons like it cool and can go out a couple of weeks before your last frost. Pinch once at 4–6 inches tall for more stems.
Zinnia
Sow directly in the garden once the soil is warm and frost is past, or start indoors 4 weeks ahead. Pinch young plants once for long, branching stems. Cut when the stem stays stiff just below the bloom when you give it a gentle shake.
Celosia
Start indoors 6–8 weeks before your last frost and keep seedlings warm. Wait until nights stay warm to plant out; cold weather stalls them. Pinch early for more, slimmer stems.
Strawflower
Start indoors 6–8 weeks before your last frost. Press seed onto the surface; it needs light to germinate. For drying, cut when the outer petals have opened but the centers are still closed.
Amaranthus
Start indoors 4–6 weeks before your last frost or sow directly after it. Plants get big, so give them room. Cut when the tassels are full and hang them to dry if you'd like to keep them.
Dahlia seed
Start indoors 6–8 weeks before your last frost and plant out once frost has passed. Every seedling is a new variety, so watch for the ones you love. Seedlings make a small tuber you can dig and save in fall, just like a named variety.