3,226 Garden Web Discussions | Dahlias
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.
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?
Funny- I didn't know my Chocolate Cosmos had tubers until I dug them up & threw them out one year because I didn't know what they were- some form of weird weed, thought I! Needless to say when my beautiful chocolate cosmos didn't appear in the summer I figured it out & had to replace them because I LOVE the smell of them- good enough to eat--- now if only dahlias smelled like that I'd be in heaven with the thousands of them we have around here!
I'm definitely looking forward to that chocolate fragrance. I hope they live up to their name. Don't dahlias have "some" fragrance? I have lots of seeds for different kinds of dwarf dahlias and I could've sworn it says they fragrant. Is it very light?
Good advice raul_in_mexico, and plantlady2. They need to be deadheaded, and watered. With this erratic weather we've been having, one cannot say just water once or twice a week. One really must determine daily whether they need watering or not. It does not sound like a disasterous situation, if the stems are upright and green. Also, with this odd weather we've experienced, is there a chance they were hit with an early light frost?
I think potting it up is a good idea; put it in sun on warm days, in the garage or near house/cover if needed on those nasty cool nights you might still have. I think you'll be just fine- warm weather right around the corner.
I've been lamenting even my late planting this year as it's been cool and wet since I got all my tubers in the ground. Lo and behold I have about a dozen up already- it's so exciting!
She's a great friend to have. She also has a huge perennial garden & lawn that she takes care of by herself. One of the great things that makes me smile is that all the time we're there helping her she's working right along side of us & humming- so every time I drive by & see her in her garden I imagine her humming away to herself- just contented as can be with her little house in the big garden!
You can get the Unwins seed dahlias from any seed rack where you buy annuals- they're a short border dahlia - also good for planters. We get our own seed from AA pods on parent plants in the fall, dry them , seperate them & do all the stuff necessary to harvest seeds.
Last count on the new seedling babies for 2005 is 647-- of that there will probably be around 200 worth keeping this year. It's like Christmas in August when all the babies start blooming & they're all brand new ones never been seen before! You can see some of our seedlings in our "Seedlings" album at this site.
Here is a link that might be useful: Wynne's Dahlia Albums
"The best I've ever done with little tuber left to plant was a couple rotters last season I had to dig up. They ended up with about an inch stub of viable tuber and they went on to grow well enough. I can't say they flourished, but they did grow and give me a couple tubers back."
Poochella, I hope this will work for me. The 'Monet' you gave me rotted half way, so I cut off the rotten part, dusted the remaining part with sulfur and replanted it in a pot. I am keeping my fingers crossed. I go up to the attaic almost everyday to check my babies. Next weekend I hope to be able to plant the ones that have a tall sprout in the garden.
I am also greedy. When I disbud the extra shoots, I potted them up. I'll see how I do with rooting Dahlias. Thanks, everyone for suggestions.
Hi Pitimpani, again!
I just had to cut off and dig out rot from two more tubers, but they have eyes so I am not giving up! Once the rot was cut off, I soaked them in 10% bleach, dried them and dusted well in sulfur. I did everything but a full service carwash on those tubers. They are potted up too, and hopefully will go on to grow.
Just finished planting Wednesday- the latest ever! And already some shoots from 10 days ago are popping up. Looks like a cool, wet week ahead. Ick. May always seems to disappoint this NW gardener after some really nice April days. But June is just around the corner and things should look up from there on out.
Good luck with your tubers. Let me know if Monet doesn't work for you.
Hi Pitimpani,
I wouldn't worry about the low 40's, we've that had here several mornings lately. Finished planting (at least for now) and of course it's been rainy and cool ever since. Bah humbug. Still I have sprouts shooting up above ground just a week or after planting. Yippee: the season is underway!
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!"