Let's Talk About Dahlias

October 8, 2026

With the season winding down, I thought it would be a good time to focus on the dahlias before they're gone. First, a disclaimer: I’m no dahlia expert!

Dahlias can be a little finicky. They take their time, they need attention, and here in Altavista, they don't really get going until summer, while also slowing down if summer is too hot. But their blooms make up for it.

A single dahlia plant can produce an astonishing number of flowers, and no two seem quite the same. Dinnerplate-sized blooms, little balls, soft pastels, vivid oranges and pinks — there's an almost ridiculous amount of variety.

And that's one of the reasons I love growing them.

🌸 The more you cut, the more they bloom. Unlike some flowers, harvesting dahlias encourages the plant to keep producing new stems. This is a hard one for me when they first start blooming, because you have to cut deep to encourage them to produce new tall blooms.

🌸 They don't overwinter well in Altavista 

Each year I dig them up, wash them, then separate the tuber clumps into individual tubers, and store them to plant again the next spring. I've missed a few in the past, and some survived the winter. But I typically don't chance it. Yes, I admit, I peek into the storage totes several times during winter to make sure they're tucked in and doing well.