3,226 Garden Web Discussions | Dahlias
Very cool that you're testing what might work best for you, Highlander!
I'm in Northwestern PA, zone 6, and left several clumps to overwinter of plants that seemed virused, wondering if the cold might eliminate the symptoms. They were sprinkled in three different beds, with different areas of protection (one had a garage to shield the wind, another two were planted 14inches out from a foundation wall with an overhang, others were in the open) . All three beds have never been waterlogged even in the worst torrential downpour. A couple had mounds of mulch to protect them from the worst of the cold. Not one tuber in six different clumps made it.
It would be really nice if that was a reasonable option for me, but I would not risk my whole crop to the whim of the winter. Even in storage, I separate out a few tubers from each variety to store separately, playing the odds that at least some will survive to grow the next season.
For a couple of years a friend of mine did not dig her dahlias, and they all came up here in southern Ohio. So last winter I decided I would try the same. By January it became apparent that this would be an unusual winter. So during a break in the weather in early January, I went out and dug the dahlia tubers. This spring, I started them all in pots. My friend lost 90% of hers. So the lesson is: Dig if you want to be safe.
You can lift and store the tuber over the winter if you like the plant, BTW. The little guys are no different from the large dahlia and store very well. The tubers are smaller and there are fewer of them, though.
They'll bloom even better the second year.
I've been posting in a different thread. Oops!! Plus, I need to go add a new one! :)
Here is a link that might be useful: State of the garden
Best bet is to dig the tubers a week after a hard frost, and store them between 45-60 degrees so you can grow many more of that same type next year. (Research 'dividing and storing dahlia tubers' in the GardenWeb search function or on google for details on that)
The 'big box stores' typically buy from companies in Holland that aren't really concerned with correctly labeling in the first place, and when you buy an unlabeled bag, the chances of identifying the variety is not likely.
There a several thousands of named varieties out there, and plenty of unnamed seedlings floating around. Even when you think it is a match with another dahlia picture, it wouldn't be right to trade or sell those tubers with another grower under that assumed name without lots of experience in dahlias, and/or growing the actual variety next to your no ID plant and having an experienced dahlia person compare them for you.
You can give it a garden 'nickname,' but make it clear to folks you gift to that you don't know its actual name.
Enjoy it- it's very pretty!
Cheers,
CC
Are there leaves left? If so, the dahlia will branch out and be fine--the break is above the ground. But flowering will be severely delayed.
If not, it may re-sprout. Watch and wait. Water the soil only if it gets very, very dry--dahlia without leaves don't require a great deal of water and you risk rot if you over-water.
Are they all like that? Do other dahlia in the same area produce similarly stunted flowers?
If the answers are yes and no respectively, it looks like a somatic variation in that particular dahlia tuber. While I know a person or two who'd kill for that dahlia, you don't care for it--so remove it at season's end (or now) and don't use it again.
If it's only on one part of the plant, remove that stem as close to the base as you can. I once had a Sky Angel (lavender with white accents) produce white with faint lavender accents at the tips. I chopped that branch off and discarded it.
If all plants in the area do that, you may have a resource shortage in the soil, a disease there, or some sort of invader that warps the flowers.
Herbicide damage is my guess. Most commonly caused by contaminated compost or manure. Herbicide products affect dahlias in minute concentrations and numerous people have had problems. No cure but plants will have fewer symptoms as the season goes on and they should be OK next year.
>>Lots of growers pulls off the side buds to allow that main middle one room and energy to grow bigger. It also allows for a longer cutting stem. Some growers of the smaller dahlias prefer to not disbud, and cut the stem with two immature buds with the middle fully open for bouquets. Typically, those immature buds will not open once the stem is cut, but they add a fun design element in the vase.
Some of us (me) leave them on the plant, deadhead the center blossom off when it's done, and have the fun of watching the side buds open.
Sure, the flowers are smaller, but they're dahlia flowers. What's not to love?
:-)
For the ones I cut for vases, I do leave the buds on the stem. They look great, but like you said, don't open.
As one who has bought from almost a dozen different vendors or stores over the years, it would NOT likely be the vendor, as Ted said. I have had tubers from at least 8 vendors where some grew and some didn't and ordered once from a grower and perhaps 60% that they sent never panned out.It's just part of the game with dahlias. Annoying, but not preventable.
I ordered a Hottie years ago that grew but never bloomed, the next year it hardly even grew but bloomed a couple of weak blooms, last year it was a dud before I dug up a 3x10 foot patch and put brand new soil and fertilizer in it and replanted the tubers. All did spectacular this year except Hottie. I finally tried to dig up the tuber and it had vanished! (Couldn't stand the good soil I guess)
All to say you pay your money and take your chances. But I wouldn't put the blame on Old House - there is no benefit for a grower to knowingly send duds out or risk getting a rep for bad tubers.
You gotta post picts of your green and blue dahlias for me, Morph! ;-)
It seems to me that I've received tubers with red ink, so I wouldn't think non-black would be an issue for longevity. As I have a rainbow selection of sharpies left over from my five year old's leg cast signing party, I think I might put them to good use for famous tuber autographs, too.
Ted's right about the low level of ink from the cheapie pens, though. Normally I rotate through three pens, keeping them point down, allowing them to 'rejuice' from hard use. It's even tougher on them if dirt gets on the felt.
I tried green flowers once--this year in fact, an Envy zinnia. Never again, the color is too muddy and not dominant enough for my gardens. So no green dahlia here, even if they exist!
I actually do have Blue Boy dahlia, but those are violet. Not that I'm complaining, I like violet. Particularly when fronted by a short orange marigold. :-)
In this case, I also have leftovers, so I'm content to kill them on the dahlias. Eventually I'll probably just get indelible pencils or something--I have enough use for things like that and they won't go to waste.