Dahlia Cactus Mixed

Cactus dahlias are a fascinating variety that will fill your displays with large, double flowers that are made up of narrow spiky petals. Growing to approximately 1m tall, they are a great choice for a cut flower garden. Very easy to grow, Dahlia tubers are packed full of energy that once in planted in the spring burst into growth. Perfect in patio pots or straight in the ground they will produce the most spectacular blooms in a bright colour, filling your garden as summer turns to autumn. Delivered as a pack of 5 tubers, ready to plant out in the spring.

Top Tips

• When the plants flower, you will notice one large central bud and two, smaller side buds.
• You can either remove the side buds to get one large flower or keep them to get three flowers which will be smaller.
• Dahlias are fairly hardy, although frost-tender perennials and during mild winters they will overwinter successfully under a heavy mulch.
• However, we do recommend where possible that tubers are lifted in the autumn and dried upside down before storing in a frost-free place over the winter.
• Stored tubers can then be started back into growth the following spring before planting back out.
• If you find that earwigs are a problem, the organic way to control them is to position pots filled with straw upside down on canes spaced around your dahlias.

Care Guide

• Dahlias are tender tubers and do best when potted up initially in March or early April, into large pots (2 – 3L) filled with multi-purpose compost.
• Placed in a light, frost-free place and kept moist, they’ll quickly form bushy plants by the time the frosts have ended, ready to be planted out into the garden.
• In the garden, dig a hole at least 30cm wide x 30cm deep for each one, spacing each tuber 75cm apart.
• If you don?t have anywhere to start them in pots, you can put the tubers straight into the ground when the frosts are nearly over.
• Once a fortnight, feed them with a liquid feed such as our Blooming Fast Superior plant feed. During dry periods, water at least once a week.
• Dahlias should be deadheaded regularly to encourage more blooms and you will need to stake the plants to prevent the flowers from breaking the stems.