The Story
You can grow breathtaking dahlias from seed and enjoy them year after year. This very tall blend of eye-popping colors is especially suited for the back of the garden, and the long, sturdy stems make them great for cut flowers. Blooms appear about 90 days from sowing, so you can enjoy beautiful blooms come summer. Perennial in USDA zones 7–10; in colder climates, at season's end, tubers can be lifted and stored indoors over winter. Attracts butterflies and other pollinators. Use the edible, mild-flavored petals to garnish salads, desserts, and drinks. (The flower's central disk, while edible, can be bitter.) Dahlia pinnata tubers are edible, with a flavor somewhat similar to raw jicama. The flavor of the crisp, juicy tubers is bland to mildly sweet.
When to Sow Outside: 2 to 4 weeks after your average last frost date.
When to Start Inside: RECOMMENDED. 8 to 10 weeks before your average last frost date. Ideal soil temperature for germination is 65°–70°F. Sow in biodegradable pots; roots are sensitive to disturbance.
Days to Emerge: 5–20 Days
Seed Depth: ¼"
Seed Spacing: 3 seeds every 18" to 24"
Thinning: When 2 sets of leaves, thin to 1 every 18" to 24"
Description
You can grow breathtaking dahlias from seed and enjoy them year after year. This very tall blend of eye-popping colors is especially suited for the back of the garden, and the long, sturdy stems make them great for cut flowers. Blooms appear about 90 days from sowing, so you can enjoy beautiful blooms come summer. Perennial in USDA zones 7–10; in colder climates, at season's end, tubers can be lifted and stored indoors over winter. Attracts butterflies and other pollinators. Use the edible, mild-flavored petals to garnish salads, desserts, and drinks. (The flower's central disk, while edible, can be bitter.) Dahlia pinnata tubers are edible, with a flavor somewhat similar to raw jicama. The flavor of the crisp, juicy tubers is bland to mildly sweet.
When to Sow Outside: 2 to 4 weeks after your average last frost date.
When to Start Inside: RECOMMENDED. 8 to 10 weeks before your average last frost date. Ideal soil temperature for germination is 65°–70°F. Sow in biodegradable pots; roots are sensitive to disturbance.
Days to Emerge: 5–20 Days
Seed Depth: ¼"
Seed Spacing: 3 seeds every 18" to 24"
Thinning: When 2 sets of leaves, thin to 1 every 18" to 24"
