David Howard Dahlia Tubers

David Howard: Decorative Dahlia Tubers

If you're looking for a top-performing tuber that's won awards all around the world, then look no further than David Howard, which flowers for longer, with more blooms, than almost any other variety. The fully double flowers with rounded petals are a gorgeous orange-bronze, fading to plum in the centres. If that wasn't enough, the highly divided foliage is dark chocolate and bronze tinged - the perfect foil for the flowers and a worthy winner of the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.
Browse our other Decorative Dahlias or our full range of Dahlias here.

The flowers of David Howard can reach up to 10cm across, with masses carried on each plant. It reaches a maximum height of 1m and has a compact spread of half that.
The flowers are ideal for cutting and are very long-lasting in a vase.

Features

• Colour: Orange and bronze, fading to a deep plum centre
• Flower Size: 10cm
• Type: Decorative Dahlia
• Cutting: Long-lasting
• Height and Spread: 100cm x 50cm
• Flowering: July to November
• Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit
• Outdoor Planting Months: March to July

Growing David Howard 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 David Howard

A classic hot border dahlia for going with other dark and rich colours.

Its compact nature and exotic looks mean it is ideal for a large patio pot.

Did You Know?

A British variety from 1960. According to Christopher Lloyd, it “deserves every scrap of the praise lavished on it. Above bronze foliage, it carries a prodigal, non-stop succession” [of flowers, visible] “brightly from afar.”

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.