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The Rural Florist Growing cut flowers in Gisborne, NZ. Dahlia tuber sale online https://theruralflorist.co.nz
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21/10/2026

Dahlia Diaries Episode 15: Planting out.

We’ve started planting out the dahlia tubers for this season’s flower field.

Labour Weekend is the traditional time for NZ gardeners to get their dahlias in the ground, but if you’re in a cooler climate, you might want to wait a bit longer until the soil has warmed up and the frost risk has passed.

Please keep in mind with plant spacing that I’m flower farming, so my 30-40cm spacing is tight on purpose. For home gardeners I recommend more like 0.5 to 1 metre, so you can interplant with other pretty perennial and annual flowers for that cottage garden look.

Next time we’ll get into pest control to protect those tender new shoots, as well as pinching and plant support. Pop your questions below and happy planting.

A big bunch of spring. Swipe to see what’s in season.Savouring the last of the ranunculus and tulips as they take their ...
16/10/2026

A big bunch of spring. Swipe to see what’s in season.

Savouring the last of the ranunculus and tulips as they take their final bow for the season. October is always a funny in between month in the garden. The spring stars are finishing, the roses aren’t quite ready yet, and our winters are too mild for peonies to fill the gap. So for a while the picking shifts to textural foliage and fillers flowers.

I wish I could hold onto the ranunculus for longer, but it’s too warm for them now. I’ll just have to enjoy them vicariously through my South Island flower friends.

Which spring flower do you always miss once it’s finished?

12/10/2026

Dahlia Diaries Episode 14: the new flower field and preparing the soil.

We’re moving the main dahlia growing patch to a corner of the old vineyard, which is very exciting because I’m no longer competing with dozens of trees, their shade and their roots.

Now that the area is marked out, the focus shifts to the soil. Good soil is the foundation for healthy plants, and it’s much easier to get right before anything goes in the ground than to fix later. Here’s what I’ve used:

Soil test: for home gardeners a balanced slow release fertiliser will do fine, but at a larger scale it pays to know what nutrient balance you’re working with. I recommend contacting Nicky who has created a fantastic soil test and analysis service as well as in person workshops.

Compost: with our free draining silty loam I don’t actually need compost, and I didn’t use any in our first year at this property. I use it for the dahlias because it makes them easier to dig up at the end of the season, since I’m digging and selling tubers. Trucked in from .

Sea wool pellets to add more organic matter and help with moisture retention Sustaina Grow .

Blood and bone .

Irrigation .

Waratahs & weedmat from local farm stores.

When is it time to plant? traditionally it’s Labour Weekend, and we can go earlier here in Gisborne. Colder areas often wait until November. I wait until the soil averages about 15 degrees and the last frost has passed.

The field’s nearly ready, so we’ll talk planting on the next episode. Pop your burning planting questions below.

09/10/2026

Dahlia Diaries Episode 13: Starting seeds.

This is how I start my dahlia seeds for my breeding programme. Chaos sown in open trays then pricked out into larger seedling cells for growing on, before hardening off and transplanting into the ground.

Every seed is a lottery ticket. I’ll be lucky if about 10% are “keepers”, and it takes 3-4 years to grow and assess before releasing any new varieties for sale.

A long labour of love and patience, and I finally have the time and space for more of it.

Who’s giving dahlia seeds a shot this season?

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