Growing Dahlias In Adelaide
Growing dahlias in Adelaide? There are lots of beautiful varieties!
Dahlias are the floral emblem of Mexico which tells you what sort of heat they thrive in (lots!) and, after a number of years of growing my own dahlias and also watching my brother Fergus go from being a total newbie to a total success in his courtyard, I’ve put together some of my top tips for growing dahlias in Adelaide below.
Although you can grow dahlias in pots (I have before), I have noticed that they seem to grow a lot better in the ground or garden bed. I’ve included all of the important details I’ve learned about growing dahlias over the last few years below. And if you are looking for where to buy dahlia tubers within Australia, you might like my Ultimate Dahlia Sellers List below. Happy growing!
There are so many options when growing dahlias in Adelaide - here are some I’ve had success with (above) including the pink African Peach variety and the white Astrid Coorabell variety
Growing Dahlias In Adelaide | 5 Tips
#1 The main thing to know about growing dahlias is that they grow from tubers, not seeds. I’ve put together a list of places across Australia you can buy dahlia tubers here.
#2 Not matter how far and wide you search, most places start only selling dahlia tubers from August/ September. Because they no longer get shipped internationally, you need to be on your game to get them before they sell out! Tubers cost $10-$25 each.
#3 You can buy dahlia plants (where they have already been growing for about a month) if you want to get a head start. The Diggers Club, The Grove Country Gardens Centre and even Bunnings sell these.
#4 Traditionally, dahlia season = summer; however, because in Adelaide can get summer weather from September, I usually plant my tubers in September. You can plant dahlia tubers anytime up to January in Adelaide.
#5 Dahlias take about 3-4 months to grow flowers. Along the way they will need support to keep them upright (from stakes or similar) as the beautiful flowers can get really heavy and start to fall over.
Some of my dahlias that grew taller than my head!
Looking for more information? Check out my take on What To Grow Now In Adelaide, By The Seasons and Dahlia Tuber Sales: 2023 Season On Now!
