Frost-tender. A perennial for zones 7 to 10. Start indoors 4 to 6 weeks before your last frost; plant out 1 to 2 weeks after your last frost. First blooms 60 to 90 days from planting.
Put in your ZIP code to see when to start, plant and harvest dahlias where you live, from your own frost dates.
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From seed to harvest
PlantSet in the groundWeek 0
SproutFirst shoots showWeek 2–3
Leaf growthLeaves fill outWeek 3–5
BudsFlower buds showWeek 7–10
BloomIn full flowerWeek 9–13
LiftDig and storeWeek 17–26
How to plant and grow
Plant in warm soil
Plant tubers in late spring once the soil holds near 60 °F. Lay each tuber on its side with the eye up, 4 to 6 inches deep, shallower for short types.
Space and stake
Space plants 1 to 3 feet apart depending on size. Push in a stake at planting for tall types so you do not spear the tuber later.
Keep evenly moist
Water at the roots, early in the day, to keep soil moist but never soggy. Letting the bed dry out cuts flowering.
Deadhead blooms
Cut flowers often and remove spent blooms. Plants flower from midsummer until frost. Stop feeding in late summer so tubers firm up.
Lift after frost
Where winters freeze, dig after frost blackens the tops and at least 120 days after planting. Dig a foot out from the stem to avoid breaking necks.
Cure and store
Rinse off soil, dry a few days in shade, then pack in slightly damp vermiculite or shavings. Store dark and frost-free at about 35 to 50 °F and check monthly.
Or leave in ground
In zone 7 and warmer with good drainage, cut stems and mulch at least 4 inches deep instead of lifting.
Common problems
Photo: “Powdery mildew 9” by Dmitry Brant, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (cropped). The cropped version is shared under the same licence.
Powdery mildewDisease
What you'll see: White, powdery patches on the tops of leaves and on stems. Leaves yellow and dry, and fruit may ripen poorly.
Prevent
Grow resistant varieties.
Give plants sun and space for air flow.
Remove badly infected leaves, and clear debris after harvest.
Organic options
Sulfur or potassium bicarbonate, from the first spots. Sulfur can burn some vine crops in heat, and never use it near an oil spray.
Neem oil. Look for OMRI Listed products.
Conventional options
Myclobutanil or propiconazole, if the crop is on the label.
Bee caution: Don't spray open flowers. Spray in the late evening, when bees aren't flying.
Photo: “Aphids on Kale leaf” by Sanjay Acharya, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (cropped). The cropped version is shared under the same licence.
AphidsPest
What you'll see: Clusters of small, soft-bodied green, black or gray insects on new shoots and under leaves. Leaves curl, and a sticky film may coat them.
Prevent
Check leaf undersides each week; a few aphids do little harm.
Pull nearby weeds, such as wild mustards, that feed aphids.
Grow flowers for lady beetles, lacewings and hover flies, and avoid broad sprays that kill them.
Organic options
Knock aphids off with a strong spray of water.
Insecticidal soap or horticultural oil on leaf undersides, repeated as the label allows.
Neem oil, or OMRI Listed pyrethrins (without piperonyl butoxide).
Conventional options
Malathion or permethrin, if the crop is on the label. These also kill the insects that eat aphids.
Bee caution: Don't spray open flowers. Spray in the late evening, when bees aren't flying.
What you'll see: Yellow beetles with black stripes or spots chew seedlings, leaves and flowers. They spread bacterial wilt, which kills cucumbers and melons.
Prevent
Cover seedlings with row cover and seal the edges; remove it at flowering so bees can reach the blooms.
Clear weeds and plant debris where adults spend the winter.
Mulch with straw around established plants.
Organic options
Knock beetles into soapy water on small plantings.
Kaolin clay on the leaves deters feeding but does not kill beetles; apply it before damage builds.
Conventional options
Several garden insecticides are labeled for cucumber beetles; check the crop is listed. Spray early or late in the day to spare bees.
Read and follow the product label: it is the law. It sets the rate, the crops it is for, and the days between spraying and picking. Products registered vary by state; for organic growing, look for products allowed under the USDA National Organic Program (OMRI Listed). We name active ingredients, not brands or rates.
The link opens this growing guide, so anyone can read it and look up their own planting dates.
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Plant
Sprout
Leaf growth
Buds
Bloom
Lift
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