How to plant dahlia tubers

Sarah Raven shows us how to pot up and plant your dahlia tubers once they've arrived at your home.

Dahlias are tender tubers. Their root structures look like a bunch of salamis gathered together on a stem. If you plant them out before the frosts are over, they may get frosted and die, so pot them up in March or early April, in a generous (at least 2 litre pot - I use 3 litre pots) filled with multi-purpose potting compost. Place them in a light, frost-free place and keep the compost moist. They will have formed bushy plants by the time the frosts have ended and will be in flower by the beginning of July.

For more info on planting and growing dahlia tubers, please visit:

To order beautiful Dahlia tuber varieties online, see:

[Zodeon]

Short, informative and to the point, no waffle. Perfect.

[alanferrans]

Thank you, this is my first time growing dahlias

[OlliePatchett]

Very Clear and professional 'no fuss' Video, thank you very much. More please !

[horsedrawnfarmer]

Excellent quick video, clear and concise…..love your videos!

[davidhowgate]

SARAH, this video really helped me plant the tubers right side up, thank you.

[maryxydeas]

Thank you so much Sarah. Straight to the point. God bless

[Jazzwayze]

Thank you. Dahlias are well worth all the effort they require. I still can't get the patience my old Dad possessed. If I grew these plants, I would be tempted to just buy new tubers every year. But that is idle and wasteful, so I will content myself with looking at the displays of other, more obsessed gardeners than me! best of luck! JW

[jeanettetaylor]

Thank you! This has really helped. Looking forward to seeing the plate sized blooms.

[theholisticuz]

Aww thank you Sarah, I’m going to repot mine or maybe even plant them straight in the ground ?! I love this helpful video an your strong British accent is just divine 😊

[deerwolf]

Ditto to what Splug said. Thank you. Dahlias now planted!

[paige]

Mine is starting to flower!! It’s a purple dinner plate variety and I’m so happy. It does let me know when it’s thirsty though! It wilts like it’s completely dead lol and then soon as it’s watered it perks right back up.

[ItsaSmallWorldd]

Love your video, Straight to the point and extremely helpful for a newbie like myself 👏🏾

[erikabuz]

Totally agree with all above brilliant and to the point😊

[paultavener]

Excellent presentation, clear and simple to understand, thank you.

[cliffcarr]

Thanks Sarah, a super video. I bought 8 dahlias from you and they are STUNNING!!

[simonharris]

Succinct - thank you Sarah. I lose the will to live when people bang on for hours

[lushieryan]

Thanks for the information and demonstration! It's my first time potting tubers this year.. I'm about to go and do it now! 😊

[jesshothersall]

That was useful for potted ones, but was hoping to find out how/when I plant them in the ground outside?

[rhmahal]

I live in southern England and I plant my dahlia tubers in the ground in late April and then I leave them in the ground forever dahlias like free drawing soil and in that soil can survive temperatures down to -4 and wet clay soil down to -1

[joanneholcombe]

I received dahlia tubers about 2 weeks ago or more and couldnt get to immediate planting..just planted today but there were no roots attached to any of them..will they grow?