Dahlias are beautiful tubers that bloom in the summer and add a splash of color to any garden. Dahlias often need to be staked to keep them from falling over because their flowers can get over 12 inches across and their stems are tall and thin. But do you really need to stake them? Here’s what you need to know about staking dahlias and when it’s best to do it.
Why Dahlias Tend to Flop Over
Dahlias have beautiful, colorful flowers on hollow stems that can get very tall—up to 4 to 6 feet, depending on the type. These tall, thin stems are more likely to break or flop over for a few main reasons.
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The hollow stems are naturally weak and flimsy. They are easy to break and bend, especially when heavy blooms form on top.
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Dahlia blooms can grow exceptionally large and heavy, weighing down the stems.
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Weather elements like rain, wind, and storms can cause damage to the fragile stems.
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As the blooms open up, the weight distribution changes, causing stems to bend and sag.
Without proper staking, dahlia stems often end up flopping over into surrounding plants or onto the ground.
When to Stake Dahlias
Staking is highly recommended for most dahlia varieties to prevent flopping, stem damage, and wasted blooms. Here are some key times when it’s important to stake dahlias:
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At planting time – Put stakes in the ground where each tuber will be planted. This allows the stems to grow right alongside the stakes.
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When stems reach 12-18 inches – Once stems are tall enough, begin loosely tying them to stakes.
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During budding/flowering – The weight of blooms will cause bending, so extra ties are needed.
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Before major weather events – Staking minimizes damage from heavy winds and downpours.
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Continually as they grow – Add ties every 6-12 inches up growing stems.
What Happens if You Don’t Stake Dahlias
Neglecting to stake dahlia plants can lead to a variety of issues, including:
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Stems snapping or breaking under the weight of large blooms.
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Flopping stems ruining the visual appeal of the garden.
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Blooms laying on the ground quickly dying or rotting.
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Insect/disease problems from blooms resting on damp ground.
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Reduced lifespan and fewer blooms per plant.
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Wasted time picking and discarding broken blooms.
In general, not staking dahlias means lost flowers and an ugly, unkempt garden bed. Properly staking them improves their appearance and productivity.
Best Ways to Stake Dahlias
There are many effective methods for staking dahlia plants, including:
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Individual staking – Use bamboo canes or metal stakes for each plant, placing stakes before planting tubers. This provides customized support.
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Netting – Run stakes down rows/beds with mesh netting attached between. Allows plants to grow through holes.
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Cages – Cylinder cages surround plants to hold stems upright while allowing airflow and light penetration.
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Teepees – Teepee-shaped structures with tall stakes connected at the top keep surrounding plants supported.
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Trellises – Train stems up vertical trellises or panels attached to stakes running down rows.
Whatever method you choose, secure growing stems loosely to allow some movement yet prevent toppling over. Use plant ties, garden twine, or twist ties to attach stems to stakes or structures.
Consider Your Dahlia Variety’s Needs
The staking method you choose may depend on the growth habit of your particular dahlia variety:
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Tall varieties with huge blooms will require extensive individual staking.
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Low-growing bedding dahlias may only need marginal staking or grouping together.
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Small-flowered types are less prone to flopping and may not need staking.
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Vining dahlias can be trained up vertical supports like obelisks or trellises.
Take into account the mature size and growth tendencies of your variety when deciding on the best staking approach.
Staking for Healthy, Productive Dahlias
Staking dahlia plants takes a bit of time and effort up front, but it pays off all season long through healthy, upright plants and abundant blooms. Make staking part of your routine dahlia maintenance for the most vigorous, visually appealing plants possible. Your garden will thank you!
Wow! Some dahlia tubers cost over $20… for just one tuber! Why do they cost so much?
- Remember in Question #1 when I said they are labor intensive? Dahlia tubers are not cold-hardy and will not survive over the winter in most climates. They must be dug up. By hand!.
- Dahlia tubers are quite fragile and break very easily. They are worthless if they break! So far, no one has been able to automate the process of digging dahlia tubers without losing a lot of money. The gentlest way to dig, which results in MUCH less damage, is by hand. but it is HARD MANUAL LABOR. hence the high cost of tubers.
- After the tuber clumps are dug up, they need to be split up into separate tubers. yet another extremely labor-intensive job that cannot be mechanized. Its all done by hand!.
- Keep reading… Question #6 may ease your mind…
What is a “tuber”? Is that like a “bulb”?
- Dahlia tubers are sometimes called “bulbs,” but they are really tubers, which look like potatoes. Like a potato, the tuber sends up a stem that grows into a plant. The plant then makes leaves and flowers. Underground, the tubers multiply each year (again, like a potato).
- To grow a strong dahlia plant, all you need is one tuber with one “eye.” If you leave a potato in the pantry for too long, “eyes” will start to grow on it. The same thing happens with a dahlia tuber.
- Check out the short video below to learn more about dahlia tubers.
Interested in growing dahlias? Watch to find out how they grow… and multiply like crazy!
Tubers come in all sorts of shapes and sizes! Some are long and skinny, some are short and stubby, some are huge (up to 10” long!) and some are tiny (the size of your pinky). Click HERE to read “All About Dahlia Tubers”. It’s a common misconception that “Bigger Tuber = Bigger Plant”. This is not true. The tuber is simply the food source for the plant until they have about 3-4 sets of leaves. After that, the root system growing from the tuber is responsible for the health of the plant. Michael Genovese of Summer Dreams Dahlia Farm says that a tuber that is at least the size of an AA battery is good to use. All three of the tubers in the picture below are fine, but the two on the right are the best size.
So if tuber size doesn’t matter, what DOES matter?
Two things are necessary for a viable tuber:
1. The tuber MUST have 1 eye. The eye is where the sprout will grow (similar to a potato left too long in the pantry).
2. The neck MUST be intact. If the neck is broken/snapped, the tuber is worthless.
101. Staking Dahlia Plants.
FAQ
What happens if you don’t stake dahlias?
4. Do I need to stake my dahlias? Most types do need to be staked so the wind doesn’t knock them over and kill the whole plant. You can also use netting stretched between posts, hovering about 12-18” from the ground. You can learn more about staking and supporting methods in this THIS BLOG POST.
Do dahlias need a support?
As they grow it’s important to provide tall dahlia stems with good support to help the plants weather any storms and strong winds. Every plant was staked yesterday by my gardener Brian O’Kelly and Phurba Sherpa from my outdoor grounds crew. They used bamboo canes and jute twine.
Which dahlias need staking?
Dwarf bedding dahlias don’t need staking. Strong bamboo canes should be enough for most dahlias. You can put them alone or in a square with four canes, and wrap twine around the outside. Giant dahlias with very large flowers need stout posts for support, one per stem.
Do I need to stake dahlias?
There’s no need to stake border dahlias and other types that are under 2 feet tall. Full size dahlias, and especially those with large flowers such as dinnerplates, perform better when their branches and blossoms are supported. The best time to stake or cage dahlias is shortly after you plant them.
Do dahlias require support?
Dahlias need support, especially the heavier-bearing plants, to ensure that their blooms stay erect and out of the dirt. The larger the bloom, the more support it needs. There are many professional dahlia staking ideas available for purchase, but you can also make your own dahlia support inexpensively.
Should you staking dahlia plants?
Individual staking is ideal for backyard gardeners only growing a few dahlia plants. It will allow you to focus on each stalk so every plant will hold up to the elements. When you care for every plant, you can ensure that no flower will go to waste. Individual staking is also an option for those growing tons of flowers, like commercial growers.
What is the ideal height for a dahlia stake?
Stakes should be at least 6 feet (2 m.) tall and driven into the ground until firm. Every gardener has their own ideas of the best ways to stake dahlias. Purchased forms or even pruned sticks in the shape of a “y” remove the need for most tying. These allow the plant to rest its stem naturally in the “y” and support it gently.
How many times should I stake my dahlias?
Stake Multiple Times: Depending on the size and variety of your dahlias, it may be necessary to stake them multiple times throughout their growth. As the plants mature and produce more branches and blooms, additional stakes may be needed for extra support. Check on your dahlias regularly and add stakes as necessary.
How do you stake a dahlia plant?
Good staking starts from the very beginning. Before you plant your tubers or seeds, place stakes where you want your dahlia plant to be. Sturdy stakes will be about one foot deep in the ground, which must be done beforehand so you don’t accidentally damage tubers or tender root systems.