All dahlia growers eventually learn the same thing: those big beautiful blooms need support. The first year I grew a dinnerplate dahlia, I learned this the hard way.
Between summer storms, heavy flowers, and plants grow taller almost overnight, staking is one of those jobs that tend to feel not so important in June, and absolutely critical come August.
This year, I’m using three different methods to support my dahlias. I’ll let you know later how they each worked out.
First of all, I’m matching my stake to the expected height and bloom size of each variety. Some only need a little support. Others, that grow really tall, or produce large blooms need something a lot sturdier to keep them from falling over or snapping their stems throughout the season.
Here’s what I’m doing:
1. Bamboo Stakes for Smaller Dahlias
For my shorter varieties and smaller-flowered plants, I’m keeping things simple with bamboo stakes.
These are perfect for dahlias that grow under four feet or have lighter blooms that won’t become top-heavy later in the season. A single bamboo stake placed early allows me to loosely tie the main stem as the plant grows.
I like this method because the stakes virtually disappear once the leaves fill in. It’s inexpensive, easy to adjust throughout the season, and works really well in containers where space is limited.
For the smaller varieties, bamboo stakes are usually all the support I need.
2. Wooden Stakes for the Big Bloomers
For some of my taller varieties or the ones that produce large dinnerplate blooms, like Cafe au Lait, Labyrinth, or Bloomquist York, I’m using some wooden furring strips that I had on hand. These will provide a much sturdier anchor than bamboo and give me confidence that it will keep the plant up when the heavy flowers start appearing.
For container gardening, these only work in the largest pots, like my half whiskey barrel, where there is plenty of soil to hold the stake in securely.
Later, if I find I need this level of support for some of the varieties I have in grow bags, I will put the stake just outside of the grow bag and secure the plant to it that way. The dirt in the bag is just not compact enough to support this type of stake.
3. Camouflaged Tomato Cages for Extra Support
For a few of my tallest or most vigorous varieties, I’m experimenting with a trick that many backyard gardeners overlook: upside-down tomato cages.
The challenge with tomato cages is that the galvanized metal can look a little obnoxious in my beautiful flower garden. To help them disappear, I spray-painted mine with Rust-Oleum Camouflage paint before installing them.
Once dry, I flipped the cages upside down, secured the wider end into the soil, and positioned them around the plants. The muted finish will hopefully blend into the foliage, and the cage is perfect for providing support from multiple angles as the plant fills out.
This method is particularly helpful for plants that may face strong winds, heavy blooms, or multiple branching stems. Instead of relying on a single stake, the cage creates a support structure throughout the entire plant.
The Goal Isn’t Perfection
One thing I know for sure. Every season is an experiment. These may not be the most glamorous solutions, but they’re practical, affordable, and I was able to use materials I already had on hand. That’s a win in my book.
Because here’s what else I know. Some dahlia varieties end up taller than expected. Others stay compact. A storm arrives, a stem leans, and suddenly you’re adding support you didn’t think you’d need.
That’s why I try to stake when I plant if at all possible, and then adjust as the season progresses. My goal isn’t a perfectly engineered flower farm setup. I’m just trying to give each plant enough support to thrive while keeping the garden looking as natural and relaxed as I can.
And if those supports help keep a few more dahlia blooms standing tall in August, that’s good enough for me.
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