Dahlias are half hardy, so keep them protected from frost. Pot tubers individually between February and April and grow them on in a greenhouse or bright indoor position. Alternatively, start them outside in May, once the risk of frost has passed.
Out of season
New
Dahlia
'Honey Dew'
Imagine the soft glow of honey caught in a flower, and you're remarkably close to Dahlia 'Honey Dew'. Its beautifully rounded decorative blooms combine buttery yellow, warm apricot and the gentlest blush of peachy-orange, with colours that seem to melt into one another. The broad, overlapping petals are arranged in almost perfect symmetry, giving each flower a wonderfully full, softly sculpted appearance. As the blooms mature, their colouring can shift from creamy yellow to warmer, more golden tones, making every flower slightly different. Reaching around 12–15cm across, the flowers have a lovely presence without appearing oversized. Dahlia 'Honey Dew' carries its honey-coloured blooms above rich green foliage, bringing a gentle warmth to the garden from midsummer into autumn.
For a particularly lovely combination, pair Dahlia 'Honey Dew' with dusky pink cosmos, lavender-blue salvias and airy ornamental grasses. Its mellow colouring also works beautifully alongside deeper orange and raspberry-toned dahlias, while the well-shaped flowers are excellent for cutting and arranging. Growing to around 90–110cm, Dahlia 'Honey Dew' appreciates a sunny, sheltered position in fertile, well-drained soil, with support for its flowering stems. Water during dry spells and keep picking or removing faded blooms to encourage fresh flowers until the first frosts. Start the tubers under cover in spring or plant outside once frost has passed, lifting them for frost-free winter storage in colder UK gardens. Dahlia 'Honey Dew' is a particularly delicious-looking addition to the late summer border.
Quantity
Plant profile
Plant calendar
For planting out later, use a snug-fitting 15–20cm pot filled with peat-free multipurpose compost. For a patio display, plant directly into a container at least 30cm wide and keep it somewhere bright and frost free until it can move outdoors.
Position the old stem facing upwards, with the tubers covered and the stem stump level with the compost. Tubers naturally vary in size and shape and may arrive without visible buds. Bent necks are usually fine if they remain firmly attached, so do not remove them.
Water after planting, then allow the compost to become almost dry before watering again while the tuber remains dormant. Once shoots and leaves are growing strongly, water more regularly, always allowing excess water to drain away.
Plant out after the last frost, once the plant is around 20–30cm tall and its roots hold the compost together. Space dahlias approximately 30–50cm apart in borders, allowing less room for compact varieties. Water thoroughly after planting.
Water regularly during active growth and deadhead or cut flowers often. Dahlias usually bloom from July or August until the first frost, although later-planted tubers may start in late August or September. In autumn, lift, clean and dry the tubers, then store them somewhere cool, dry, airy and frost free.
- Botanical name
- Dahlia 'Honey Dew'
- Flower colour
- Yellow, peach, orange, cream
- Tuber size
- 1
- Established height
- 70cm-1m
- Established spread
- 30-50cm
- Growing skill
- Easy to grow
- Habit
- Upright
- Hardiness
- Half hardy
- Leaf colour
- Green
- Mouse resistant
- No
- Plant spacing
- 5 tubers per m2
- Pollinator friendly
- No
- Position
- Sheltered
- Rabbit resistant
- No
- Scented
- No
- Soil acidity
- Any
- Soil moisture
- Free draining
- Soil type
-
Loam
Sandy
Multipurpose compost
Loam-based compost - Suitable for
-
Large containers
Borders
Gravel gardens
Coastal gardens
Cottage gardens
Low maintenance gardens
Cut flower gardens - Sunlight
-
Full sun
Partial shade - Toxicity
- No report
- Years to establish
- 1st year
Good for cutting
Thrives in full sun
Perennial
Packed in paper
Low maintenance
Top-size tubers
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