3,226 Garden Web Discussions | Dahlias
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
I have just about finished dividing my Dahlias. Leaving them to dry a perhaps a couple of days, spreak out on a table in the garage.
I usually put my cuttings in a big container of vermiculite, and that seems to work.
Sometimes though, in my case, as I am not back from FLorida, until early May I have put them directly into black plastic pots, individually, then fill the pot with bagged potting soil. The nice light stuff.
In that way, by the time I am back, shoots are coming up on some. The problem is, that this takes a lot of space and more work. Does seem to be a good solution for me.
I am going to try wrapping some individually though, in Sarah wrap.
All to late, that great suggestion, of friends over for working together and sharing. Sharing bottles of wine, that is. Sounds such a great idea.
There is always next year.
Thanks again Poochella.
Carribbean Fantasy is only the second dahlia I've grown (other than all the ones from seed). The other one I grew at my old house in pretty much the same conditions as CF. It was a big pink cactus (I think it was called Park Princess). It got really tall and wide, but I only got a few blooms out of it and had some buds that just stayed in the bud stage forever. With CF it is LOADED with buds and blooms. It's been blooming like crazy since the beginning of September.
Is CF just a bloom machine of a cultivar? Are there certain ones that bloom better than others?
I don't know CF personally, but yes; some bloom more prolifically than others. Some are stingy, slow monsters when it comes to blooming, and some just spit out new buds overnight. I am finding it very tough to cut down the dahlias still blooming. Forced myself to cut another 6-7 tonight. BOO! It will be hard to decide who goes next as each day passes.
Would you be interested in trading dahilias for something other than Dahlias? I've been wanting to try dahlias.
So...is this our new Dahlia Exchange? Seems simple enough to me :-)