WE RECOMMEND STARTING OFF YOUR SEEDS INDOORS, AROUND 6-8 WEEKS BEFORE THE LAST FROST.  FOR US IN VICTORIA, THIS IS USUALLY MELB CUP WEEKEND, SO WE AIM TO PLANT SEEDS IN EARLY SEPTEMBER. THEY WILL START BLOOMING APPROXIMATELY 100-120 DAYS AFTER SPROUTING.

START YOUR SEEDS, BY PLACING THEM INSIDE A SHEET OF MOIST PAPER TOWEL, PLACING THEM INSIDE A RESEALABLE SANDWICH BAG WITH THE PARENT CULTIVAR WRITTEN ON THE FRONT. PLACE THE BAG IN A WARM AREA, AROUND 20C IS IDEAL, AND AFTER THREE DAYS, CHECK THEM DAILY. AS THEY GERMINATE, CAREFULLY TRANSFER THEM TO INDIVIDUAL SEED CELL GROWING TRAYS, FILLED WITH A GOOD QUALITY SEED-RAISING MIX & PLACE UNDER A GROW LIGHT OR ON A SUNNY WINDOWSILL.

ONCE THEY ARE GROWING THEIR TRUE LEAVES ITS TIME TO REPOT THEM INTO INDIVIDUAL POTS. WHEN TRANSPLANTING ADD SOME SLOW-RELEASE FERTILISER TO YOUR MEDIUM. KEEP THEM MOIST AT ALL STAGES POST GERMINATION, NOT WET. YOU CAN FEED ONCE A WEEK WITH A 1/4-STRENGTH LIQUID FEED TOO.

ONCE ALL RISK OF FROST IS PAST THEY ARE READY TO PLANT IN YOUR GARDEN. TO HARDEN THEM OFF BEFORE PLANTING, PLACE THEM OUTSIDE IN FILTERED SUNLIGHT EACH DAY. STARTING FOR ONLY ONE HOUR AND INCREASING DAILY OVER A WEEK.

IN AROUND 8-9 WEEKS THEY WILL ALREADY HAVE FORMED A SMALL TUBER! YOU CAN ALSO SINK THE POT INTO THE GROUND ENTIRELY, THIS MAKES LIFTING THE FIRST YEAR’S TUBERS MUCH EASIER COME WINTER FOR STORING!

FOR MORE INFORMATION FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS @THEOLDECREAMERYAU INCLUDING YOUTUBE!

YOU CAN ALSO JOIN YOUR LOCAL DAHLIA SOCIETY & THE FACEBOOK PAGE “DAHLIA GROWERS -AUSTRALIA”

HAPPY GROWING – JAMIE xx