3,226 Garden Web Discussions | Dahlias
Well, I'm so glad you didn't give up and that you posted! Look what you got out of the deal: a beautiful flower and buds! The thing with the 5 o'clock tuber is it isn't connected to the eye on the stalk. I think I can see the eye even from the photo.
The eyes/future dahlia growth will feed off the stored energy in the tuber attached to it until roots develop to feed the plant further. If they're not attached to the tuber as a whole unit, I don't know what to tell you to expect except the eyeless tuber will do nothing, and the eyed stumpy piece from the stem might follow suit. Sometimes, I've had whole plants go on to grow from a little remaining stump of a rotten/rotting tuber. These amazing plants... it seems they know few limits sometimes.
In the interest of experimentation, try to save the part of the stalk where that eye is at 5:00 and see what happens. You won't need much of the stalk at all, just part of the harder brown part where tuber meets stalk. The worst that can happen is you'll have a bit more fodder for your compost pile. More importantly, I would still carefully cut out a bit of the stalk/collar with that smaller "12:00" tuber still attached. See if you can save it, or if it develops an eye by Spring. If all else fails, I think I've got one Otto's Thrill I can send you just to celebrate your success in the face of catastrophe.
Well done, Alyrics! You should change your name to "Lucky"
Poochella you are so nice, thank you for inspiring me! Its a lot different doing it vs reading about it - ha!
I just wanted to ask - would it be better to cut away the stem with the tiny tuber attached or leave the stalk as is - cutting off the top excess? The roots were all at the base of the stem where its knobby looking and I wondered if there might be eyes or maybe future tubers there? I have no idea what I'm talking about do I?
Oh- that other white flower is my favorite tender bulb - Acidanthera - they are from S. Africa and wonderfully fragrant and bloom in August and Sept - altho this year they were still blooming when I took them out Nov 13th. They have a little 1 inch white bulb that you take up and store for the winter and can replant in the spring - more or less like a glad I suppose. I've never even used any bulb dust on them, I just put the bulbs in a paper bag and store for the winter - the major problem being dessication if stored too warm. - See how barbaric I've been up till now? They are also quite cheap so if all fails just replace them - I paid $8.89 for 100 at Costco in the spring. Many other bulb sellers have them also. They perfume the whole area - I can walk on my deck when the evening air is still and you can smell them when you open the door.
Why Jroot, I already HAVE biceps that are amazing. They're called 'turning the compost pile regularly' and 'cleaning the barn with one short pitch fork.' I can't wait to let them wither a bit over winter- they are tired!
A bouncer? I'm way too nice. If someone was out of hand I'd politely say "Be nice!" Of course, I could take that ten foot lead pipe to work to look more authoritative....
I have seen photos of the dahlia imperialis' incredible growth. I've often marveled at the unbelievable growth of your average 4 ft dahlia, but this thing is a monster with a monster growth rate. With any luck I will have something to post next year.
Jroot, my Dahlia freezes down to the ground every winter so it has brand new growth every spring. The stalk on my plant is maybe 1 1/2" wide.
I was in a courtyard garden in Sonoma yesterday and spotted a the biggest Dahlia imperialis I have ever see. Their was multiple woody stalks on this one which were about 4" wide. It was at least 10' - 11' tall, maybe taller. Sonoma does not get the regular hard frost that we do here, so it looks like this one does not get knocked back by the frost. It appears though that it was planted in a spot that has a constant flow of foot traffic right next to it and judging by all of the hacked off old stalks pointing towards the sidewalk, it probably has had tendency to lean over the sidewalk. My guess is that it does not get a chance to bloom. Unfortunately I did not have my camera with me, but I need to go out there again next week so I am going to make a point of trying to visit this garden again and get some pics. If I am successful I will post those.
Jamlover- The new seedlings get a surprisingly large clump of tubers. The husband sometimes gets around 10 tubers off of each one. Darn- he's got all the seedlings cut up & in their bins for the winter or I'd take a snap for you- oh well- next year! When we started using heat mats to start the seeds the new babies got a bigger clump of roots than before which led to a bigger bunch of tubers in the fall. Then we put in underground irrigation & the clumps got WAY bigger. They love to get their water directly at the roots.
Willow- thanks- that one is the one most people on the dahlia net commented on, too.
There are several types of wild dahlias, from small ones not bigger than a Sweet William to those towering monsters 9 ft tall. Unfortunately you don´t see them oftenly now growing wild, wild growing dahlias are a memory of my youth when I saw them growing along the road sides and in places where cattle used to roam right here in my grandfather´s ranch and I´m not THAT old. The reason why they like lots of water is because they grow during the rainy season from June to September, that´s when the Altiplano gets most of it´s rainfall. The way you can differentiate a wild one from a cultivated one is by the flower type, wild dahlias are single petal blooms with simple colors and are very easy to propagate by seeds, bees love them because they produce huge ammounts of polen.
Yeah, you don´t need those roots, funny, on all instructional sites about dahlias they always show a clean clump like the one in the second picture, you look at it and the first thing you think is that dividing is a piece of cake, then when you lift your clumps they look anything but the image you had in mind when you dug them up, and there you are, staring at that mass of roots feeling like an idiot not knowing what to do.
Store whole clumps and look for eyes in Spring as Jroot says or, just go ahead and guess at division now. If you think there might be an eye on a decent tuber, save it. I mark those "?Eye?" If it turns out to be a dud in warmer weather, not much was lost but a bit of time cutting it. You also don't waste much time waiting for a dud to sprout (as I do every Spring.)
I did something I hope will work. Like you I have been waiting for the usual frost that hasn't happened. I took all my tubers up last weekend and cut the stalks down to about6" long, bundled them up with like types together in paper bags and bound them. Then I hung them stalk side down - or upside down to cure. We are finally supposed to get some colder weather this week. I read the dahlia society pages and all their recommendations but I know I'm having 15 people for THanksgiving dinner and I have a lot to get done before and it sure looks like if I followed the Society's directions I'd be out there with the turkey digging tubers. I read on the P. Allen Smith website he recommended taking the tubers up and hanging them upside down for 4-5 weeks to cure. So I thought I'd try it. I don't know if I'll let it go 4-5 weeks because then I'll be running into Christmas and I just know me - I won't get it done and it will bug me. Hope this works!
It is so sad to see the ponds around us drying up!! My dahlias are ready to come out of the ground, tho. Frost has hit several times. These were my lst yr. with these dahlias...someone gave me a bunch of tubers and they are all very dark red. Boo hoo... They are impossible to see unless you are within 3 or 4 feet. I live on a busy highway and want COLOR!!! Better luck next year with something else. Enjoy your day; it's 71 here!!!
Hi ginnier,
Alas, a dahlia grower not to far from home. Have you dug yours yet? Mine are all out and the weather is settling in leaving me glad it is finished.
Will you have any tubers to trade? Take a list at my small offering of tubers to exchange if you are interested. Jean
We got our from Gardener's Supply Co. at 128 Intervale Rd., Birlingtom VT 05401. You can call them & get a catalog - 800-863-1700. Guess it wasn't in the mid-west after all- unless they've moved the mid-west a tad to the east!
Stuber's in Snohomish, WA also carries the mats. Both of these places are a lot less expensive than Charley's Greenhouse- much as I love to go there & drool over all their neat stuff, they are pretty high priced.
Most of the mats that are variable temp. you have to buy the thermostat seperately- but they're well worth it.
I would avoid the heating cables that you put in sand in a tray- they're a pain - temp. very hard to control.
Oh, now I feel like a twitt- the husband just told me (& had the paperwork to prove it- don't ya just hate that!!) that we got our heat mats from PRO-GROW Supply Corp. 12675 West Auer Avenue, Brookfield, WI 53005. They're not a wholesale place so anyone can order & they had the best prices of any we looked up. Good quality, too- we got the first one in 1992 & it's still going strong.
At least that's closer to the mid-west -- the part I did remember!
Here is a link that might be useful: PRO-GROW -- Heat Mat supplier
Putzer: good evidence that one should dig and divide annually to avoid that screaming hassle. Your neighbors will appreciate it! Even if you do divide annually, some clumps are still tough customers. With luck, you will have saved something viable.
Plantlady, did you use any kind of fungicide before wrapping or storing in vermiculite? I used both methods last year with great results. The year before storage in quarter clumps in peat moss with a sustained freeze was a total tear jerker though. Rot, rot and more rot. Live and learn, and learn some more, I guess...
We don't use any kind of fungicide on the tubers- used sulphur one year & I had a very bad reaction to it- ended up in hospital-- so now they have to get rid of their fungus if any on their own! We do use a fungicide during the growing season on the plants & that may help as we have really healthy plants & the tubers store well without any rot.
I hate powdery mildew ! when the rainy season starts down here all that moisture is not good for my dahlias. But I use a simple remedy my granny taught me when mildew attacked her roses, baking soda, 2 teaspoons in a pint of water and a light spray and mildew dies in an eyeblink.
I'm in zone 9a/b, northern California! I wait till early March to plant my tubers, but we don't get freezes(well, maybe once in while.) But I'm also a newbie with Dahlia, first year was great, 2ndyear nothing, so I'm studying & trying to remember all the steps to their good growth & health. Yes they are prolific in Mexico!
I am in Poinciana and am also new to dahlias. I ordered 6 tubers in March 2005. All have thrived beyond my expectations. I probably should have pruned them but at one point several were as high as the house (11') They got a big sunburned in August but are doing beautifully again now. I plan to leave these in the gound over the winter to see how they do. I will order new tubers for delivery in late January. I ordered from Corralitos Gardens and was very pleased.
That's a fine woman you've got there Jroot! I do the same thing in terms of doling out flowers AND exhausting myself LOL. We had very few bouqeuts actually stick around the house this summer. I see them all in the gardens. Give your neighbors some cucumber seeds and maybe they'll get the hint!
me too. That's where I got mine. LOL
I was too abusive and all my Home Depot tubers died. I will have to be more conscientious next year or order it from Arts.
Sharon