This is an excellent description of how to grow dahlias in a raised bed:
[https://mygardenbee.com/blog/f/growing-dahlias-in-raised-beds?blogcategory=Raised+Beds](https://)
I’ve followed Paula’s advice since I started growing dahlias, which is admittedly only a few years. But I return to it again and again because she’s very clear and she illustrates things well.
I’ve added a couple of raised beds for this season and I was just fiddling with the soil. We reconfigured one large (8’x16’X 6”) bed as well. Last year, I used an existing 10’x10’ bed and the shape just wasn’t ideal for cut flowers. The new bed will allow for long rows with an aisle in the middle for access. My smaller beds are tall like yours. They’re similar to the metal ones in this blog post. We used a bulk garden soil mix from a very good local company that includes compost. I’m amending it with compost and trying out some of the ideas in this post. I’d start with a soil test, of course. In fact, I am waiting on results from a new test that I sent in for this year. Right now, I’m going for the right texture, if that makes sense. Now that I’ve done this for a few seasons in a row, I have a better idea what I want the soil to feel like. The raised bed is great for that because you can experiment. I had very good luck with the tall raised bed I did last year. I used sticks as suggested above, and it drained beautifully. It was also easier to tend than the lower bed. My plants did well and the tubers were so easy to lift! Good luck!
