My thoughts are that in the spring the ground will already be moist, too much water can make the tubers rot.

Sharon

Thank goodness for Google....

Water Dahlias as little as you can when they are small in order to promote root growth to seek out the limited moisture. Then increasingly more water as leaf area becomes significant, and continue through the blooming season. Then less water to ripen the tubers and bring the season to a natural end. Common sense is required, of course, and if they look like they need a little water, then water them! For example, young plants or seedlings will often wilt badly on a very hot day and there is nothing wrong with a few light spays to raise the humidity and cool them off. I would caution you however not to soak them every day to try and prevent the wilting. Let them be stressed a bit and they will make better roots and be better plants.

The only time that water is essential, beyond that required to keep the plant looking good, is just as the buds are forming. At this stage it is essential to water thoroughly and often or the number of petals in the forming buds will be decreased and a much less desirable bloom will result.

Hope this helps ;)
Sharon

Here is a link that might be useful: Water

Hmmmmm well....speaking from personal experience only here......I usually plant them all at once and then am to tired to water right away.......either water later that evening or within the next couple of days after planting when I get around to it. I set up a soaker hose on them and water depending on the weather once a week over night if its hot and dry maybe twice a week.

Dahlias are also heavy feeders....so they need to be fertilized regularly as well.

The best year with dahlias so far was the year I mixed in turkey trot and bone meal in the bottom of each planting hole...and watered a lot that summer. Also fed 20 20 20 at two to three week intervals.

BTW I have dahlias sprouting now.....I told them to hold off its still to early.....but they don't seem to want to listen......Bad dahlias.....BAD BAD dahlias!

Sierra

I know how your dahlias feel, Sierra, I'm wishing it was time to start "sprouting", too! ;p

Well I'll have to try and remember this lil tidbit when I get to planting.

Thanks bunches :)
Nikki~

Hey Sierra, I've got a misbehaving dalhia too! I told it to hold off but it won't listen to me any more than my kids do. I moved it to a darker place in the basement (time out). Anything else I should do?
Kate

Hee hee Hi Kate. Mine do this every year about the time I turn on the grow lights. Na, I just let them go and at plant out time, I just make sure that these tips are burried so they don't get frosted off.

At least you know for sure they made it through the long winter!

Sierra

I tried to overwinter dalhias one year. I ended up with huge pieces of roots. I wanted to divide them next spring but the information I had was to make sure each one had an eye. I cudn't recognize any eyes. What do they look like. Also I stored my in an old frost free fridge with my other bulbs.

The growing points look like eyes on a potato.

Here's a website what to look for.

Here is a link that might be useful: Dahlia 'Eyes'