{"product_id":"tartan-dahlia-tubers","title":"Tartan Dahlia Tubers","description":"\u003cul class=\"pdp-specs\"\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eVariety:\u003c\/strong\u003e Tartan\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eType:\u003c\/strong\u003e Decorative (dinnerplate)\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eColour:\u003c\/strong\u003e Blackcurrant-purple and white, sharply bicoloured\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlower size:\u003c\/strong\u003e 15 to 20cm across\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 110cm\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpread:\u003c\/strong\u003e 70cm\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlowering:\u003c\/strong\u003e July to first frosts\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCutting:\u003c\/strong\u003e Yes. Strong stems, dramatic in arrangements\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRHS AGM:\u003c\/strong\u003e No\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSold as:\u003c\/strong\u003e Single tubers, hand-graded, Dutch first-class quality\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePlant outdoors:\u003c\/strong\u003e March to July, when soil reaches 15°C (typically May in most of the UK)\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDelivered:\u003c\/strong\u003e From March. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/collect-your-order-from-castle-cary\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003eCollection from Castle Cary\u003c\/a\u003e also available\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eDahlia Tartan: The Boldest Bicolour in the Border\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSome dahlias are subtle. Tartan is not one of them. The flowers are a sharp, high-contrast split of blackcurrant-purple and bright white, with long wavy petals that swirl the two colours together like a fabric pattern. At 15 to 20cm across, these are dinnerplate-sized blooms on a 110cm plant, and they're not trying to be quiet about it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe purple is deep and rich, almost black towards the centre, and the white is clean and bright. The ratio shifts from flower to flower. Some blooms are mostly dark with white tips, others more evenly split. The overall effect across a plant is striking from twenty metres away, which is either exactly what you want or too much, depending on your taste. There isn't really a middle ground with Tartan.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eStems are strong enough for cutting, and the flowers last well in water. It needs staking at 110cm, but any tall dinnerplate dahlia does. Fresh green foliage provides a clean backdrop for the dramatic flowers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003ePlacing Tartan in a Scheme\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe trick with Tartan is to give it simple neighbours. The bicolour pattern is already doing a lot of visual work, so anything too busy alongside will compete. A pure white dahlia with a quieter flower form is the natural partner: \u003ca href=\"\/products\/white-swan-decorative-dahlia-tubers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003eWhite Swan\u003c\/a\u003e (white decorative, 120cm) or \u003ca href=\"\/products\/boom-boom-white-ball-dahlia-tubers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003eBoom Boom White\u003c\/a\u003e (white ball, tight spheres that give structural contrast). For a moody scheme, the deep burgundy of \u003ca href=\"\/products\/dark-spirit-decorative-dahlia-tubers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003eDark Spirit\u003c\/a\u003e picks up Tartan's purple tones without adding another pattern. Ornamental grasses are the right softener here: Pennisetum with fluffy seedheads brings a meadow feel that calms everything down.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhy Ashridge?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOur dahlia tubers are Dutch first-class quality, imported direct and hand-graded. We reject undersized tubers so you get a clump with viable eyes, ready to grow. Delivered by next-day courier from March, with our one-year plant guarantee, Feefo Platinum Service Award, and gardeners in Somerset on the end of the phone. Browse our full \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/decorative-dinnerplate-dahlia-tubers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003edecorative dahlia\u003c\/a\u003e range or the complete \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/dahlia-tubers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003edahlia collection\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eIs Tartan similar to Cafe au Lait Twist?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBoth are bicoloured dinnerplates, but the effect is completely different. \u003ca href=\"\/products\/cafe-au-lait-twist-decorative-dahlia-tubers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003eCafe au Lait Twist\u003c\/a\u003e has soft raspberry streaks over cream, romantic and variable. Tartan is a hard, high-contrast split of blackcurrant and white, bold and graphic. Twist suits a wedding table. Tartan suits someone who likes their garden to have a bit of swagger.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWill Tartan grow in a pot?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt 110cm with flowers up to 20cm across, Tartan is really too big for a container. It'll be top-heavy, constantly thirsty, and the flowers will catch wind. Grow it in deep border soil with proper staking. If you want a bicoloured dahlia for a pot, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/checkers-decorative-dahlia-tubers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003eCheckers\u003c\/a\u003e (burgundy and white, more compact) is a better choice. Our \u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/garden-plants\/dahlias-in-pots\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003epots guide\u003c\/a\u003e covers what works in containers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eHow do I stop the flowers getting battered by rain?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou can't, really. Large flat-petalled decorative dahlias like Tartan hold water in their blooms, and a heavy downpour will damage open flowers. Staking helps stop stems snapping under the weight. Picking flowers before forecast rain and enjoying them indoors is the pragmatic answer. The plant will produce more. If rain is a constant problem in your garden, ball or cactus types like \u003ca href=\"\/products\/ariston-ball-dahlia-tubers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003eAriston\u003c\/a\u003e shed water far better.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eIs Tartan good for cutting?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe flowers are dramatic in a vase and the stems are strong enough. The bicolour pattern makes each bloom a talking point. Cut only fully open flowers, early in the morning. Condition stems in hot water for an hour. Expect four to five days of vase life. The large heads drink a lot of water, so keep the vase topped up.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhen should I plant Tartan dahlia tubers?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlant outdoors from March to July, but the soil needs to be at least 15°C, which in most of the UK means waiting until May. You can start tubers indoors from March in pots of damp compost to get a head start. Our \u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/garden-plants\/starting-dahlia-tubers-in-spring\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003estarting dahlia tubers in spring\u003c\/a\u003e guide explains the process.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Tubers \/ Tuber","offer_id":54999453270342,"sku":"DAHLTAR-TUBER","price":5.85,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/tartan-dahlia-flowers.jpg?v=1755249870","url":"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/tartan-dahlia-tubers","provider":"Ashridge Nurseries","version":"1.0","type":"link"}