Dahlia Lucky Face

Plant your dahlias in the springtime in a deeply cultivated soil enriched, for example, with bonemeal. Place your tuber and crumble the soil well to fill it without any air pockets. Your dahlia should be covered with 6 cm (2in) of soil. At the end of planting, pour one litre of water. Water regularly for the first 6 weeks to aid in rooting. Dahlias are sensitive to cold. They need to be overwintered. In November, the first frost will blacken the foliage, which is the time to dig them up. Carefully unearth the tubers. Remove as much soil as possible. Let the foliage dry so that the tuber can replenish its reserves. When the foliage is dry, cut the stems to 10 cm (4in) from the tuber. Spread your bulbs in a box on a newspaper. Store in a frost-free, dry, cool, and dark place.