3,226 Garden Web Discussions | Dahlias

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.

Do moose munch on dahlias? I couldn't imagine an effective deterrent for them, as I understand they habitually like to squash dogs that bark at them.

It makes sense you not wanting to meet a massive wall of muscle and antler in the dark, or a grizzly for that matter, though I would have been tempted, with dahlia craze still blazing...

The moose don't eat the dahlias, but they tromp all over them (and the iris and lilies) on the way to the delicacies they love...almost everything else in the garden.

All my tubers are now dug and stored, so I can move on to cleaning up the yard/garden for winter.

Thanks for the thoughts, looks like I better get to work soon!

Michigan has great Dahlia societies and Fabulolus growers

Mid Michigan Midland has huge dahlia gardens

Thanks both for the follow up!

The tubers were all purchased from Dan's Dahlias. I've never had an issue with growing from there before. The only difference this year is that I made a box to place in my yard- it gave them a couple add'l hours of sun each day. I had no slug troubles, and being in the city I don't have to deal with deer.

As for the repeat blooms, not one single plant had add'l blooms after the first 1-3 flowers died off. BUT, new buds formed and eventually blackened- just the buds, no surrounding leaves on the plant.

I'll see if I can get a decent pic, but my plants took heavy damage recently from the outrageous rains we received recently

Look something like this?

I've noticed a dozen or so blackened buds in the last week. Not sure why, but it is not a problem at all for me, as there are many MANY more buds that are just fine.

So sorry that is happening to you! Perhaps extreme weather shift? I have no words of wisdom for a solution to this problem.

Here's a really gorgeous large dahlia (Formby Kaitlyn) that opened up a few days ago. The picture doesn't fully do it justice. It has that iridescent purple sheen that is nearly impossible to capture in photos. (I'm holding it in my hand for scale.)

Nice seeing your formby Kaitlyn, Steve. That's one that I was hoping to see in my garden, but only obtained eighteen inches before disappearing under other more vigourous varieties. With luck, I'll have a couple tubers for next year's attempt.

Caribbean Fantasy seems a contradiction into itself, with the white, yellow and pink folding back into itself. Glad it did well for you, Mytime.

Here's one that recently opened for me, that I've been hearing about from dahlia friends for the last two years... Show & Tell. Well worth the wait, it is absolutely magnificent! Oh, and so is the Praying Mantis.