Tiny heads on dahlias

For the past few years I have grown dahlias and every year I hope that they will be bigger than the previous year. I am disappointed at getting such small flower heads on them time after time. I grew a large tuber in a large pot too and got the same result.

They also don't grow very high.....about 18 inches or so. I saw a lovely display in a garden in my local village last year which were in the ground and had huge flower head and were so very tall. Staked of course. I was tempted to go and knock on the person's door to ask how he or she does it.

Any suggestions for bigger and better dahlias please?

 

Hi Lintama. I suspect it's because you're growing them in pots. Dahlias are hungry plants and need plenty of space. Food and water ! Give them that, and you shouldn't have any trouble at all. Cheers...freddy.

 

Lintama, are you growing the same tubers each year?

The reason I ask is that there are so many different kinds of Dahlias, for big flowers you need to grow the giant ones.
I'm no dahlia expert by any means, so cant say which would be good for your situation, but hunt out the large "cactus" varieties, these are mostly very tall and have big flowers with masses of petals.
And in a good colour range as well.

 

I have previously grown the dahlias in large pots and I had a sneeky feeling that they would do better in the ground. I will be doing just that this year. I will probably give them a good feed also when the right time comes.

I have divided the tubers to get more plants. The tubers aren't old. About a couple of years ..... unless you count that as old.....

I have two kinds - the ball variety and also the cactus. The cactus do better. Both were bought from my local garden centre.

I am still going to ask the chap in the village how he gets those very tall plants with masses of big heads on.

Thank you for your help.

 

"I have divided the tubers to get more plants"

I think you need some "stem" with each tuber, to get a plant, but I could be wrong.

 

Yes, you do Kristen. No stem means no plant.