3,226 Garden Web Discussions | Dahlias
I've used Shultz Moisture Plus Watering Crystals, they used to sell it at Wal-Mart and Soil Moist, which is sold at Pike here in Atlanta GA. I use the crystals for my Window boxes and it keeps my plants alive. Other than that , they would surely die, because my boxes are up high and the heat is relentless. You only need a tiny bit for each plant or else you will have a ton of jelly like beads all over the place that will eventually surface.
Yipeee!!!
My dahlias are now planted. Just came home from wintering in Florida. Checked my tubers and they wintered just fine. Most eyed up nicely. Bought 14 new varities for this season. I have way more than I need and will probably give many away and make someone else a Dahlia lover.. So excited for this season...
Sue
The stem should root if it had a couple of small roots on it. If they don't have any roots I like to put them in potting soil in bright shade until they lift their heads again which indicates they have rooted. Then into filtered sunlight just like hardening off seedlings or cuttings. Once they have a strong enough root system you can put them back into the garden or grow as a pot root.
Plant the tuber also as two or four more eyes will form and grow from the original eye.
I had a 4 ft stalk of a dahlia break at the tuber last 2 years in a row. In both years, I jammed the whole stalk down into a container and let it go - and they bloomed nicely both years. When I dug them up they had made small tubers off the stem. I think you have to keep the soil moist because it has a lot of green plant growth to transfer water to, so you wouldn't want to stress the plant by drying it out.
I assume the research you mentioned was Jroot's and Poochella's postings and photos repectively about spring and fall dividing. They are excellent.
You know Laura, when your friend sees how many tubers you come up with this fall and how compactly one can store them (I tried saran wrap for the first time with success) she may regret giving up those clumps!
Happy blooming.
They want to be well drained, but at the same time like to be watered.
I have found all kinds of critters like to chew on them. I had a lovely shot of a squirrel eating the lower leaves of my dahlia right on my deck right in front of me. That being said, put it back and let it grow.
I find that the bottom leaves often droop. I actually usually trim off the bottom 4 inches of leaves ( once the plant is big enough) so that I get better air circulation and prevent mold on the lower leaves.
Hi jroot-
Thanks for responding. I read a posting where you told someone you cut the bottom leaves off for better air circulation and to prevent mold---and frankly, after I saw that, I did the same and trimmed.
But the fact that "lower leaves often wilt" is news to me and certainly nothing I noticed last year... If the top 2/3rds of the plant weren't doing so well I would be tempted to pull it up and see whats going on with the tuber itself--The fact that I started it in regular potting soil and had to water fairly frequently, makes me wonder if I have some tuber rot going on---
Anyway, about those squirrels, there may be 8 million people in the naked city, but there's 8 million critters out here...and I am sure out where you are.
Hope you've started planting.
Patricia
Midnightgirl - are you sure May 15 is your last frost date? I'm zone 5 but usually we don't count on frost being out of the picture till the end of May, when we plant non-hardy annuals.
http://www.avant-gardening.com/zone.htm
PS on the lilacs, mine are in full bloom the first week of May now and we are getting night time temps in the low 40's. I think they are early - they also aren't as heavy as previous years. Lots of things look a little odd this year - all those warm weeks during the winter and then the hard freezes and snow in April.
I finially planted them and the last of my summer bulbs and tubers this past Wednesday. I figgure it was finially late enough. I think they are going to look really great with some glads placed between and some cannas planted behind them.
Thanks J!
If only April could have been a little nicer to us? I wasn't able to get my plants out of the basement and into the garage in earl April or out of doors until very late Apr for better lighting and then had to bring them in almost every night because of the unusual freezing cold nights. (We set a record for the Snowiest and Coldest April).
Then we had frost about ever third day during May up until just the other night and cold very nights. (Our last frost date on average is May 9). I hope the season fairs better as we go along.
I'm early to bed as a rule and on the eleven o'clock news they were going to have a segment on "Our Changing Way of Gardening" (in Central - Upstate NY) due to climatic changes. We get enough bad news as it is so I hit the sack early.
Thanks again for the info! I'm glad to know about the 4" and usually follow pot level. You as well as others give such great information when needed.
Jim
All I can say is what works for me:)
Ah yes, indeed, we may be changing our way of gardening. Water is becoming a more costly unless one has access to a natural water source. I live on a river bank, but I am a LONG way UP a steep bank and through the bush from the river. I have been concentrating on brugmansia and dahlias here, as well as the other normal perennials, but the brugs in particular are very thirsty, and food hogs as well. That may have to change. Ah well, we are always up to a new challenge.
Your guess is correct- they won't be happy in constantly saturated soil. Could you plant them in a pot on a rock slab or at least high above that flooded soil, or berm them up a foot or so? The tubers won't grow far down, 8-12 inches maximum, but they would definitely suffer in constantly wet soil.
I wonder if the water company would pay attention to the leak if house foundations were undermined. That's a real shame to be so wasteful of a valuable resource.
Thanks for the advice. I think I'll put them into a single large pot on a slab (and try to remember to water them!)
And yes, Thames Water are absolutely useless. Last year we had very low rainfall and consequently a hosepipe ban from spring through to late winter of this year. Yet it's estimated that around a third of the water supply is lost through leaks before it even reaches customers.
And here's another excellent site with great photos in the "Learning Center."
Here is a link that might be useful: Mid Island Dahlia Society Site
Thank you! I am so relieved, as I hate to remove stems that seem to be growing so enthusiastically. Just want to say - thanks to you and others here, I was able to make 4 plants out of one much desired dahlia that I bought this year (a big clump which was showing several eyes). And I felt so proud I divided correctly!
Thanks again,
Anna
Well done, Anna.