Transporting Dahlias

As a person fairly new to exhibiting dahlias, I tried several methods to try to get my dahlias to the shows undamaged, with mixed success.  The most disheartening thing in the world is to have a blue ribbon candidate in the garden, only to have it arrive at a show looking battered, and with its foliage damaged (10 points off in the judge's manual!) 

When I was at the Dahlia Society of Ohio's member show in October, I saw several of the exhibitors carrying buckets that had been modified to transport dahlias.  Their exhibits arrived with perfect foliage, and petals undamaged from transport,

The method is simple: find a low bucket, drill some holes in the sides above where you want your water level to be, attach stakes or rods, and clip your dahlias to these supports with plastic hair clips padded with a little cotton or other soft material.

 Blooms are set far enough apart so that their petals don't become damaged

The stakes can be bamboo, wooden dowels, or fiberglass

 

Three sets of holes allow for shorter or longer stakes to be attached to the bucket.  Pipe cleaners, velcro strips, florist tape,, or twist ties from trash bags work very well.

Secured on top with a padded clip to keep the heavy flower head from snapping or weakening the stem.