Dahlia Fancy Pants 3L

(Dahlia)

Planting Conditions 

Dahlia 'Fancy Pants' prefers a sunny, but sheltered position and grows well in rich, fertile soils provided they are moist, but well-drained. If your soil does not drain that well, add some sand or grit when planting which will help with this. You can tell if your soil is healthy if there is plenty of underground activity such as plant growth, earthworms and fungi. Alternatively, you can purchase a testing kit which will let you know what type of soil you have.

Watering Dahlias

Watering correctly is an important part of keeping a Dahlia healthy. The best way to tell if your Dahlia needs water is by handling the soil, if the soil feels moist but not wet, the plant has enough water. If the soil feels soggy or wet, it needs a bit of time to dry out. If the soil feels dry to the touch, then it's time to water. Water evenly at the base of the plant as watering the flowers and leaves may cause rotting. Potted plants will be saturated when moisture begins to seep from the drainage holes, while ground watering should stop when the ground begins absorbing slower than your watering.

Dahlia General Care

As flowers fade, cut back stems to a leaf joint as this will encourage the plant to keep producing new buds. At the end of the season you can leave the Dahlia tuber in the ground if it is planted in a very free draining position and you live in a warmer part of the UK - you will need to cover with at least 6 inches of mulch like bark chippings etc... To be safe it is probably best to dig the tuber up for winter, do this when the Dahlia foliage has started to die down. Dig all around the clump and the lift the tuber with a fork, taking great care not to damage it with the fork. Shake off the excess soil and using secateurs, cut down the stems and compost the leaves. Rinse the tuber or wash it in a bucket of water, then hang it upside down to dry. Once dry wrap the tuber in newspaper and store it in a cool, frost free location that is both dark and dry for the winter. The following spring replant the tuber in the ground once the risk of frost has passed.