Events
The Dahlia Society of Ohio hosts a number of events - meetings, sales, workshops, training, social events, shows and more throughout the year. Be sure to check back regularly for updates.
Member Only Tuber Sale - ONLINE
Our member only tuber sale will begin at noon on Saturday April 12. The store will be open until 6 pm the next day (or until we are sold out!).
We will announce what will be included in the sale a few days ahead of the sale so you can plan your buying strategy.
You must pick up your tubers at Petitti’s in Oakwood, on Saturday April 26 from 10 am - 1 pm.
Member Only Plant Sale - ONLINE
Our member only plant sale will begin at noon on Saturday May 3. The store will be open until 6 pm the next day (or until we are sold out!).
We will announce what will be included in the sale a few days ahead of the sale so you can plan your buying strategy.
You must pick up your plants on Sunday May 18, from 1-3pm (tentative) at Willoway Nursery, 4740 Center Rd (Rt 83) in Avon.
Annual Picnic
Save the date! Our annual picnic with a workshop follow will be held on July 19, at noon, at the Moebius Nature Center.
Cuyahoga County Fair
Join us for the first show of the season. Great opportunity for first time exhibitors or to get warmed up for the show season. More details to follow.
See the 2024 winners here.
Geauga County Fair
The Geauga County Fair Dahlia Show was a success. We had some new (and successful) exhibitors, some seedlings that showed well, and lots of great entries. Thanks to all who participated.
See the 2024 Winners.
DSO Dahlia Show (Summit Mall)
The 94th DSO Dahlia Show will be held at Summit Mall in Akron OH, September 26-28, 2025.
DSO Member's Show
Our 2024 show finale was held at Petitti Garden Center Oakwood.
Results here.
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Show Schedule, Artistic Design info, and Market Bunch info here.
Meeting - How to Achieve the Best Possible Soil for Growing Dahlias
Dr. Keith Berven
How to Achieve the Best Possible Soil for Growing Dahlias
Soil Science - soil structure (mineral and organic components), plant nutrients (macro and micro; cations and anions), Cation-Exchange Capacity), and how plants take up nutrients.
Soil Parameters - included in a typical soil test including: a description of the soil, organic matter content (%), soil pH, soil CEC, percent exchangeable bases (potassium, magnesium and calcium) and soil nutrient levels (phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, calcium).
Optimum Levels for growing dahlias
Dr. Berven, PhD is Associate Professor of Biological Sciences at Oakland University, Detroit MI. Keith is also an avid dahlia grower and on the board of the Midwest Dahlia Conference.
Past Event - First 2025 Meeting
Setting up an Irrigation System. Zoom.
Casey Reischl is a member of the Monterey Bay Dahlia Society in California. he has cultivated a wide range of plants for nearly 20 years. He says his irrigation experience comes from those years of trial and error, mistakes, and success, and it is adaptable to home gardeners and commercial-scale growers.
Casey will be speaking on the basics of drip irrigation, planning, and designing a system, components of a drip system, and soil types. He will also share resources that he wishes were available when setting up his first system.
Past Event - Members' Holiday Party
Members’ Holiday Party. December 7th. See your email for details. You must RSVP to attend.
Past Event - November Meeting
Galena Berkompas will be our speaker.
Gaelena lives in Washington State. She currently grows 5000 plants, and over 500 varieties
Her goal is to grow and send out the healthiest dahlias that she possibly can and help find and propagate rarer varieties so that more people can experience their beauty.
She’s excited to share with us more about how she grows and nurtures beautiful dahlias.
Past Event - Tuber Digging/Separating Workshop
This year Pat Spicuzza will be hosting our workshop on October 19th at 10:00 am at his house in Chagrin Falls.
Pat will walk you through how to dig, wash, separate and store your tubers. Be sure to wear appropriate clothing and footwear.
This gathering will be in place of our October meeting.
Past Event - DSO Photo Contest - Submittal Phase
The categories for this year are:
Portrait
Macro
Enhanced (digitally)
Gardens
Shows
Dahlias with Critters and People
All photos dahlia-centric.
October 14-24, email your entries
Voting will be Nov 1-8
Winners announced at the DSO Meeting Nov 15 and we will vote for Best in Show.
View event and see your emails for more details
Past Event - Bouquet Workshop
Our second annual Bouquet Workshop was held at the garden of Scott Robertson, owner of Stems Fleur, garden. Scott taught the group how to do a design that can easily be replicated for our homes or to use as gifts for friends or loved ones.
Not only was it a fun time, but we all left with a beautiful arrangement and inspiration for the future.
Thanks Milli, Misty, and Jess for the planning and execution of such a great event.
Past Event - June Meeting (Zoom)
Join us as Christopher and Wyatt talk about their dahlia journey; where they started, their transition into upscaling, where they are now, and future plans.
They'll also focus on Christopher's dahlia photography and give tips to taking the perfect dahlia photo.
Past Event - May Meeting - Pest Control without Chemicals
Don Landek, Master Gardener, will present "Pest Control without Chemicals" via Zoom. More details will follow.
Past Event - Tuber Auction
Join us as we revive the DSO tradition of a tuber auction. You must be a member to bid. (May join onsite.)
Festivities will begin at 7 pm at the Brushwood Shelter within Furnace Run Metro Park, 4955 Townsend Rd., Richfield 44286.
Past Event - Quarterly Get Together
Join us on April 4, 2024 for a night out. We’ll be meeting at Slyman’s Tavern in Independence, 6901 Rockside Rd, Independence, OH 44131. There is no formal agenda, just a time to chat about dahlias.
We’ll meet there at 6:00 pm.
If you’re interested in attending, please RSVP to Jess at president@dahliasocietyofohio.org.
Past Event - Judging Dahlias
Jerry, Randy, and Ron invite you to join us for a series of Zoom conversations about dahlias and particularly about judging dahlias.
Past Event - Taking Cuttings from Dahlias
You may already know that dahlias make exact copies of themselves via tubers. One tuber this year could yield a number of tubers the next year for you.
But what happens if your favorite dahlia doesn't really produce very many tubers? You can still increase your stock and that's where cuttings can come in handy. Cuttings will also give you an exact copy of your parent tuber.
Mike and Jess will walk you through the process, giving you a list of materials that you'll need to get started, and answers to questions that you may have.
Past Event - Meristem and Virus Free Dahlias
Join us on Zoom when Julie and Ryan from Stonehouse Dahlias talk to us about meristem and how they're using it to propagate virus free dahlias.