Freeport Dahlias
Tuber Clump Sale
Saturday, October 4, 10am - 1pm ET
1612 US Route 1 in Freeport
For those who haven't heard, I'm selling the land and going back to my old way of running Freeport Dahlias by growing my tubers at other farms. The real estate listing is here, if you know of anyone who might be interested.
Because of the sale and pending move off the property, I am dealing with my tuber inventory in a slightly different way this year. Instead of selling individual tuber clumps in the Spring, I'm having a tuber clump sale this coming Saturday.
Below are all of the details. I've tried to think of every question, but if you read through this and still have questions, please reach out!
Will there be a crowd?
I'm not sure! Word has gotten out on Facebook, so there is the possibility of a lot of people showing up. Numbers will be given out in the order people arrive. Because I will be digging up each clump one customer at a time, you should plan on a chunk of time. I will make sure to go in order, and I am relying on folks to be courteous and helpful to each other.
How much are tuber clumps?
Tuber clump prices are between $10 and $20 plus tax. For tubers potted up in 5- or 7-gallon pots, you may purchase the entire plant, pot, staking cage, and soil mix of Pro-Mix, responsibly harvested peat moss, and MOFGA-certified compost for $50. There are still some weeks to the growing season, so it may suit some of you to just take the whole plant and pot home with you!
What forms of payment do you accept?
Cash, credit cards, and Venmo. Maine State sales tax will be charged on all purchases.
Are there limits to how many tuber clumps I may purchase?
Many folks are driving some distances, so from 10-11:30am, each customer may purchase up to six tubers. For Kelgai Ann and Café au Lait, there is a limit of one per person. After 11:30am, all limits are lifted. This gives everyone a fair shot, and prevents someone from swooping in at 10am and cleaning out all of my stock.
How are you handling KA clumps ?
I will have 19 KA clumps available--5 Keltie Rose, 7 Mocha Jo, and 7 Mocha Jake. My KA license to sell expired in July of this year. To stay on the right side of things, if you buy a $5 greeting card for $25, you will get one KA tuber clump as a gift. The gift-with-purchase option is only available until those 19 clumps sell out. Each person may select the variety they wish from what remains. Limit two (2) per person.
If I get a big clump, can I turn around and sell some of the tubers?
Once you purchase them, they are yours to do with as you wish. Whether you charge sales tax, or sell hard-to-get varieties for more money, that's all your business.
May I make a tax-exempt purchase?
If purchasing with tax-exempt status, you will need to email a copy of your current State of Maine Resale Certificate to freeportdahlias@gmail.com before the sale begins.
Will tubers already be dug up?
No. I will use my garden fork to lift your tuber clump out of the ground. The soil around each clump will be pre-loosened.
What if I'm disappointed in the number of tubers once it's dug up? Do I still have to buy it?
You will tell me which tuber clumps you want, and that is a commitment to purchase that clump. Please remember that the prices are low and generally you are paying what it costs to buy one tuber. If you don't think you can keep a level head, then this might not be the right sale for you. Breathe.
Will you adjust prices up or down depending on the number of tubers that come up?
No. There's an element of surprise to all of this. I can tell you which dahlia varieties are likely to have a lot of tubers (Blizzard, Koko Puff), and which are likely to have fewer tubers (Clearview Jonas, Café au Lait). I have set the prices to assume at least one viable tuber. If you get five tubers, great! If you get just one, that's the chance you're taking. If I dig up one that has no viable tubers or is somehow compromised, I simply won't sell it, and we'll move to the next plant of that variety and give that one a try.
What if I only want one tuber and not a whole clump?
This is a tuber clump sale. I will not be splitting individual tubers. You are welcome to come with a friend and split the cost. You can even bring your tools and stand at the table beneath the apple tree and split your tubers right then and there. (However, I don't have running water, so you may want to bring some water to rinse your tubers, tools, hands, etc.)
What if I have my heart set on a specific tuber clump? How many tuber clumps will you sell of each variety?
I know that many dahlia lovers have what's called a "unicorn" list--tubers that are hard to find and up to $50 each. To manage expectations, please know I will NOT be selling Czarny Charakter, Swiftie, Honeymoon, Irish Candy, Chimacum Troy, Chimacum Julia, Sheer Heaven, Senior's Hope, Wyn's Cinnabar, Hollyhill Black Beauty, Flamingo, and a few others. This is because I only have one of each and wish to build my stock.
What will you have the highest quantities of?
Café au Lait (about 20), Kelgai Ann (about 7 or so), Fleurel (8), Coralie (4), one that was sold to me as "either Coralie or Castle Drive" (5), Blizzard (8). In KA varieties, I will have Keltie Rose (5), KA's Mocha Jo (7), and KA's Mocha Jake (7) under the special Gift With Purchase option that is limited to two per person.
How many varieties did you grow this season?
I planted about 73 different varieties, and about 350 tubers total at my farm and at Tripping Gnome Farm.
How will I find the specific varieties that are for sale?
I will draw up a map that will be available the day of the sale. You'll be able to walk the property and see if the ones you want are still available. Sale clumps will have a bright green label with the variety name and price. Plants with a bright pink/orange label are marked NFS (Not For Sale) because they are the ones I am keeping for myself.
How will I be able to tell what all of these different dahlia names look like?
I have been posting on Instagram and Facebook each variety in the order they have bloomed for me this year. On Instagram, there is a Highlight on my page called "2025," and you can also see some of the other varieties in prior year Highlights. I am also going to try and print out a big color presentation so you can look at each variety. Also, some will still be blooming!
Why are Kelgai Ann and Café au Lait more expensive?
Kelgai Ann is highly sought after. It has become increasingly hard to find healthy Café au Lait tubers. I have grown my CaL stock for several years now, and they are grown in a separate bed in a mix of Pro-Mix, responsibly harvested peat moss, and MOFGA-certified compost.
Has everything bloomed yet to know the tuber clumps are confirmed to be the right variety?
No! It's been a challenging season, with a lot of literal "late bloomers." Many new-to-me dahlia plants have not yet bloomed, and those are marked down $5 off the regular, confirmed price. I also can tell you the farm from which I purchased these new tubers. Mystery tubers are $10 and I mostly know what they are, but am only 87% confident, so they are "Mystery."
How should I get them home? And then how should I store them?
It's very important that you not keep them in a closed, hot car for the rest of the day. You can bring a paper bag or tarp since they will have dirt on them. I will have clean plastic storage totes for sale as well as those fantastic IKEA bags. I will also have vermiculite for sale. There is a page on my website with overwintering instructions. I will try to update that and have copies printed for taking home.
What happens if I take them home and then they dry out before I can split and/or store them, or they rot during the colder months?
You definitely need to have a plan ready and enough time to deal with these clumps promptly once you get them home. Once you have made your purchase, they are your responsibility. I am not responsible for how you store them, the temperature and humidity in your house, or the frequency you check on them between now and Spring. I am an experienced dahlia grower and storer, and last year I paid $15 for a tuber clump that then dried out in a few days before I could properly tuck them away. I didn't have enough time, and I bought a clump that had all the dirt rinsed off of them, so they shriveled right up. (Dirt can protect them until you can get to them.)
Are dogs allowed? What about kids?
No dogs, please. Children are welcome as long as they understand they are not to touch the plants or be in the shed (with sharp farm tools) unsupervised. The farm is on a busy stretch of Route 1.
May I show up early?
No early birds, please.
What is parking like?
There are three designated spots with room for five or six cars. If you park along the side of the road, please leave the space in front of the mailbox free so the post can be delivered.
Do you have a restroom?
There is no running water or electricity at the farm, so there are no facilities.
Why are you selling the farm?
When I started Freeport Dahlias in 2020, I first grew my dahlias for two seasons at Portersfield Cider in Pownal. I bought this land in 2021 and have had it for four full growing seasons. I know this farm is special to a lot of people, me included, but I now have a full-time job, and it became clear really quickly this August that I couldn't work full-time, teach at Bates, and also maintain an acre of land when I live 12 minutes away in the next town over. I feel positive about the decision, and grateful for that kind of clarity. So I am selling the land, and going back to growing my very portable tubers elsewhere.
What will happen to Freeport Dahlias going forward?
Robin and Harry at Tripping Gnome Farm let me grow nearly 100 plants at their property this season, and we are talking about what it would look like if I were to plant my tubers there going forward. I've learned that I love teaching people how to grow dahlias, and I love the photography. I've also learned that wedding orders are incredibly stressful--I simply am not a big enough operation to withstand the droughts and pest pressure and to deal with the stress of hoping I will have hundreds of blooms in the right color palette ready to harvest on a certain day. It's a great time to think through all that I've learned since I started growing dahlias eight seasons ago, and really focus on fewer things in my business model.
What should I do if I don't see my question here?
Please email me at freeportdahlias@gmail.com and I will gladly answer your question!
