Planting guide
When to plant dahlia
Showy tubers in every shape and colour that bloom from midsummer to frost. In Melbourne it goes in Sep–Nov.
- Start as
- Tuber
- Flowers in
- 10–14 wks
- Spacing
- 60 cm
- Depth
- 10 cm
- Sun
- Full sun (6+ hours)
- Water
- Regular
- Effort
- Some care
- Colours
- red, orange, yellow, pink, purple, white, bicolour, multi
- Frost-tender
- Yes, plant after the last frost
When it goes in
● means dahlia can go in that month, ○ means wait. Worked out from each town's climate zone and season, the way planting guides do it. Pick your town for the full list for that month.
| Town | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ |
| Melbourne | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ |
| Brisbane | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ |
| Perth | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ |
| Adelaide | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ |
| Gold Coast | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ |
| Newcastle | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ |
| Sunshine Coast | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ |
| Canberra | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| Central Coast | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ |
| Geelong | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ |
| Wollongong | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ |
| Hobart | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| Townsville | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ |
| Cairns | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Toowoomba | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ |
| Darwin | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Ballarat | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| Mandurah | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ |
| Bendigo | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ |
| Launceston | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| Mackay | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ |
| Rockhampton | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ |
| Coffs Harbour | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ |
| Blue Mountains | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| Bunbury | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ |
| Bundaberg | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ |
| Alice Springs | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ |
| Mildura | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ |
| Port Macquarie | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ |
| Town | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auckland | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ |
| Wellington | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ |
| Christchurch | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| London | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Manchester | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Edinburgh | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Dublin | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| New York City | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Los Angeles | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Chicago | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Seattle | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Austin | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Toronto | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Vancouver | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Cape Town | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ |
| Johannesburg | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ |
| Singapore | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Mumbai | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Paris | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Berlin | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
How to plant dahlia
- Plant tubers 10cm deep once the soil has warmed and frost has passed.
- Stake at planting time to avoid spearing the tuber.
- Water deeply and feed with potash in summer.
- Lift and store tubers over winter in cold areas.
Dahlia varieties
Classic varieties are the reliable, widely grown ones. Adventurous ones are heirlooms, odd colours and rarities.
- Cafe au Lait Classic10–14 wksPink flowers
- Carlos Watermelon Classic10–14 wksPink flowers
- Breannon Classic10–14 wksPink flowers
- Sunny Reggae Classic10–14 wksOrange flowers, about 60cm tall
- Kotara Classic10–14 wksSold by Diggers
- Rokewood Dawn Classic10–14 wksSold by Diggers
Where to buy seedlings
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Shops shown are for Australia. The chooser picks shops for your country.
Dahlia by month
Jan · Feb · Mar · Apr · May · Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep · Oct · Nov · Dec
More to plant
Sweet pea · Snapdragon · Larkspur · Stock · Gladiolus · Ranunculus
Not sure dahlia is right for your space? Answer a few taps and see everything that can go in this week.
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