3,226 Garden Web Discussions | Dahlias

Yeah, you're probably right on the immature. 4 of the 5 are volunteers from the previous season. I've put them with slightly dampened peat in a ziplock bag so hopefully in a few days they'll be back to normal.

I bet they were dried by placing them on the concrete floor of the garage. Concrete very quickly dries out tuber clumps. They should store fine if you divide them.

Thanks, CC, for your response. Think I will try the shredded paper on one group of extra tubers of a common pink dahlia.

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.

Could it be 'Marlene Joy' from Dan's Dahlias, Oakville, WA? "Very showy, blooms with white petals tipped in hot pink."

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

Love them all! I have cornbride on order! Awesome!! Will def look for breakout and apricot brandy. Thanks everyone!!

Shilo Jazzman Also bloomed quite creamy in my garden, next to Blizzard which was defintiely whiter.

If you haven't grown Peaches N Cream you really ought to try it...(Note, this is not the same as Peaches and Cream.)

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!

Sadly, the season is over. But happily, I get to finally dig and check out what kind of presents I have waiting for me! Already planning 2014 gardens, and swapping wish lists with grower friends. Lots of fun!

Jessica, beautiful in cold rapture.

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

Thanks Lin, I was told that they don't bloom here until the end of Oct. Our first frost is almost always after Thanksgiving.

Then there is a good chance!
In my zone it is hopeless without startig it in a greenhoese or something.

But it was still very impressive (4 years ago, I meant).
Welll then, good waiting,
Bye lin

Hi Sheryl, I have a way to store cannas that has been fabulous. when I dig them up I leave the dirt around them put them in a plastic bag slightly moist and put them in the basement. they are ready to go in the spring with large eyes and take off like crazy. I treat them like the dahlias ,I let them get frosted then leave them in the ground for a week. My basement is around 65. they are different from the dahlia tubers because they need to be a little moist. You might try doing this with one to see if it works for you:)
For your small tubers try separating them, wash them ,soak them in a one part bleach and water for a few minutes, then dry really good then wrap them in saran wrap. I only lose about 5% of my tubers this way and I store a 1000. Like with the cannas ,maybe try a couple to see if it helps. Cindy

Thanks for the tip about the Canna! Mine were getting too dry with the dahlias, I guess, because they had a pretty slow start, too. I'll try what you suggested this year.

It's good to hear another grower storing in the 60-65 degree range, as that is what I have to contend with, as well. The long-time growers often say no more then 55, but obviously that's just not feasible for many of us.

With the Saran Wrap method, if there is temp fluxuation, I would not use it. I played with a portion of my tubers last season on the cold porch, and condensation got trapped next to the tubers causing some to rot and some to sprout. The growers I know that wrap with great success all have cold cellars that are a constant temp.

Here is a link that might be useful: Saran Wrap method

Hurray for the resurrection of shriveled dahlias! They are often tough little buggers. "Pooh" will be back in my garden this year too- so bright and cute.

Jerry D, my thought regarding your question is if you're going to dig a dahlia up, why not just store it in a bag or pot of vermiculite or wood shavings vs soil? Same amount of work, or less, and you'd be using a proven storage media. You can still check moisture levels through the dormant season. Perhaps an experiment of storing some in soil, some in shavings/vermiculite would be interesting to try.

I'm curious as to why many of the tubers I've had curing for a couple days are already "rubbery" and others shriveling? I only dug a couple of 'em up but have about 20 still to get to and am nervous I'm gonna kill 'em.