3,226 Garden Web Discussions | Dahlias

You might have a slow (really slow) sprouter, but if you have others ready to bloom already I'll bet instead you have tubers with no eyes.
Can you dig it up, rinse it off and look carefully on last year's stem base right near the tuber necks for any sign of a swelling bud in pink or green? That would be an 'eye' and the place where this year's growth will emerge. If you see nothing, you might a bare spot in your garden, but it won't hurt anything to replant it and wait.

I think it's odd if you had this tuber/clump bloom last year, that there isn't at least one eye on it this season.
Be sure to let the place you cut it, or broke it open dry well before replanting if you do.

I plant mine on a slope, mainly because my entire property is on a slope. If the slope is really steep, I place a rock on the lower side, just to keep the soil in place. In fact part of mine is so "slopey", I am going to have to put in 16 stairs to go from the front of the house to the back. I placed the dahlia alternating with brugmansia going down the slope this year. Should be interesting to see.

I have mine in a large wooden container which my husband built out of recycled wooden palettes and it's done great for two years going on three now. I have a Dinnerplate Deep Red one very large. It had ants on it last year and it didn't bother it any. It's still very healthy and should bloom any day now. Hope this helps some.
Sincerely and respectfully,
Sunshine98 on GW

....but the afternoon sun is the hotest sun of the day, and the possibility is that they are hot house grown. I'd put them in a spot that got the early morning sun, or in partial shade until the plant has a chance to get used to the UV. Then you could put them into your favoured sun location. I burned a few myself this spring. Good luck.

Could be the wet weather too, I imagine they will recover. I bought one of those in a pot last summer, stuck it right out in the garden in full sun. We got lots of rain last year too, so between the rain & sun, it took a while for it to look good. It did pull through & looked great though, & produced some respectable tubers by fall. I planted them this spring, they are up & I am hoping will do better than last year.

That is a high first number in comparison to the others. Perhaps in the beginning that would be useful, but once established, I'd be tempted with something with a higher middle number.

Yes they will continue to produce flowers all season long until it freezes, but in TX that could be a while. Maybe there they'll just poop out in November or so; not sure.

If left on the plant they will stay nice a week or so, mine never get a chance to stay on the plant. If they start to brown on the ends of the petals, time to cut them off and signal the plant to produce more. Heavy rain- laden blooms invite broken plants, I will just caution you. If we're going to get a big storm or wind, I get outside and cut as many as possible to lighten the load.

Cut dahlias in the early morning or late evening into a bucket or vase of fairly hot water (beyond warm and not steaming hot)with floral preservative in. Put in dark, coolish place to rest for at least several hours, then arrange as you want. I did a little experiment last year re-cutting the stems under water or not recutting and it didn't seem to matter one bit. Cut dahlias can last up to 5 days but more often they start to tire after 3-4. I am constantly amazed at what shreds of beauty people still see in a dahlia bouquet I've brought them. After a week, the flowers look half composted to me and they say "oh but look at the bit of purple still in the center etc etc!"

Bury the tuber about 4 inches deep with the shoot going upward. Dont't be afraid to cover the shoot. It can only help build stability. You can even hill around the plant if the shoot is too tall. Keep it in the sun, and remember to give it a drink.

Thank you for the advice. That clears things up for me!

Adona

I'd be very tempted to use a large shovel, and move as much dirt as possible with them so as not to disturb the roots too much. Then water in when placed in the new spot. I do that sometimes when I change my mind. Sure they complain a wee bit, but they do come back. The more dirt moved with them, the better. Sometimes they don't miss a beat.

The smaller, the better to move. I have even moved a 3 foot dahlia plant in the dead of summer on a really scorching day. (The absolute worst way to do it.) It was mad at me for a few days, then took off like its neighboring dahlias. They are pretty forgiving.

If it has an eye, and a shoot coming out, plant it. No question. It should survive and make a nice plant for you this year, with lots of tubers next year.

I think compost is good for plants but I also am wary of too much. I'd carefully scratch in some decent soil around them as well. I haven't had much success planting in straight compost.

....just my humble opinionl.

I shovel and mix compost, sandy topsoil, and our regular rock laden clay all together til well mixed to plant tubers in. Roughly in 1/3 of each ratios, maybe less on the compost and clay. It usually works but this May is so wet- rain rain rain and cool temps. Have already lost one tuber to rot that I know of and more rain on the way.

Kirsten, if you have a shoot, JRoot is right: you have a good thing. What is a 'dirtbag?'

If it only wilts during midday heat then I wouldn't worry. Some of them are prone to such antics. If it wilted and never sprang back to looking healthy, then I'd gently dig up the tuber and check for rot. But you aren't having that problem.

Now that I think of it, almost ALL my dahlias in the warmest part of the yard wilt in midday heat, and spring back to normal a few hours later. Has it been that warm in the San Fran area?

Poochella,

Thanks for the reply. It has been either warm or raining here in the SF area. I am glad to hear that your dahlias do the same wilting. I guess I can take down the burlap overhang.

Steve

You planted dwarf varieties, dwarfs seldomly grow to 8 inches. It´s difficult to find true varieties purchased from generic dealers, the only way is purchasing from a grower or from a dealer known to sell pure varieties.

Pinching would just make them spread out a little, not make them grow taller.