From the Ground Up: Dazzling dahlias deserve their due

'Spring has sprung, the grass has riz. I wonder where the flowers is?” This rhyme from my childhood repeats in my head this time of year. It's still a little early outside so start your summer garden inside. One flower that promises long lasting summer beauty is the dahlia. Dahlias bloom from mid summer to frost with a display of beautiful blooms in many sizes and colors.

Purchase dahlia tubers from a reputable source. Good plants come from good stock. Look for firm tubers with a papery outer skin. I'm lazy about lifting the tubers in the fall for overwintering so I plant mine in pots. You can also plant directly in the ground in mid-May or plant those already potted. Choose a pot to fit the plant. Make sure it's sturdy enough not to topple when the huge flowers make the plant top heavy. Twelve-inch clay pots work well for most dahlias but you might need a larger pot if your variety is one of the many over 3 feet. The dinner plate varieties need a larger pot and staking.

Be sure your pot has adequate drainage holes in the bottom. Cover those with a paper towel or coffee filter and fill with good quality potting soil that includes organic matter. Center the eye (the part that is starting to look like a stem) of the tuber in the middle of the pot, leaving at least 1/4 inch from the edge of the pot. Your flower will develop from that eye and you want it coming up in the center. Cover the tuber but not the eyes of the dahlia. You want the eyes exposed. The crown should be just at soil level. As your plant sprouts, you can carefully add more soil, avoiding the developing stem and the first set of leaves.

You'll need to stake tall varieties of dahlias. A grow-through support works nicely. Place your dahlia in full sun, six to eight hours, and water well after the stalk emerges over the edge of the pot. If you get a jump start on summer and get your dahlias going indoors, supplement their light with artificial light until they can be moved outdoors. Feed these beauties with a low nitrogen food every other week until September and you'll be rewarded with non stop flowers that will look like a picture. Keep mildew at bay by pruning away lower leaves.

Don't forget to bring in the tubers in the fall after the frost has blackened the foliage. Rinse and dry them for a day or two. Then store in a dry, cool area. Be sure to label the varieties before putting them to bed for the winter. Then next spring, roll out the pots and start them up again for another summer of color and beauty.

l For gardening questions, call the Linn County Extension Master Gardener Hortline at (319) 447-0647.