Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Tubers vs. Potted Plants: Understanding Your Options
- The Best Time to Buy Dahlias
- What to Look for When Buying Dahlias
- Popular Dahlia Varieties You Can Buy
- Where to Buy Dahlias for the Best Results
- Preparing Your Garden for Your New Dahlias
- Shipping and Delivery Facts
- Why Buying Dahlias is a Great Decision
- Conclusion
- FAQ
Introduction
There is nothing quite like the excitement of seeing the first dinnerplate dahlias bloom in your own backyard. These spectacular flowers are the crown jewels of the summer and fall garden, offering a kaleidoscope of colors and shapes that feel almost too beautiful to be real. If you are looking to add this vibrant energy to your landscape, you might be wondering about the best way to get started and whether you can buy dahlia plants ready to go.
At Longfield Gardens, we believe that every gardener deserves the joy of a successful dahlia season. While many people search for "dahlia plants," the process of buying and growing these beauties is slightly different than buying a flat of annuals or a potted shrub. This guide will clarify your options for purchasing dahlias, whether you are looking for dormant tubers or established greenery.
We will cover the differences between tubers and potted plants, the best time of year to make your purchase, and what to look for to ensure you receive high-quality stock. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned grower, understanding how to buy dahlias is the first step toward a stunning floral display. Buying dahlias is an investment in a season of beauty that only gets better as the summer progresses.
Tubers vs. Potted Plants: Understanding Your Options
When you ask if you can buy dahlia plants, the answer depends on the time of year and where you are shopping. In the gardening world, dahlias are primarily sold in two different forms: dormant tubers and actively growing potted plants. Each has its own set of advantages, and knowing which one fits your needs will help you plan your garden more effectively.
Buying Dahlia Tubers
Most gardeners prefer to buy dahlias as tubers. These are the thickened, underground storage roots of the plant. They often resemble a clump of small sweet potatoes or fingerling potatoes. While they may not look like much when they arrive in a bag of peat moss, these tubers hold all the energy and genetic information needed to produce a massive, flowering plant in just a few months.
Tubers are the standard for mail-order nurseries because they are easy to ship while they are dormant. Because they aren't actively growing, they don't require light or water during transit, which makes them much more affordable to transport than a heavy pot of soil. This is also why you will find the widest variety of colors and flower shapes when shopping for tubers rather than plants.
Buying Potted Dahlia Plants
As the weather warms up in late spring and early summer, you may start to see "started" dahlia plants at local garden centers and nurseries. These are tubers that have already been planted in pots and have several inches of green growth. In some cases, they may even have their first buds or flowers.
Buying a potted plant offers instant gratification. You can see the foliage, verify the health of the plant immediately, and skip the initial few weeks of waiting for a tuber to sprout. However, these plants are usually more expensive due to the cost of the pot, soil, and the labor required to grow them. Additionally, local shops often carry a very limited selection of varieties compared to the hundreds of options available as tubers.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Choose tubers if you want the best price, the largest selection of unique varieties, and the satisfaction of watching the plant grow from the very beginning.
- Choose potted plants if you missed the spring planting window, want an "instant" look in a container, or only need one or two common varieties for a specific spot.
Key Takeaway: While you can buy started dahlia plants locally in early summer, buying dormant tubers in the spring is the most popular way to access a wide range of colors and sizes at a better value.
The Best Time to Buy Dahlias
Timing is everything when it comes to buying dahlias. Because these are frost-sensitive tropical plants, their availability follows a very specific seasonal cycle. If you wait too long, your favorite varieties may be sold out; if you buy too early, you need to know how to store them until the soil is warm enough for planting.
Early Season Reservations
For the best selection, we recommend shopping for dahlia tubers in the winter and early spring. Many online retailers, including us at Longfield Gardens, open their stores for pre-orders as early as January or February. Even though it is far too cold to plant in most of the United States at that time, "reserving" your tubers early ensures you get the specific varieties you want before they are gone.
When you buy early, the tubers aren't shipped to you immediately. Instead, they are held in climate-controlled facilities until the weather is safe for shipping to your specific region. This prevents the tubers from freezing in a delivery truck.
Shipping and Planting Windows
We time our shipments based on your USDA hardiness zone. This means your dahlias will typically arrive about two weeks before the ideal planting time for your area. For most of the country, this is in late April or May. Dahlias love warm soil (at least 60°F), so there is no rush to get them in the ground while the spring air is still chilly.
Late Season Availability
By June, most tuber retailers have finished their shipping season. This is when you switch from looking for tubers to looking for potted plants at local nurseries. While the selection will be smaller, mid-to-late June is often the last chance to "buy" a dahlia for the current growing season.
What to do next:
- Check your USDA hardiness zone map to determine your local frost-free date.
- Browse dahlia varieties online during the winter months to see what catches your eye.
- Place your order early to secure popular varieties like 'Cafe au Lait' or 'Labyrinth'.
- Prepare a cool, dark spot in your home if you receive tubers before you are ready to plant.
What to Look for When Buying Dahlias
Regardless of whether you are buying a bag of tubers or a potted plant, quality matters. Starting with healthy stock is the easiest way to ensure a summer full of blooms. Here is what you should look for to make sure you are getting a high-quality product.
For a quick refresher on buying and planting, see 8 Tips for Growing Better Dahlias.
Evaluating Tuber Quality
A healthy dahlia tuber doesn't have to be large to be successful. In fact, a small tuber with a healthy "eye" will often outperform a giant tuber that is damaged. When you receive your tubers, look for the following:
- Firmness: The tuber should feel firm to the touch, like a fresh potato. It shouldn't feel mushy or hollow. A little bit of surface shriveling is normal and usually isn't a problem once the tuber meets moist soil.
- The Eye: This is the most important part. The eye is a small bump or a tiny green sprout located at the "neck" of the tuber where it connects to the old stem. This is where the new growth will emerge.
- Intact Neck: The narrow part connecting the body of the tuber to the crown (the top part) should be solid and not broken. If the neck is snapped, the eye may not be able to draw energy from the tuber.
Evaluating Potted Plants
If you are buying an established plant at a garden center, look for:
- Healthy Foliage: The leaves should be a deep, consistent green. Avoid plants with yellowing leaves, spotted foliage, or signs of wilting.
- Strong Stems: Look for a plant with a sturdy central stem. If the plant is very tall and "leggy" (thin and floppy), it may have been grown with too little light.
- Pest-Free: Check the undersides of the leaves for small insects like aphids or spider mites. You want to bring home a clean plant that won't introduce pests to the rest of your garden.
The Importance of Variety Accuracy
One of the biggest frustrations in dahlia growing is waiting three months for a bloom, only to find out it is the wrong color. When you buy from a reputable source like Longfield Gardens, we take great care to ensure our varieties are true to their labels. We maintain a trial garden to evaluate performance and work closely with experienced growers to provide the highest level of accuracy.
Popular Dahlia Varieties You Can Buy
The sheer variety of dahlias is what makes them so addictive to grow. They come in almost every color except true blue, and their sizes range from tiny pompons to "dinnerplates" that can be ten inches across. When you are looking to buy, it helps to know the common categories.
Dinnerplate Dahlias
These are the showstoppers. Varieties like Cafe Au Lait produce massive blooms that command attention.
Kelvin Floodlight is another dinnerplate favorite, with enormous yellow flowers that make a bold statement.
Thomas Edison is a classic choice with deep purple blooms and excellent garden performance.
Decorative Dahlias
This is the most common category, featuring flat-tipped petals that are often slightly rolled at the base. Labyrinth is a fan favorite in this group, known for its unique blend of pink, apricot, and coral. Decorative dahlias are versatile and excellent for both the garden border and floral arrangements.
Ball and Pompon Dahlias
If you love geometric perfection, look for ball dahlias. These flowers are perfectly spherical with petals that curve inward. They are exceptionally hardy as cut flowers and tend to hold up well in rain. Jowey Winnie is a popular example that provides consistent, beautiful blooms all season long.
Cactus and Semi-Cactus Dahlias
These varieties have long, pointed petals that give them a "spiky" or "starburst" appearance. They add incredible texture to a bouquet. My Love is a striking choice for gardeners who want something a little different.
Key Takeaway: The "best" dahlia to buy is the one that fits your space. Always check the height of the variety before purchasing, as some dahlias stay under two feet while others can tower over six feet tall.
Where to Buy Dahlias for the Best Results
You have several options for where to purchase your dahlias, and each source offers a different experience. Understanding the pros and cons of each will help you decide where to spend your gardening budget.
Specialist Online Retailers
Ordering from a specialist like Dahlia Collections is often the best choice for home gardeners. We offer a curated selection of varieties that have been tested for performance in American gardens. When you buy from us, you are getting tubers that have been stored in professional, temperature-controlled environments, ensuring they arrive at your door in prime condition.
Online shopping also allows you to research each variety at your own pace. You can compare heights, bloom times, and colors to create a cohesive garden design before you spend a dime.
Local Garden Centers
Local nurseries are great for last-minute additions or for seeing a plant in person before you buy it. However, they are limited by their shelf space. They may only carry five or six common varieties. If you are looking for a specific, trendy dahlia you saw on social media, you are unlikely to find it at a big-box store.
Dahlia Societies and Local Sales
Many cities have local dahlia societies that hold tuber sales in the spring. These are excellent places to find varieties that grow particularly well in your specific climate. These sales are usually run by passionate hobbyists who can offer great local advice, though the events are often held on a single day and sell out very quickly.
Preparing Your Garden for Your New Dahlias
Once you have decided to buy dahlia plants or tubers, you need to make sure your garden is ready to receive them. Dahlias are not difficult to grow, but they do have a few "non-negotiable" requirements.
Sunlight and Soil
Dahlias are sun-worshippers. They need at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight every day to produce a high volume of flowers. If you plant them in the shade, they will become tall and spindly with very few blooms.
The soil should be well-draining. This is perhaps the most important rule for dahlias. Because they grow from tubers, they do not like to sit in "wet feet" (soggy soil). If your soil is heavy clay, consider planting in raised beds or adding organic matter like compost to improve the drainage.
Spacing and Depth
When planting tubers, the "eye" should face upward. Dig a hole about 4 to 6 inches deep. If you are planting multiple dahlias, space them about 18 to 24 inches apart. This might seem like a lot of space for a small tuber, but these plants grow quickly and need plenty of room for air to circulate around their leaves. Good airflow helps prevent common issues like powdery mildew later in the summer.
Watering and Care
A common mistake is watering tubers too early. When you first plant a dormant tuber, it doesn't have roots yet to drink up the water. If the soil is excessively wet before the plant sprouts, the tuber could rot. Wait until you see the first green shoots peeking through the soil before you begin a regular watering schedule. Once the plants are established, they appreciate deep, consistent watering, especially during the heat of mid-summer.
What to do next:
- Select a planting site that gets at least 6 hours of full sun.
- Test your soil drainage by digging a small hole and filling it with water; it should empty within an hour.
- Purchase stakes or tomato cages now so you can install them at planting time.
- Wait for the soil to reach 60°F before putting your tubers in the ground.
Shipping and Delivery Facts
When you buy from Longfield Gardens, we want your experience to be as smooth as possible. Our Shipping Information page covers the basics of timing, zones, and transit details.
Here are a few practical facts about how your dahlias get from our facility in New Jersey to your garden:
- Shipping Areas: We ship to the 48 contiguous United States. At this time, we do not ship to Alaska, Hawaii, or international addresses.
- Carrier Info: We typically use UPS or FedEx, so a street address is preferred. If you use a PO Box, your order will ship via USPS, which may take slightly longer.
- Tracking: You will receive a tracking number once your order has been picked up and scanned by the carrier. Please note that "label created" notices are just the first step; the tracking becomes active once the package is in transit.
- Our 100% Quality Guarantee: We stand behind the quality of our plants. We guarantee that your dahlias will arrive in prime condition and be true to the variety name. If you notice any damage or quality issues upon delivery, please contact our responsive customer service team right away. If a plant fails to perform during its first growing season, we are happy to discuss options for a replacement or store credit.
Why Buying Dahlias is a Great Decision
Gardening should be a rewarding and joyful activity, and few plants offer as much "bang for your buck" as the dahlia. From a single tuber that fits in the palm of your hand, you can grow a bush that produces dozens of flowers over several months.
Dahlias are also the ultimate "sharing" plant. Because they bloom so prolifically, you will have more than enough flowers to fill your home with bouquets and still have plenty left over to give to neighbors and friends. The act of cutting the flowers actually encourages the plant to grow even more, so the more you share, the more you get!
While they require a little bit of patience in the spring, the reward of seeing those first petals unfurl in July or August makes every bit of effort worthwhile. Whether you are buying them for a cutting garden, a sunny border, or a large patio container, dahlias bring a level of color and drama that is hard to match.
Conclusion
Buying dahlias is the start of a wonderful summer adventure. Whether you choose the variety and value of dormant tubers or the instant impact of a potted plant from a local nursery, these flowers are sure to become the highlight of your garden. By choosing high-quality stock from a trusted source like us and following a few simple steps for sun and soil, you can look forward to a spectacular season of blooms.
At Longfield Gardens, we are here to support you at every step, from selecting the perfect colors to helping you understand the best time to plant. Gardening is a journey, and with dahlias in your yard, it is a journey filled with beauty and success.
"A single dahlia tuber holds the potential for an entire season of color. By getting the basics of buying and planting right, you set the stage for a garden that brings joy to you and everyone who sees it."
- Choose tubers for the best selection and value.
- Order early to secure your favorite varieties.
- Wait for warm soil before planting your new dahlias.
- Enjoy the blooms from mid-summer all the way to the first frost.
FAQ
Can I buy dahlia plants that are already blooming?
Yes, you can often find blooming dahlia plants at local garden centers in late June or July. These are usually smaller, bedding-style dahlias or common decorative varieties. While they provide instant color, they are more expensive and offer less variety than buying tubers in the spring.
Is it better to buy dahlia tubers or seeds?
For most home gardeners, tubers are the better choice. Dahlias grown from tubers will be an exact clone of the parent plant, so you know exactly what color and shape the flower will be. Dahlias grown from seeds are often unpredictable in color and size, and they may take longer to reach a blooming size.
When should I buy dahlias for the best selection?
The best time to buy is during the winter months (January through March) for pre-orders. This is when online retailers have their full inventory available. By the time planting season arrives in May, many of the most popular and unique varieties have already sold out.
Can dahlia plants be delivered safely in the mail?
Dormant dahlia tubers are very easy to ship safely because they are tough and don't require light or water during the journey. Shipping started green plants is much more difficult and risky, which is why most reputable online nurseries focus on shipping tubers during the spring dormant window.