APRIL in the Dahlia Patch

April marks the start of winding down your dahlia season. The days are shorter, the air is cooler, and your plants are beginning to show signs that they’re ready for a long winter rest. It’s a month of gentle preparation — honouring the season’s beauty, and setting up your dahlias for strong regrowth next spring.

Here’s your dahlia care guide for April:

1. Enjoy the Last Blooms

Depending on your climate, April may still offer a few final weeks of blooming.Keep picking flowers to encourage the last bursts of colour.

Tip: Cut stems nice and long to encourage the plant to send energy to the tubers, not into seed production.

Don’t worry if the blooms are smaller or less perfect — it’s natural as the plants sense the season changing.

2. Watch for Frost Signs

In cooler areas, the first light frosts may hit in April.You'll know it’s time to act when:

• Leaves blacken or turn limp overnight

• Plants stop producing new buds

If a frost is forecast, you can:

• Cut a big harvest of flowers beforehand

• Cover plants with light frost cloths to extend the season by a week or two if you wish

Tip: Frost-damaged leaves are your signal that lifting time is near!

3. Prepare to Lift and Store Tubers

If you plan to lift and store your tubers for winter, late April into May is when you’ll start.

When lifting:

• Wait about 7–10 days after the first frost if possible (this lets the tubers mature a little more).

• Cut the stems down to about 10–15cm high before digging.

• Carefully dig around the clump — tubers are fragile!

• Gently brush off excess soil, but don't wash tubers immediately.

4. Start Labelling Now

If you have multiple varieties, start labelling plants before you lift them.Trust us: it’s very easy to forget which plant was which once everything is dormant and packed away!

Tip: Use waterproof markers and tie labels directly to the stems or clumps.

5. Save the Best Tubers

When lifting, you can sort your tubers:

• Keep only healthy, firm tubers.

• Discard any that are soft, shrivelled, cracked, or mouldy.

Once dry, tubers can be stored in:

• Sawdust

• Wood shavings

• Coco peat

• Wrapped in newspaper in a cool, dry, dark place over winter.

6. Reduce Watering

As the plants naturally decline, you should cut back watering.Let the soil start to dry out — this helps the tubers harden off and prepares them for dormancy.

Tip: If lifting tubers, you want slightly dry soil for easier digging.

April Dahlia To-Do List

• 🌸 Enjoy and cut the last blooms

• ❄️ Watch for first frost signs

• ✂️ Start cutting plants back after frost

• 🛠️ Prepare tools for lifting tubers

• 🏷️ Label plants clearly

• 📦 Store healthy tubers for winter

• 🚿 Reduce watering

  
  

April feels a little bittersweet — saying goodbye to the season’s colour, but knowing you’re setting the stage for next year’s garden to be even bigger and better.Give yourself a moment to celebrate your dahlia season.Take lots of final garden photos.And know that while your dahlias are resting, they’re also gathering strength for a glorious comeback next spring.

Happy harvesting and happy dreaming!