3,226 Garden Web Discussions | Dahlias
You guys and gals in zone 5 are much braver in planting so early than I in zone 7. If you cut off the frozen growth, the eyes will be sending out new shoots and likely more than one. You can let them all grow, or break off the extras that emerge, leaving just one main stalk. Your choice.
Unless you have a very deep, prolonged freeze again, there should be no need to dig up tubers. They'll do they're growing thing with a bit more warmth and no further help from you.
Have you considered terracing planting beds in that area? It would be quite a bit of work, but if they can do it in the Andes and in steep SE Asian slopes, so can you. My sunniest area is on a fairly sloped hill, but so far I'm only working on the base of it.
It would be entirely possible to cut out beds, bolster them on the downhill side and grow dahlias or anything else to your heart's content.
Here is a link that might be useful: Picture a hillside of dahlias here
It sounds like you don't have much choice, but to cut off the damaged parts. Often they will send up new shoots for you. If they are not planted in the ground, one should consider taking them indoors to a garage for the night, and then back out the next day. They will be okay on nights that are not so cold.
When you mention the you "placed a tarp" on them, I hope it is not a plastic tarp. That doesn't seem to work well for me. I prefer to use an old sheet which breathes, if it is cool. On clear nights, when the temperature is really low though, I always take them indoors. I never plant in the ground until ALL danger of frost is over. Here that is the 1st of June, but the plants have had the benefit of a month and a half of growing outdoors in pots.
I am going to plant mine this weekend. I think the beginning of May is a perfect time since it is when you should plant other frost sensitive plants like tomatoes. It looks like the weather will be great this weekend so go ahead and plant them. Even if by some rare chance we still have a frost you can cover them.
If you have a lot of bulbs, you might consider buying an old fridge, say one where the freezer no longer works. Then just turn the temperature up to above 40 and keep them in there. They can often be found for $50. Granted, they'll use more electricity than a new one.
Cheers,
Russ
If you want to encourage more side branches which will bear flowers, "top" the plant by snapping off the center of the uppermost growth at about 15" tall, or 3-4 leaf sets. It will produce a fuller plant, not shorter than it is destined to be genetically.
Just reach in with thumb and forefinger nails and snap off the center tip between two leaf nodes. This is easiest when the plant is cool and fullest of moisture: evening or early a.m. The only thing not to do is harm the little new growths on either side of your breaking point. You won't. It's easy as pie and a good way to get green thumbnails.
The link offers two very detailed methods of topping dahlias. It's a bit involved for my needs, but may be helpful.
Here is a link that might be useful: Dahlias.net
Lizalily-thanks for your input. I do like the anemonie and waterlily forms, but have to admit that I can't stand the ball or pom form-they look like brains or something to me. They just are a personal turnoff, though I'm sure a lot of people like them. They remind me of that eyeball plant Spilanthes-just gross me out for some reason!
Triple b, I like many of the collarettes, at least from the photos. I just hope I can overwinter them correctly! :0) I'm a hands-on learner...SHOW me, and I do fine. Try to read and just follow directions, that confuses me! :0) Phyl
You can easily take cuttings that root easily with no chemicals. All pots need to be sterile, use bleach. Use soiless mix such as Sunshine #3 or4 or something called germination mix. Do not use potting soil. Take cuttings by cutting them from tuber 1/16 of an inch above tuber. This will include the best part of the stem to root. Cutting material should be about 3 inches tall plus or minus one inch. Place cutting in moist soil mix in the small pot and place into a clear or white plastic bag and tie shut. Place pots in bags under florescent light source about 6 inches from the bulb. They will be rooted in 12 days. Temperature of area where this is done should be about 70 degrees. I have taken several thousand cuttings using this method.
I almost did the same thing. If you planted them 4 to 6 inches deep, they should be all right unless it remains in the 30 degree temp for a few days. Nothing I can think of you doing. I am sure they will be all right. I do have a few in and am more worried about the rain.
Hi garden83
Welcome
How are your eary starters working out? How many have you got going? I'm in Mass as well. I really would like to get my early starters out well,early but i am holding back. Today it was only in the 50's so i think i'm doing the right thing.
How long have you been a 'Dahlia Gardener'?
Update per Tracy's request:
I have 118 Dahlias, representing 18 varieties, in 4" pots that are definitely rooted. A few are >12" tall, however most are less but filling out nicely despite not being topped. These are largely from the 17 varieties I over-wintered from last year. A couple, like Emory Paul and Seduction, just barely made it giving me only 2 viable cuttings. I have a lot to learn about taking cuttings.
In addition to those above, I have 49 of my 68 Dahlias that I am planting in my own Dahlia gardens rooted in 4" pots. This represents 32 of the 48 varieties Im planting this year. There are 5 varieties, all 2008 tubers, which I have not yet been able to take a cutting from (despite them arriving on March 12.) At least they all have eyes. Ive had only one dud 2008 tuber, a Sayonara, but luckily I ordered 4 of them.
My inexperience in taking cuttings has led to days where I take a lot, but none take root. I was under-watering thinking it would stimulate root growthwhich I now believe to be totally wrong thanks to some advice. I also think I was taking cuttings either too early or simply not ensuring that there was a viable node going into the soil. At one point a week or so ago I went through all of my cuttings and dipped those that werent growing into rooting hormone. I think this exercise was a mistakedisturbing them wasnt a good idea I think.
Meanwhile, I replaced my lighting in my sunroom and built a bench in there to sit the 4" pots on. The bench is 16 long and 16" wide. I found some stove protectors that hold 16 4"x4" pots perfectly, and the bench holds 12 of these trays. Thats room for 170 Dahlias. The new lighting fills my 20x20 sunroom amazingly, and is only costing me ~1.2kWhr/day running 14 hours. Im going out tomorrow to get the pieces for another bench of the same size, as the first one is almost completely full. If my new idea for a shelf works out, Ill re-arrange the lighting to hang more closely to the plants and eliminate my rack shelving I had in the main house. Right now the sunroom lighting is ~8 above the lights so I know it could be better, but the Dahlias dont seem to be suffering.
I could use some advice on small stakes. A few of the Dahlias are getting to the point where they could use some staking. I have 36" stakes, but theyd be too big I think in a 4" pot amongst others.
Meanwhile, I planted a few old tubers in some indoor containers. I want to see if I can keep these growing year round. Im using Lemon Tart and Purple Taiheijo for this experiment. I have one small Lemon Tart tuber clump that has 2 main stems which Im allowing to grow as is. Its amazing, and it wouldnt surprise me if I see blooms starting this week. The dogs managed to break off the best Purple Taiheijo stem, but luckily there are several others there ready to take its place.
Outside, my new Dahlia gardens around the pond and stream have been finished. It remains only for me to go out and measure and paint in my Dahlia codes. Im a little worried that my design isnt going to transfer to real-life 1:1, cause Im not sure where Ill put them if not there. This week were having rain, and possibly snow, so I have time to think about it;-]
I made up a binder of my pictures of my 2007 Dahlias so people coming to buy have something to look at. I made each picture "life sized" to give them the best impression. My first ad ran last Friday and I sold 2 on Saturday, at $5 each. I was sorta hoping sales would free up space on my benchwishful thinking;-]
Finally, I will admit to being overwhelmed as Dale suggested before. I am being ruthless with my cuttings now, especially for my 2007 tubers. If I have a viable cutting, and a new cutting isnt rooting, I toss it. Ive had so many different thoughts about what a good cutting is Im losing perspective. All I know is that I cant stand a wilted and black-leafed cutting. After taking more than 400 cuttings, Im now really only interested in making sure I get viable cuttings from those that I have not yet gotten. I still hold out hope that all of my plantings will be from cuttingsbut if I have to; Ill plant tubers come the 24th of May.
Live and learnright;-]
I will have time to do the web site once my Dahlias are planted out, or, after I decide to stop taking cuttings. Sorry, but it will be there for next year, I promise.
Cheers,
Russ
well you can certainly start sprouting them indoors. Put them on newspaper in a warm place. make sure they don't dry out. Check them and if they are getting a bit wrinkly give them a light mist of water. That will hopefully hold you until planting time and give you a head start. In addtion when you see eyes pop and sprout you will know which way to face them in the hole. (laying flat, sprouts facing up.)
Those "fingers" that fell off won't grow - they aren't attached to a part of the stem so won't have any eyes. Whoever told you they would grow doesn't know much about dahlias- or was lieing to you.
Did you see any eyes- or shoots on the tubers that you planted? How soon they come up depends on how deep you planted them & how warm it is where they are planted- dahlias like the ground to be about 60* - if it's cold & wet they'll likely just sit there & not grow until the ground warms up- or they'll rot if it's really cold & wet.
Ellie
Thanks Ellie, I feel rather let down by the supplier. Oh well! The tubers themselves were planted with the eyes about 3-4 inches below the surface. The temp has warmed considerably here in the last week or so but I dont know the soil temp exactly. I shall wait and see. I have dedicated quite a large area to dahlias so hopefully they will come on strong. Thanks again. Kat
I live in Springfield missouri and for four years havn't been digging up my dahlias. Well they are already coming up again this spring. I have about 30 clumps along my fence. When I planted them I dug holes about 5 or 6 inches deep. I don't put mulch on them in fall. They are in full sun so maybe in the winter the sun keeps the ground warm. They are the tall variety, getting from four to seven feet tall in august.
it is so hard to tell when "All danger of frost has past" these days with Climate Change. I mean we thought we were done with snow two weeks ago (and the weather the weekend before it was lovely) and yet there it was.
Ma Nature has gone all hormonal on us.
Looking up historical lows gives you a pretty good idea, despite climate change. For me its pretty easy, I just remember a few years ago when a bunch of kids were camping on my lawn and the temperature went down to 0C on a May 24th weekend.
Another mistake people seem to make is planning for planting out pre-started Dahlias versus when others plant out tubers with eyes. In-ground frost has already past, and if you consider it would likely take 6 weeks for a plant to emerge from the soil, you realize that they aren't likely to be subjected to air-frost prior to mid-june in my zone, later if the tubers went in on May 24 as is customary around here.
Cheers,
Russ