How to Buy Dahlia Tubers from the Minnesota Dahlia Society

Updated

The Minnesota Dahlia Society (MDS) is a community of dahlia enthusiasts who share growing tips and sponsor a tuber sale every spring. To buy tubers, watch the MDS calendar and news posts for the spring sale date—recent posts reference a "May Meeting/Tuber Sale"—and attend in person. Joining MDS is the most reliable way to stay informed about sale dates and member opportunities. The site does not publish tuber prices or an online tuber shop, so plan on an in-person event rather than an online checkout.

What the Society Offers

MDS describes itself as "a group of dahlia enthusiasts who share growing tips and sponsor a tuber sale every spring." Its activities center on:

  • Meetings and events — general meetings and special events listed on the Calendar page
  • A spring tuber sale — the society's main tuber offering
  • Shows — including a Fall Show and a State Fair Show schedule
  • Community events — such as a garden tour, potluck picnic, and plant swap

For a buyer, the tuber sale is the key event. Everything else—meetings, shows, the picnic—is a way to meet growers and learn best practices between sales.

How to Find the Next Tuber Sale

  1. Check the Calendar page. The site directs visitors there for details on general meetings and special events. The spring tuber sale is tied to a meeting, so the calendar is the first place to confirm a date.
  2. Read the News posts. Recent posts include "MDS May Meeting/Tuber Sale," which confirms the sale has been run alongside the May meeting. Watch for a similar post each spring.
  3. Watch for the annual pattern. The society sponsors a sale "every spring," so if this year's date has passed, the next opportunity is the following spring.

Expected result: you'll have a specific date and location for the sale. If no sale is posted yet, the calendar and news feed are where it will appear first.

Joining MDS to Stay Informed

The site's main call to action is "JOIN NOW," linking to a membership page ("JOIN MDS"). Membership is presented as the way to "be part of a community where you will learn about dahlias and meet fellow dahlia enthusiasts."

Joining makes sense if you want:

  • Advance notice of the spring tuber sale and meeting details
  • First-hand growing advice from local growers
  • Access to the broader event schedule, including shows and the garden tour

The site does not state membership fees, so check the join page for current terms before signing up. Membership is optional for buying tubers—the sale is a public event—but it's the surest way to hear about dates early.

What to Expect at the Sale

The site doesn't detail sale mechanics, so treat these as practical preparations rather than published policy:

  • Bring a way to carry tubers and note which varieties you want; tuber sales typically involve choosing among labeled varieties.
  • Arrive early if specific varieties matter to you—popular ones tend to move first at club sales.
  • Ask growers questions on site. MDS emphasizes learning "first-hand from local growers," and the sale doubles as a meeting, so experienced members are usually present.
  • Confirm the venue from the calendar or news post before traveling; the site lists events by name but not addresses in the excerpted content.

Beyond the Sale: Shows and Events

If you want to see dahlia varieties before buying, the society's shows are a useful preview. The site lists a 2026 Fall Show and a 2026 State Fair Show Schedule, plus an October 5th meeting and a June 20th potluck picnic and plant swap. Attending a show or meeting lets you see what grows well locally—Minnesota's short season shapes which dahlias perform—and meet the people who sell tubers in spring.

Quick Decision Guide

Your goal Best step
Buy tubers this spring Check the Calendar and News for the May Meeting/Tuber Sale date
Get early notice next year Join MDS via the "JOIN MDS" page
See varieties before buying Attend the Fall Show or State Fair show
Learn to grow them well Attend a general meeting or the garden tour

The bottom line: MDS sells tubers at a spring sale tied to its May meeting, announced on its Calendar and News pages. There is no online tuber store or published price list on the site, so the practical path is to watch those pages, join the society for early word, and show up ready to choose among labeled varieties.