3,226 Garden Web Discussions | Dahlias
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Here is a link that might be useful: Dahlia vendor and variety list
I've noticed that, once dug up, a clump of tubers gets colonised by mould etc within 2 or 3 weeks, especially in a shed which, although having some ventilation, the weather is damp. As for dividing them, if only tubers could be divided as easily as a bunch of Bananas!
If they've been grown in a pot, you're looking at a tightly congested mass, having a mulititude of thin stems where you just don't know where to start.
It's not so bad when they've had the extra space of open ground, as the individual tubers are larger and spread out, and have a thicker, main stem. I think that the loose 'floppy' tubers, which have a very thin neck, can be detached, but others are bonded onto the main stem, which makes any knifework a daunting prospect.
Tubers grown early on in a pot are compressed and contorted. This includes especially, plants grown from rooted cuttings. I divide hundreds of such clumps each year and get an average about 3 viable sections. They may not look like tubers but each section has at least one viable eye and they store well. In the UK it is common practice to store clumps or partially divided clumps over the winter and then they are used to produce sprouts to make rooted cuttings. While many growers may not do this, the commercial sellers do so and then sell the rooted cuttings to the back yard gardener. The prices of such rooted cuttings is less than what we pay here in the USA for tubers or rooted cuttings.
Yes, when I dug up my Dahlias, there were many in the soil between those bulb parts. I guess they like the soil and mulch stuff (cut stems and bits) to feed on.
I tried to wash them off with a hose,
Not wanting them or nasty cutworm things in the boxes while storing the bulbs.
Bye, Lin
From Dr. Saar's website called wild dahlias:
Dahlias are plants of the uplands and mountains, most frequently at elevations between 1,500 and 3,700 m (4,900-12,100âÂÂ), where frost usually occurs during the winter months but the ground does not freeze. They frequently grow in a vegetation zone described by Leopold (1950) as a âÂÂpine-oak woodland,â where open, scattered stands may be dominated by pines in some places and oaks in others. These woodlands are usually situated between the oak scrub and high pine forests, and Arbutus is a frequent associate. In a few instances, Dahlias such as D. tenuicaulis occur in a zone of Pinus and Abies at elevations near 3,000 m (9,800âÂÂ). The habitat for D. macdougallii is a cloud forest of epiphyte-covered tropical hardwoods in southern Mexico south of the 18th parallel. On a collecting trip in 1995, D. foeniculifolia was observed growing along road cuts through oaks and mimosoid scrub at elevations as low as 950 m (2,800âÂÂ) (Saar, 1999
HI
Dahlia foeniculifolia Sherff, American journal of Botany 38:70. 1951
This is in the section Entemophyllon which includes dissecta, scapigerioides, rupicola, and linearis.
Most of these have long lived stems giving them a similar appearance to the "Caudiciform" xerophytes of South Africa and Madagascar. Cultivation is similar also in that they need Summer moisture and a dry rest over Winter. Not frost hardy and so far difficult to root from cuttings.
The method that has worked most reliably for me is to just dig up the whole dahlia tuber clump including the surrounding garden soil and pot it up in a large pot or 5 gallon bucket. i fill the cracks with more garden soil and then store the container in a location that stays just above freezing like an unheated basement or garage. It's ok if the soil has a bit of moisture but it shouldn't be totally water logged. I find that my tubers come out of storage nice and firm with no shriveling or rot using this method. It does make for some heavy lifting but it has been the most reliable method for me. You probably wouldn't want to do huge quantities this way. I've done about 120 clumps this year often storing 2 clumps per 5 gallon bucket. I divide in the spring.
I tried the plastic wrap method last year with mixed results. I had some rot and I stored a lot of tubers without eyes because the eyes are not very visible in the fall and you have to divide in the fall if you are using the plastic wrap method. It definitely cut down on storage space and weight though.
Tanjoh is definitely the right colors, but not quite the same bloom.
I went to Seatac Gardens today with a flower, hoping he might be able to id, but he didn't know it. All I can guess is that I got a mismarked package from someplace. Such a puzzle!
davidinsf: I know you said you might want to try this one next year. I only have one plant, and want to grow two of them next year, but if I get more than two tubers off this plant, I'd be glad to send you one. I don't dig in the fall though. I live very close to the water, so it's very temperate here, and I leave my dahlias in the ground all winter. I pull them in the spring, divide, and put them right back. PM me if you are interested in waiting.
If you have multiples of each varieties, I'd hedge my bets and dig one while leaving the other in.
If you leave them in, you should protect the clumps from too much moisture and excessive cold. Some small growers turn large pots over the clumps, others tarp and dump leaves or mulch over them.
Hey thank you CCVacation! :)
your words really have a lot of experiences to learn.
So it needs more nutrient..What elements do you give it? NPK?
My dahlia is still a seedlings, and sadly it withered a few days ago, :(
honestly growing dahlias is a big mystery for me, for sometimes it likes water, but sometimes not.
But as a newbie I'll try and try...hope I'll succeed then to grow it hydroponically
Rainbow, where are you located?
There are tons of articles available that speak to the fertilizers recommended for dahlias, on dahlias.net and dahlia.org and elsewhere.
My theory is go as organic as possible, with low fertilizer numbers, because I don't want to burn the good bacteria and bugs/worms in/above my soil. I don't til, and haven't used noxious pesticides; many preying mantis, bees and worms are throughout my beds.
I use alfalfa pellets under my tubers, with lime and bonemeal, some three-month release fertilizer for tomatoes, and an organic low-number lawn fertilizer that takes all summer to break down. I dig in composted leaf mulch into the trenches in the fall so the worms will work on it during the winter. Overall, I encourage nature to keep the balance, instead of forcing it.
I have not grown dahlias from seeds, preferring to have established named cultivars that provide tubers for next season's plants.
Cheers,
CC
These stems break crisply off, always straight with plenty of length. It was the third one to bloom for me in early July, and is finally getting a bit tired late in the season... But still popping awesome blooms out with occasional open centers. There are so many good companion varieties to blend with this one in bouquets. Just a delight to work with!
Pulse watering is worth looking into if you are growing in zone 10. Basically, it's less water more frequently, allowing the plants to take sips to stay hydrated through the day. Check out the link describing it... Great info on the site about other topics, too.
Winkie Dahlia is in a very hot part of Australia, and John has figured out how to get dahlias to thrive in extreme heat. Heard him speak at the national show this year, and got to known him a bit. He has a wit about him that'd make your eyes cross... Laughed so hard my sides hurt!
Here is a link that might be useful: Pulse watering from Winkie Dahlias
Since no one in that planting zone responded, I'll give you my two cent Monopoly money...
Once you dig the tubers, I would not replant the disturbed roots until spring. Here's my theory on why-- there are lots of fine hair roots that feed the tuber, providing it with an immune system of sorts. If you sever that feeding system in a non-growing time of year, that tuber might rot with the winter rains. I wouldn't want to risk it.
Lots of growers in nice year-round climates dig every fall with the rest of us cold-zoned growers, as it allows them to divide and in turn get more vigorous plants. It also avoids rot when the plant is not actively growing.
Hope this helps, and that someone in your zone adds their thoughts.
Cheers!
CC
Thank you cc!! I read the Georgia dahlia society on the internet and it said to wait til spring to dig up and divide. I sooooo hate to store things over winter so I think I will just wait til April and dig them up then and divide. I'm hoping they will be fine. Your advice was very helpful in steering me in the right direction if I do decide to divide now. Thanks for your help!! Judy
Diane, you're welcome to check out the public albums in my Facebook account... Specifically, Riverside Garden and Dahlia Hill shows overviews of public gardens. They are both really neat locations. I haven't downloaded some other garden overviews to the FB page yet. Perhaps I should make the time to do that.
CC
Here is a link that might be useful: Photo albums of dahlias and gardens
Hi Diane
I studied kind of "land use policies/politics and landscape architecture". At the Mainau I was with the planning department and was involved with next years annual`s bedding design, counting gazillions of spring bulbs for next year`s order and lots of other plant related planning stuff.
Very interesting time,
well, all the best for your grandson,
bye, Lin
From what one grower in Gainsville told me, the dahlias start blooming Feb/march, slow down in midsummer, and take off again when it cools down in the fall/early winter. Effectively, there are two growing seasons in a given year.
There is no dahlia society in Florida, but Georgia's website has a list of the top heat-tolerant varieties and other goodies.
www.dahliasocietyofgeorgia.com
Here is a link that might be useful: Southern Growing Guide