Growing Dahlias in a Container

Hi,

New here but I want to talk about the beauty of growing dahlias in a container garden. Many folks do not have space enough for dahlias or can't spend a lot of time in their garden. This is were the dahlia comes in. Today there are many many low growing beautiful dahlias from 12"-26" in height that lend themselves to a container or border. Take this dahlia and make it the focus of your container and surround it with complementry plants. You will be thrilled with the results and so will your friends. The key to sucess is the THRILLER --FILLER--SPILLER system (not my idea but from Fine Gardening) Check out [HYPERLINK@www.containerdahlias.com] for other ideas.

Picture: Dahlia container garden with a Purple theme

that is beautiful Steve !

After wrestling back the growth of a larger dahlia for a couple of years, I invested in the smaller versions for containers last year and couldn't have been happier. I didn't do anything nearly as beautiful as Steve did about but plan to embelish them this year. I ended up sending the big bully dahlia to three DG members--yup, enough rhizomes for 3 people from one planting!

Great job on the container, Steve! Luv the colors!!
:) Donna

Steve, that's a gorgeous arrangement.
Beautiful pot too. Thank you.

Do you have just one tuber in that planter? I tried some dahlias in containers last summer with mixed results. The dahlias that I used could have been too large to be container successful, or maybe they didn't get enough sun. I will try again, and make sure that I use a shorter variety.

Steve
You're on the exat route i am trying to be on. I have (Burpee) Collarettes and Victoriana growing right now (seedings) and also will have tubers arriving in a couple of weeks (larger flowers, like yours). About how many gallons (volume) are your containers and what's the media recipe? About how soon do you see them bloom. I'm hoping the ones I started from seed in late February will bloom by the end of June. BEAUTIFUL ARRANGEMENT.

Do love the persian shield and angelonia in there!!!

Thank you all for the nice words. Let's look at some of the questions.

Michaelangelo--- my soil mix is 1/3 potting soil; 1/3 garden soil; 1/3 dehydrated cow & pearlite.
Your seedlings sound fine but watch the height of other plants. My dahlias are Gallery series or Melody series. They grow about 12"-26". The blooms are between 4-6".
Most of my containers are 16-22" in dia. I fill the bottom of the container with empty water bottles leaving about 8" from the rim. 3-4" of soil mix leaves 4" for plants.
Blooms in late June.

Marie-- only 1 dahlia per container. I make sure I pinch out to get a fuller plant. Some I even pinch a second time. Keep your dahlia height as above 12"-26". see www.containerdahlias.com for additional info. I will be planting 2 containers and you can watch them step by step on this site. There are still some from last year.
Picture: Another dahlia container with a salmon color theme.

Someone please help me.....I always fill the big pots with strofoam pellets half way up always allowing 8 inches of soil for annuals and at least 12" of soil for perennials..are you telling me, Steve, that all I need to have in the way of soil in these big pots is only 4" of soil????? Maybe I am misunderstanding what you are saying..????

Luv the color of the dahlia, Steve. What is the tall pink plant behind it?
:) Donna

Donna

The tall pink one Phygelius "Salmon Leap"

More on depth of soil. First I haven't grown perennials in a container so I can't comment on depth of soil. For most annuals that I use are in 1 qt pots about 4" depth even breaking up the root ball in planting the roots stay close so 3" more of soil does fine. Total 7-8" from top rim which is about where you are---not to worry.

Steve_D

thanks, Steve...do love these photos!!! What is the lime green plant??

It never even occurred to me not to fill the planter the entire way, no matter how big it was!

I learned that little secret from Martha Stewart!!!! Perennials just can't grow roots any deeper than 12 " max and annuals only need a few inches...I allow up to a total of 8"....have you priced good garden potting soil??? sure saves a lot of money for me as container gardening is one of my favorite things to do.

Also, a way good place to stash a few beer cans so my b'friend's mother will stop making pointed remarks when we take the recycling to her place. I think I'll be taking up container gardening with a vengeance.

cool container

Steve, these are wonderful. I love the dark coleus. I have one that I grow from seed each year ... it started as 'Palasandra' from Parks. The leaves never got super big. But I believe that it has crossed with 'black beauty' and a few others that I've gotten over the years. It's leaves are now smaller than when I first got the seed.
I love to use this coleus in my planters. It is such a nice filler for almost any color flower.

Bettygail, I'm pretty sure that lime colored plant is Helichrysum petiolare 'Limelight'. I had it last year and I loved it! Tamara

Steve,

So, do you just take them in in the winter, pot and all? I plant the larger ones in big plastic pots and pinch a couple of times to make them bushy then just take everything in in the winter. In the spring I take the tuber out of the old soil, divide it up and repot. I have arthritis and can't dig them so this works great with cannas etc. too.

Jeanette

Beautiful container plantings Steve_D! I too have used aluminum cans for filler in the bottom of larger pots but want to add in a southern climate, it takes less watering when there is more soil in pot...

Beautiful pot of dahlias and lots of good tips, Steve! Thanks for the info.

And btw, Steve, welcome to DG. I read your bio on the dahlia container website link and you seem to be the 'go to man' for dahlias. Lots of good ideas on the site. Pls. keep posting!

Hi Steve!

I really like your containers. I'm going to try out some of the new smaller ones for my containers this year. Thanks for the great pictures!