3,226 Garden Web Discussions | Dahlias
Please see this page from Corralitos Gardens. It goes against conventional wisdom regarding dahlia planting dates, but has, in my experience, worked. Please also not the more technical note about the temperature of the soil.
If you really do your research, the commonly quoted 60 degrees for first planting is just not workable in much of the country.
http://cgdahlias.com/dahlia_growing_tips.html
Here is a link that might be useful: planting advice
I start all new dahlia tubers in gallon pots starting in March, with them in a warm room in my garage with grow lights. I aim to have them about 18" to 2" tall when I set them out so that the slugs will not eat off every shoot. It has been working fine for years. The gallon pots give them enough room for root development. They transplant well for me at that stage. I try to get the tuber down 6" from the soil line when I transplant them. I pull off any leaves that are below the soil line. The last frost is usually not later then the 3rd week of April. And yes, our soil sometimes does not get up to 60 degrees until late summer. By that time I often have buds on my dahlias...first bloom usually in late June and they will bloom until frost around 31 October. I am in a very temperate maritime climate. I grow about 160 plants a year. Last year for the first time in 2o years 3/4 of my tubers froze in the ground. So you never know, there will always be the exception to the rule. But this works for me. I can't remember when I had the last rotten tuber that was not from being frozen over the winter.
Monica33flowers,
All of my Dahlias this year come from Swan Island Dahlias.
This is the link to Gitts Perfection
Cheers,
Russ
I plant them 1/2 of their height apart in my cutting garden and 1/3 their height in my show beds.
It is easier to snip them with more room, but 'look' better more full.
Their height = their mature height.
Like plantlady mentioned, I keep 3' rows between rows in my cutting gardens and 2' in my show gardens just to keep good air flow.
Keriann~
I'd do cuttings from the hopeful ones that are a clump with starts. Some dahlias are really slow to eye up- we still have lots that haven't eyed up yet. We have one variety that, every year Walt has a whole tray that he thinks won't eye up so stashes it somewhere & forgets about it- along about June- there they are-- growing like crazy! I'd start them all in flats to see what starts & what doesn't. Some people will put them in a baggie with moist potting soil & place it in a warm spot to get them started & not take up as much room as flats do
Perhaps Juul's All Star for the orchid?
Here is a link that might be useful: Juul's All Star
If I had a tuber that was moldy, and yet still firm, I would wipe it off; coat it with some bulb dust or dip it in a mild solution of bleach; and then plant it.
If the tuber was soft, that is a different story. I would insist on a replacement.
Mold can happen, but we want to avoid it if at all possible. Mold can definitely cause problems for all plants including dahlias.
Hi jroot,
Thanks for the advice. The tuber is actually brittle and crumbly, so I asked for a substitution. I was appalled that they did not just provide a substitution when I mentioned the mold. They charge a premium for their tubers and should provide only the highest quality product.
I agree that mold can cause problems for all plants, and do not want to add it to my garden. Who knows what it really is.
thanks. i did check them earlier and i dont know if they were rotting but they didnt have any growth.
I just went into lowes and see that the dahlias there all already have growth and the bag I had bought had zero growth in it. it was seriously just a bulb and dirt, so I will be returning that and buying a new one that looks alive!
Okay.... FYI they are tubers not bulbs, tulips, daffs ect are bulbs : )
If you want to try potting them up inside before you return them it is worth a try. Use moist soil and lay the tubers on top of it, and get it under some lights, or a bright window.
The warmer temps inside, will help promt the eyes (growth spots) up near the stem (well stump of a stem)
FYI for your 'new' batch of lowes tubers. They look like skinney potatoes hanging from a main 'stem'. Each skinney potatoe (tuber) needs a part of the stem (collar) and a growth eye (part where they start growing from) in order to flower for you.
Roots will start to form BEFORE you see top growth. So if you are able to start them inside you should see roots in 2-10 days. Wait till your soil is 60* and plant them outside with the stem up and the potatoes dangling down. Or you can plant them on their side (horizontal) if it is easier, just try to keep the eye pointing up. I plant mine about 2-3 inches below the soil line. 2-3 inches from the tubers, not top of the stem. They are pretty hardy so they should be fine in less than ideal situations (too shallow, too deep, cock-eyed ect).
Good luck!
What kind did you pick up?
Keriann~
Nobody seems to have an answer for you, sorry. My first thought was hard water scale, but unless you're misting them, that doesn't make sense. Powdery mildew was another thought, but that is finely powdered and not very flaky.
How are the plants doing otherwise? Perhaps it's nothing much to worry you.
Hi Poochella,
Thank you for your reply. Plants are doing ok. One variety better than the other. The not so good variety now seems to have black on the a couple of leaves and the leaves tend to curl up? The white stuff is very flaky. Comes off very easy. I water at the base of the plants. I hope I am successful this year. I LOVE DAHLIA'S!!!
When your soil reaches 60* you should be good to go and not have rotted tubers due to cool soil AND spring rains. Many will say you can plant them anytime because you keep them in the ground but I would play it safe and wait till the soil was 60* so they can combat the heavy Spring showers.
I am very jealous that you can leave them in the ground : )
Happy Gardening
Keriann~
One of the growers of full sized dahlias in pots is commercial, selling cut flowers. One and two gallon pots have weep holes where moisture can drain and roots can sneak out. Teresa Bergman of Cowlitz River dahlias planted a show garden of dahlias that grew four feet and taller in 6 inch and smaller pots. Gordon Leroux of Kenora dahlias planted all of his seedlings in small pots and left all of the pots in the ground. They grew to normal size with normal sized flowers. He planted 2600 of them one year. The milk cartons would work fine if you remove some material on the bottom to let it drain(you probably did that already as you do not want to drown them).
Wow 18" would be one impressive "serving platter" dahlia! I've only been able to muster a mere 11" across here in a white ID with no name. Still pretty impressive for a flower.
On a side note, does anyone else find the Bing popup things the most annoying interruption in any online experience? Reminds me of telemarketer calls in days of yore.
We've had 15" Wyn's Conquistador get 15" without any problem-- & bigger when only 3-up (this is on late bloomers that are under the trees so don't mature very early- otherwisw we grow it as many up as it wants & it's still bigger than a basketball!) My brother-in-law grew a 17" one- the first dahlia he ever grew!
We have a seedling 06-01 that regularily gets upwards of 16" or so-
I was going to post pictures but now have to figure out how - Photobucket seems to have changed how you put pictures on here & I'm flummoxed! Or maybe it's the fault of Windows? Don't know but I'm stuck again!
yes- it can be planted & will grow just like any other tuber