Dahlia Master Class - Mareli from Love Dahlias

About this masterclass

The Dahlia Masterclass with Mareli is the final, in-depth teaching session of the Love Dahlias Festival – the place where we take everything you love about dahlias and turn it into a clear, repeatable way of growing them at home.

This masterclass follows the structure of Mareli’s new e-book on growing dahlias in South Africa. In one focused session, she will walk you through the full journey:

• from tuber to flowering plant

• from “I hope this works” to “I know what I’m doing”

You’ll hear the real story behind the pretty pictures – what has worked in the Douglas fields, what hasn’t, and how to avoid the most common mistakes South African gardeners make with dahlias.

About Mareli

Mareli Visser is the owner of Love Dahlias in Douglas, Northern Cape.

She is:

• A South African flower farmer specialising in dahlias and other cut flowers

• Previously known as the winner of kykNET’s Koekedoor baking show, now fully rooted in the dahlia fields

• The writer behind the Love Dahlias growing guides and blog, helping South African gardeners grow better dahlias in real local conditions

This masterclass is your chance to sit down with the person who plants, digs, divides and ships the dahlias you see on lovedahlias.com – and ask her anything you’ve always wanted to know.

What you will learn

The masterclass is designed around South African conditions – our heat, our wind, our tricky timing.

You can adjust the order, but these are the core blocks:

1. Getting the basics right

• The South African dahlia calendar – when to plant, when to expect flowers, when to lift (or not)

• Climate and microclimate: what dahlias need and where they will not be happy

• Choosing the right spot – sun, wind, spacing and access to water

2. Soil, beds and preparation

• How to prepare soil for dahlias in an ordinary garden (without ten tractors and a farm team)

• Drainage, compost, mulch and why they matter so much

• Beds, rows, containers and what works in smaller spaces

3. Tubers and planting

• What a healthy tuber actually looks like

• How to unpack, inspect and store tubers before planting

• Planting depth, spacing and direction

• When to water (and when not to) in the early stages

4. Caring for the plants

• Watering – how often, how deep and how to adjust in heatwaves

• Feeding – simple feeding plans that are realistic for home gardeners

• Staking and support so plants do not collapse in the first wind

• Pinching, deadheading and how to get more stems for cutting

5. Pests, diseases and problem-solving

• The usual suspects in South African gardens (snails, aphids, mildew and more)

• What Mareli does in her own field and what she avoids

• How to tell the difference between a problem you must act on vs something the plant will grow past

6. Lifting, dividing and storing

• When to lift and when you can safely leave tubers in the ground

• A simple way to lift and clean clumps without breaking everything

• Basic dividing principles (even if you let someone else do the fine work later)

• Storage tips that work in our climate

7. Cutting and enjoying your blooms

• How to cut dahlias for the vase so they last longer

• Simple conditioning and vase-life tricks

• Growing with the vase in mind – shapes, colours and heights

There will also be time set aside for Q&A, so you can ask about your own conditions and challenges.

At a glance

• Event: Dahlia Masterclass with Mareli – Festival Finale

• Host: Mareli Visser – Love Dahlias

• Location: Love Dahlias Festival venue, Douglas, Northern Cape, South Africa

• Focus: In-depth guide to growing dahlias in South Africa from tuber to vase

• Format: Classroom-style teaching with time for questions

• Skill level: Beginner to intermediate home gardeners and small-scale flower growers

• Ticket type: Masterclass ticket for one person

Who this masterclass is for

This Dahlia Masterclass is a good choice if you:

• Are ready to take dahlias seriously in your garden, not just “try one or two and hope”

• Have grown dahlias before but feel your results are hit-and-miss

• Are a new or aspiring flower farmer who needs a stronger foundation

• Want information tailored to South African seasons and conditions, not UK or US advice from the internet

You do not need any formal horticulture training. If you love dahlias and want to understand them properly, you are in the right room.

What’s included

Your Dahlia Masterclass with Mareli ticket includes:

• Entry to the festival’s finale dahlia teaching session with Mareli

• A structured walkthrough of the full growing cycle, based on her new e-book

• Practical tips and examples from the Love Dahlias fields in Douglas

• A Q&A segment so you can ask about your specific garden

• Any printed notes or summary sheets Mareli decides to share on the day (if you choose to add them later, you can update this line)

If you decide later that the ticket should include a discount code or bonus on the e-book, you can simply add that into this section.

What to bring

• A notebook and pen

• Photos of your garden or growing space (optional but very helpful)

• Any specific questions or problem areas you’d like to ask about

Important ticket information

• This product is a masterclass ticket, not a physical item.

• No parcel will be shipped and courier options at checkout do not apply.

• One ticket admits one person to this Dahlia Masterclass on the date shown.

• Tickets are non-refundable, but you may transfer your ticket to another person if you can no longer attend.

• Full Festival Ticket Terms & Conditions apply.

After checkout you will receive:

1. An order confirmation email from Love Dahlias with your booking details.

2. A follow-up email closer to the festival with the exact time, venue details and any final notes on what to bring.

Please use the same name and email address for all your festival bookings so we can keep your reservations together.