Dahlias - Easy Care Tips to Lengthen Their Vase Life

It’s dahlia season! These vibrant beauties are abundant during August, September, and even into October. They come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and colours making them a favourite flower choice to use in bouquets and arrangements. While known for having a relatively short vase life (3-4 days), there are easy things you can do to make them last longer.

Follow these steps and you’re sure to find success:

1 - Fill a vase with warm water. Dahlia stems are hollow, so getting water into them quickly is very important. Warm water will flow into the stems faster than cool water, and that in turn will prolong the dahlias' vase-life.

2 - Clean all the leaves off the stem that would sit below the water line. Then, holding the stem under the water, use a sharp knife to cut about 1 inch off the bottom. If you cut the stem at an angle it will give a larger surface area from which to absorb water.

3 - As much as you can, keep your vase of dahlias in a cool place. This means away from direct sunlight, heating vents and any warm appliances. If you’ll be using them as a centrepiece for a dinner party or event, keep them in a cool room for as long as possible before placing them on display.

4 - Change the water every day. Fresh, clean water will make a huge difference in how long your dahlias will last. 

5 - Dahlias can be a bit top heavy. They seem to last a bit better if the flower bloom is supported by other blooms. Experiment a bit when arranging them and see what you think works best.

Follow these tips and you’re sure to enjoy your spectacular dahlia blooms for days on end. Now I’m off to buy some dahlias …

Of special note: As mentioned, dahlias come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and not all varieties will last the same amount of time. Tighter, more compact varieties like ‘pom-pom dahlias’, will last longer than the big ‘dinner plate’ varieties like ‘café au lait’. 

PS: In the language of flowers dahlias have the meanings of dignity and elegance.