3,226 Garden Web Discussions | Dahlias
Avalon is an informal cactus. It is a yellow & pink blend. Pink outside yellow towards centre, it blooms a lot. It is like the energizer bunny.Another early bloomer here is Audrey Grace, a knockout orange red color; very unusual;one of the hottest colors in the garden.It is a formal decorative, 5 in. blooms, 5ft tall. I just love it, of course I say that about a lot of them.Another is Aztec Gold a 9 in.4 ft. semi cactus,golden yellow and it is also a prolofic bloomer.
You are not crazy Jackie O. Keep tubers in the dark in a box or styrofoam cooler, or any cooler I guess, for insulation, ideally in a place between 35-45 degrees. I had a boxful out on the deck last night and we hit 32 overnight, but no harm done.
FLowergirl KS, In your zone I wouldn't try leaving them in the ground, unless you don't mind losing them. I'd just go ahead and get them out of the ground annually, and if you do it now, you have a greater chance at keeping them alive for next year.
My two cents worth.
Hovering at 32 degrees right now, frost on the rooftop but dahlias still look okay. I have a bunch of cut tubers shivering out in the garage- glad I threw a towel over them last night!
Jim, I feel for you cutting in the cold, dank, drippiness. Even on a fairly nice day it is a cool damp job to wash all those clumps. OUr soil is very moist this year too: all the way through the clumps, but I found if I take extra time to dig around all angles and gently wedge the clump up, there is not so much breakage. I'm trying to dig away as much top soil to lighten the load, as I can, then get rid of as much wet soil as I can before moving the clump very far.
Your 'wet mud/pulling with a rope' reminded me how easy it is to break those tubers with too much force or weight on them.
Good luck, and stay warm!
Al, I'm on the line between zone 5 and 4 right across the middle of the state so I usually consider myself a zone 4. However it was Oct. 22 before we had a killing frost and things on the south side of the house still are blooming away___like iris immortatily. And my castor beans.
Perfect time to dig! Don't worry about the new shoots, but when you go to divide whatever bounty might lie underground in the form of tubers, use those shoots' locations as little green guides on where to cut at the stalk/tuber junction. You'll hopefully have a viable, strong-necked tuber next spring with nearly guaranteed growing potential.
Good luck!
Pardon the blur, but arranged these tubers to show some varying sizes and shapes; Decent tubers are the 4 on the right. Double tuber could not be cut apart safely so will be stored that way- it's less than desirable in thinness, but worth a try. Most at risk is the skinny one on the far left: thin neck prone to breakage, rot, shrinkage if dried too long. I will still try to save it and see what happens. What have I got to lose?
Great! I can see from the paper towel the approx. size, and mine aren't a whole lot smaller. I feel better about trading tubers that are smaller than the "baker" size I sometimes receive from the commercial growers. Thanks for the effort, Puchella. I've been dividing every night and will have trade stock/inventory ready by weekend!
clay
Calpat, you have just had some sound advice and encouragement from two very knowledgeable dahlia growers. I totally agree with their comments and would like to associate myself with their remarks.
I looked at and enjoyed the diversity of your Picturetrail albums and invite you to view mine. A few of them are blank and the one marked Misc is really just a hodgepodge of items that I didn't classify.
Hang in there with the dahlias and before you know it you will be eligible to join us at Dahlias Anonymous.
Here is a link that might be useful: My Albums
Thank you all for the pep talks, I really am looking forward to next spring. At the moment I'm re-furbishing my back gardens so that there is some rhymne (sp) & reason, if that's possible. The magnifing glass I have along with other proper tools, if I mess up again, I'll just have to replace tubers, but hopefully I'll get it right! Bernie, I did check out your albums and your pix are delightful.
Poochellas, I'm really looking forward to planting next year, in the meantime I'm really studying all the pix of instructions.
Jroot, Growing Mums is as addictive as Dahlias, have your wife visit my album and enjoy! I'd love to share them with her.
Poochella, it hasn't frosted here yet and I still have gardens of dahlia's in bloom. I'm sure it will frost while I'm gone so my wonderful DH is in charge! He's a great guy, he will get them cut and capped. We are not suppose to get any major cold weather until the 5th and I will be back on the 3rd. What a way to end a holiday!
I never saw a picture of your red peony so I'm assuming my is not a red peony? What do you suppose he is?
I did this with my cannas last year, but one has to keep them a about 55 - 60 degrees.
My glads, I dug, cleaned, dusted with fungicide, and placed into paper bags about 10 per bag. Then I kept them in the cold cellar ( next to my dahlias )and they were fine. You don't have to worry about dehydration in the bulbs like you do with the tubers.
I would think you could do treat your caladium like your canna, but won't attest to that. I let mine freeze this year, as I completely forgot about them. Now they are soft and mushy.
Most of us do not use soil at all to store them for the winter. I assume that is what your question means. Most of us use a saran wrap method.
See about half way through this link. Bernie does an excellent demonstration of this technique.
Here is a link that might be useful: Check out Bernie's method about half way through this link
Nice job cleaning those roots up Jamlover. I break off sprouts now to store for winter. What grew once will grow again, being my motto. The dark brown one is indeed looking like the Mother tuber- usually worth composting, sometimes will regrow.
Isn't it amazing the growth that goes on below the ground as well as above? When my camera battery recharges I will take a shot of the longest tuber I've ever dug- I bet 16 inches easy. I think it was trying to go south for the winter!