Rooted Dahlia Cutting Care Instructions
(for cuttings in rapid rooters that are not yet potted up)
*READ ME TO ENSURE YOUR CUTTING(S) SURVIVE
The day they are delivered, unpackage your cuttings right away and take a photo of your cutting(s) REGARDLESS OF WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE and email it to no-reply@hedgehogflowerfarm.com otherwise we will not be able to offer replacements or refunds. Put your order number in the subject line. For example: Order 123567
How to care for your dahlia rooted cuttings
(they are divas, they require care):
● Unpackage your cuttings the day they arrive, send photos to no-reply@hedgehogflowerfarm.com Gardening is such a rewarding experience, and yet it comes with its own unique frustrations and a big learning curve. We know from our own gardening and flower farming journey, the process of starting from a beginner, gaining skills and knowledge, and becoming a more experienced grower of cut flowers. We remember all the mistakes we made along the way, and are certain we will never stop learning and never stop making mistakes... READ FULL GUARANTEE
● Inspect for damage, it is normal for cuttings to not look super healthy due to stress of shipping. This is why it’s important you send us a photo immediately so you have proof of what your cutting looked like when it arrived. Do not let your cutting sit in the shipping package, you will not receive a refund/replacement if you do not open your cutting the day it arrives. We can not be responsible for care of the cutting once it’s out of our hands
● If your dahlia didn’t survive shipping we will make it right - Don’t panic, just let us know, plants die when shipped despite our best efforts to make them arrive alive
● Remove your cutting from the clamshell container it was shipped in. Your cutting was rooted in a rapid rooter thing. For the first 2-3 days, do not pot up right away. If you can put them in shot glass, cell-tray or something else to hold them up without disturbing the roots that would be best. Spray them gently with the included solution, do not over wet them. Take photos of this step.
● Keep your cutting out of direct light, indoors. It’s been in the dark while shipped and you don’t want to shock it
● After 2-3 days, pot your rooted cuttings up into a 2”-4” pot with drainage holes with nice potting soil (we like Fox Farm Happy Frog) that is moist but not soaking wet. Gently water in. Take photos of this step.
● Keep the cutting watered gently with the included support solution, following the support solution instructions. Allow to dry out between waterings. Do not over water. You do not want to soak your cutting and cause it to dampen off/rot. We recommend watering from below, have your cutting on a tray or flat plate and water below to allow the water to absorb up.
● After approx 2 days move your cutting to direct light indoors, ideally under grow lights
● After several days under grow lights, start hardening it off out of doors in preparation for planting. If you plant your rooted cutting outside right away it will die. It can not handle the change from indoor lighting to full sun rays all at once, it must be gently acclimated. Place it outside for increasing periods of time over several days. Look up online further “hardening off” instructions for seedlings. Don’t put out during hottest/brightest part of the day.
● Plant your dahlia cutting outside after it’s been hardened off and water in. Then care for like you would a dahlia tuber that has sprouted. WE RECOMMEND PLANTING IN THE EVENING
● Your dahlia cutting will grow into a full plant and flower in the first year. It will also produce tubers. Follow dahlia growing best practices for your area. You should have blooms in 90-120 days.
Please take a photo and tag us on Instagram @hedgehogflowerfarm or with hashtag #hedgehogflowerfarm
Our Rooted Dahlia Cutting Guarantee