Free Dahlias? Yes, Please!
Written by Nika Seward
Dahlia Propagation 101: A Step-by Step Guide to Taking Cuttings
At The Bear Necessities Acres, we are always looking for ways to share more beauty with our community. One of our favorite ways to expand our stock-especially rare varieties- is through a process called propagation.
While planting a single dahlia tuber typically gives you one beautiful plant and roughly 15 "clone" tubers by fall, there is a way to get a major head start on the season. By taking cuttings, you can multiply that single mother tuber into 10-15 individual plants for your summer garden, all while still being able to plant the original tuber itself!
Ready to multiply your blooms? Below, we break down the dahlia propagation process- from the supplies you will need to the expected growing timeline so you can get your garden ready for summer.
Step 1
"Waking up" the tuber
Supplies needed:
- The Mother Tuber: A healthy, firm dahlia tuber with at least one visible "eye" or bud.
- Shallow Trays or Pots: 1020 propagation trays or 6-inch deep pots work best.
- Potting soil: A light, well-draining potting soil or a 50/50 mix of potting soil and coarse sand/vermiculite is best. However, regular potting soil works just as well.
- Growing light or a sunny spot.
Once you’ve confirmed your tuber has a healthy body, neck, and eye, you can begin the waking process by placing it in a pot of pre-moistened, well-draining soil.
Healthy mother tuber.
Soil should be moist enough to hold its shape when squeezed in your palm but not so wet that water drips through your fingers.
To make monitoring easier, avoid burying it deeply; instead, let the top of the tuber and the eye stick out slightly so you can watch for it to sprout and turn green without any guesswork.
It is vital to label your pot with the variety name immediately, as it is easy to lose track of different plants during the spring rush. As you can see below, it is impossible to know which is which tuber!
Position your pot under a grow light or in a sunny, south-facing window to provide necessary warmth, but remember that patience is key: do NOT water the tuber again until you see visible growth. Since the tuber has no roots yet, any excess moisture will sit against it and cause it to rot.
And now we wait about 2-3 weeks.
Step 2
Taking Cuttings (Propagation)
Supplies:
- Sanitized Blade: A sharp scalpel, X-Acto knife or scissors.
- Sanitizing Solution: A small jar of 10% bleach-water or isopropyl alcohol
- Rooting Hormone: A liquid (like Dip 'n Grow) or powder (like Rootone). Please note this step is not necessary as we have done cuttings without any root hormones.
- Small nursery pots
- Potting mix
- 1020 tray
- 1020 clear Humidity Dome, a clear plastic bag would also work
Success! After 2–3 weeks of patience, you should see green growth appearing on your tuber. Congratulations—you’ve officially started the propagation journey! Once your sprout has developed three sets of leaves, it’s ready to become a new plant.
To prepare: Fill small nursery pots with pre-moistened soil. We recommend placing these pots inside a 1020 tray; this helps bottom-water the plants and maintains consistent moisture.
Taking the cutting: Use a sanitized blade to snip the sprout at the node (the bump on the stem). These nodes contain the 'rooting magic' that will soon produce a brand-new root system.
Nodes are circled in this picture.
Remember to sanitize your tools inbetween different varieties!
Dip the end of the cutting into rooting powder, tuck it into the soil.
Cover it with a humidity dome or a plastic bag. This 'mini-greenhouse' effect is essential for helping your cuttings root successfully.
Within 2-3 weeks your cuttings should have roots.
Step 3
Nurturing your cuttings
Check the bottom of your pots after a few weeks—you’ll likely see roots already forming! Once the cutting is rootbound, move it to a larger home.
Care & Feeding:
Watering: Dahlias are heavy drinkers; never let the soil dry out completely.
Growth Phase: Apply a 20-20-20 all-purpose fertilizer once a month to build a strong plant. Make sure to use half of the recommended dose.
Bloom Phase: Once you see buds, switch to a 0-10-10 liquid fertilizer every three weeks. Eliminating nitrogen at this stage tells the plant to put all its energy into those stunning flowers!
Step 4
Hardening Off Your Propagated Stock
Your dahlias have been pampered indoors, and moving them straight to the garden would cause instant shock. About 2–3 weeks before your last frost date, start 'hardening them off.' Begin by placing your plants outside for just a few hours in a sheltered, north-facing spot out of direct sunlight. Every few days, increase their time outdoors and gradually transition them to an east-facing spot with more sun.
Crucial Warning: Dahlias have zero tolerance for frost. Always check the forecast and bring them back inside if temperatures dip. Once all danger of frost has passed, you can finally plant your cuttings—and the original mother tuber—into their permanent home in the ground!
Now, sit back and enjoy the show! As your dahlias take off, remember that most varieties grow quite tall (unless you’ve chosen dwarf varieties), so be sure to stake them early for support. Give them plenty of water, lots of admiration, and maybe even a little pep talk—they are the ultimate garden divas and love being the center of attention! The best part? By fall, every single cutting will have grown its own set of tubers. While a standard plant grown from one tuber produces about 1–7 new ones, a mother tuber used for propagation can produce an average of 15!
Please reach out if you have any questions! Click here for the PDF Guide.
Happy gardening!
