Checkers Dahlia Tubers

Checkers: Decorative Dahlia Tubers

If you like your flowers to have show-stopping impact, then Checkers Dahlias are for you! Up to a metre tall, with rich, velvety deep burgundy-red petals, each of which are tipped with pure white. Its chequerboard effect is highly unusual, and is one of the most reliable bi-colours available. The flowers grow up to 10cm wide and are plentiful, held above handsome shiny green, divided foliage.
Browse our other Decorative Dahlias or our full range of Dahlias here.

It will bloom from midsummer until the first frost when the foliage will blacken and die down. The plant is compact, suitable for a large pot.

Features

• Colour: Deep burgundy red and white
• Flower Size: Up to 10cm
• Type: Decorative Dahlia
• Cutting: Superb
• Height/Spread: 100cm x 45cm
• Flowering: July to November
• Outdoor Planting Months: March to July

Growing Checkers Dahlias

All dahlias do best in deep rich soil with good drainage in a sunny spot. If it is windy they will need staking. They are greedy, thirsty plants so will need watering in dry spells, and they will always flower that little bit better if there is a bit of soluble food in the watering can once every couple of weeks.

It is generally more convenient to put support stakes in at planting time, rather than leaving it until there is foliage in the way.

Planting Companions for Checkers

It is ideal for growing in the middle of a mixed herbaceous border, and associates well with flowers like pink or white Cosmos (Purity is perfect) and toning Surfinia (Petunia) varieties. Try it as part of an exotic border, backed by big-leaved cannas, gingers or bananas.

They also make excellent cut flowers - you may recognise them from your florist if you're keen on flower arranging. Cutting the flowers encourages the plant to produce more, so have at least one in your cutting bed.

If you ignore seed, Dahlias can be planted at three stages: as tubers, rooted cuttings and pot-grown plants.

Tubers can be planted at any time from March onwards. The hole should be at least double the diameter of the tuber laid out on the ground. Incorporate about 25% well rotted compost and if drainage is in any way doubtful then add plenty of horticultural grit as well. Plant one tuber per hole, leaving 60-80 cms between plants (depending on final size) and make sure the tuber is covered with 10-12 cms (4-5") of soil. This is important as it will insulate the tuber against frosts in March-May as they will take a couple of months to show.

Rooted cuttings, which are available from early April onwards, will need to be potted up and kept in a sunny and frost free place until they are ready to be planted out in mid May. Their treatment then is the same as for tubers except they are planted level with rather than 10 cms below the surrounding soil level.

Pot grown plants are not delivered until June, and are then planted out immediately in the same way as an established rooted cutting.

The more you deadhead, the more flowers you'll get.

Did You Know?

This American variety was bred in 2001 by the Gitts family, who run Swan Island Dahlias in Oregon.

If you want to try your hand at exhibiting, Checkers is a highly popular variety on the show bench, as it is so eye-catching and reliable, whatever the weather - much easier to grow than the huge dinner plate specimens.