Materials

Dahlias tubers
Compost
Soil
fertilizer
Garden spade
Trowel
biodegradable coffee filters
watering can
pot
Drill
Bone meal
Planting
1. Plant the tubers before the roots start to grow too long. Long roots
will become entangled, and separating the roots will damage them. If the
tubers need to spend time forming new roots, the flower's upward growth
and bloom will be delayed and may be minimized for the season.
2. Drill additional drainage holes. This step may not be necessary if the
container you use already has several large drainage holes that allow
excess moisture to drain quickly. If your pot has small holes or only has
one center hole, you may need to drill a few extra holes to improve
drainage.
3. lean the pot. A dirty pot could spread disease, and hidden insect eggs
may be lying in wait at the bottom of the pot. Remove these threats by
cleaning the container before you plant. Simple soap and water will
usually do the trick.
4. Place one or two biodegradable coffee filters over the holes in the
bottom of your pot. Filters wick away moisture, preventing the roots
from drowning. Placing gravel at the bottom of your pot will accomplish
the same task, but a dahlia's roots need all the space they can get to
grow, and the coffee filter method takes up much less room than gravel
would. Placing filters over the holes may also prevent bugs from getting in.
5. Fill your container a third way full with your potting mix. Do not
pack it tightly; allow the soil to remain loose.
6. Moisten the soil. Make it damp, but do not soak.
7. Mix a handful of bone meal and fertilizer into the soil. Dahlias
require a lot of nutrients to thrive. Fish or seaweed fertilizer can provide
additional micro nutrients, as well.
8. Plant the tuber in the soil. Lay it down horizontally and leave at least
1/4 inch space between the root end of the tuber and the side of the pot. If
an eye has already developed, center the eye in the middle of the pot and
allow it to face upward. The sprout will come through from this eye.
9. Cover the dahlia tuber with pre-moistened soil. Do not bury the
tuber at this time, however. Instead, cover it with a minimal amount of soil
so that you may monitor its growth.
10.Add more soil as the stalk grows. Do so carefully to avoid damaging
the stalk, since the stalk is still fairly fragile at this stage. Never cover the
top set of leaves. Continue adding soil until only an inch of empty space
remains between the top of the soil and the rim of the pot.
11.Insert a stake into the pot, and tie the stalk to the stake. Large
dahlia varieties need extra support to prevent the stalks from breaking off.

Use a four foot stake with most varieties. Metal works best due to its
sturdiness. The base of the stake should touch the bottom of the pot, and
the stake itself should be firmly held in place by the soil and/or wires tied
to holes drilled into the sides of the pot.