GET THE MOST FROM YOUR DAHLIAS

These tips will have your brilliant garden favourites thriving for months on end.

ALWAYS A CUT ABOVE Cutting dahlia stems just above the leaf node means you’ll get more growth. Nodes are where most of the plant’s best healing and growing tissue lives.

DOUBLE THE DELIGHT In winter you can lift and divide dahlia tubers. If you get frosts or your soil is very cold and wet during winter, the tubers can easily rot, so store in a cool, dark, dry spot until spring.

HIGH STAKES GARDENING Dahlia bush heights range from dwarfs – about 20cm – to 1.5-2m. Taller varieties need to be staked so they don’t fall over. Put in stakes as you plant so you don’t pierce the tuber later on.