Dahlias in Oxford
Dahlia pinnata
Show-stopping tuberous perennials that provide a spectacular display of colour from mid-summer right up until the first frosts. Ranging from enormous 'dinner plate' blooms to intricate pompoms and open-centred varieties that bees adore, they are a staple of the late summer UK garden.
Growing Guide
Step-by-step instructions for growing Dahlia
Planting Calendar
Growing Guide for
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Ideal for bedding dahlias and single-flowered varieties (like the Bishop series) or for growing on a budget. These will flower in their first year.
1 Sow Seeds Indoors
Fill a seed tray with moist seed compost. Sow seeds thinly on the surface and cover with a fine sprinkling of vermiculite or compost about deep. Keep at in a propagator or on a warm windowsill.
2 Prick Out
When the seedlings are large enough to handle (usually having one pair of true leaves), transplant them individually into pots or cell trays to grow on.
3 Pot On
As the plants fill their small pots and roots appear at the base, move them into slightly larger containers if the weather is still too cold for planting out.
4 Harden Off
Slowly acclimatise your young plants to outdoor temperatures. Place them outside during the day and bring them in at night for a week before planting out.
5 Plant Out
After the risk of frost has passed in Oxford, plant your seedlings into beds or containers. Space bedding varieties about apart, or larger varieties apart.
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