Growing Dahlia cuttings

Growing dahlias from rooted cuttings is one of the most rewarding ways to bring these stunning flowers into your garden. Cuttings tend to grow vigorously, often bloom before tuber-planted dahlias, and produce a small tuber clump by the end of the season.

1. Unpack immediately and let them breatheRemove cuttings from packaging as soon as they arrive. Some curved stems or lower-leaf yellowing is normal and nothing to worry about.

Healthy roots are white and firm to the touch. If your cutting seems stressed from transit, don't worry — it will bounce back quickly once settled into soil with consistent moisture.

When potting up or planting out, bury multiple nodes below the soil line if possible. It's fine if only a couple of small leaves poke above the surface. The nodes will push out roots allowing for a more stable, better fed plant and increases the chance of more tubers.

For the first week or so, check moisture daily. Water weekly or any time the soil feels dry. Dahlias love water — the hotter the weather, the more they need.

Don't plant straight into the garden. Start in a very protected spot with dappled light for at least the first 3–4 days, keeping cuttings out of direct sunlight. Then move outside for an hour or two in a sheltered, shady spot, gradually increasing outdoor time and sun exposure over the following week.

Dahlias need at least 6 hours of full sun, but some varieties are more sensitive to heat than others. In Australia the sun hits harder than at equivalent latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere, thanks to a thinned ozone layer. Having shade ready for the hottest days can come in handy.

Wait until nights are consistently frost-free before planting out. In Australia, planting has traditionally been around Melbourne Cup Day in early November.

Apply a balanced fertiliser when you plant out, and again in mid-summer. With no mother tuber to draw energy from, regular feeding is especially important — supporting both flowering and tuber development through the season.