SEATTLE – With temperatures warming up and spring on the way, gardening is top of mind. But is is too early to plant dahlias in March?
Gardening experts say this is the time of year when you’ll see tubers for sale at local gardening centers as we approach growing season.
And with temperatures soaring as winter comes to a close, you might be wondering if it is too early to plant dahilas, the official flower of Seattle.
Is it too early to plant dahlias?
(Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)
Chelsea Ginn, a horticulturist at West Seattle Nursery, says you might want to hold off a little bit longer.
“Starting in March, it’s always a gamble because we could still get a hard freeze,” said Ginn. “If we do, because we have a wet climate, these guys can mold in the soil. So … you can either start them in pots in a cold frame or you can just wait until the danger of frost has passed, and you can go ahead and put them in the ground then.”
How do I plant dahlias?
First, get your dahlia tubers and prepare your soil with some compost. Then just plant them into the ground. Adding bone meal is also a good idea, said Ginn.
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