American Dahlia Society

News from ADS!
It is time to top and tie your dahlias

Are your dahlias all planted? What's next? After a period of good growing weather it is time to top and tie your dahlia plants.
 
Tying: Most dahlia plants will flop over as they get taller. Unless you want ground level blooms, the plant should be kept upright with a stake or tomato cage. If you use a stake, wrap garden twine loosely around the plant and tightly around the stake, to hold the plant in place without strangling the thickening stalk.  
 
Topping: or Stopping: Even if you grow just a few dahlias in a mixed flower-bed, you want to develop a bushy plant with a lot of blooms. The size of the blooms is not important. This is easily accomplished by nipping off the growing tip at the top of the plants when four-six pairs of leaves have developed. The plant will put its strength toward pushing out a side shoots (called laterals) at the junction of each leaf and stalk. As they grow, each of the side shoots will develop buds and blooms.
 
For more details, check out these resources:

Tying up Dahlias video

Info from our friends at the Portland Dahlia Society: Tying up Dahlias

Topping Dahlia Plants video

And, for m
ore information on general dahlia grooming, visit Dahlia University.


American Dahlia Society | www.dahlia.org