3,226 Garden Web Discussions | Dahlias
I would also suggest that you read: Success With Cuttings By Bill McClaren.
http://dahlias.net/seabox/McClaren.htm
There is also a lot of good info on the Colorado Dahlia Society web site.
http://www.dahlias.net/
http://www.dahlias.net/dahwebpg/Propagation/Cuttings.htm
Here is a link that might be useful: Success With Cuttings
I raised some from seed one year but I didn't take any pictures because I didn't really like them. They were all small collarettes which isn't really my thing so I was unimpressed. I got my dahlia seeds from GeoSeed.
Here is a link that might be useful: Collarettes at Swan Island
If you are starting them inside, in pots, with plans to move them into the ground when it warms up, then planting them shallow to wake them up and get a head start is fine. You will plant them deeper (6") when you move them into the beds. If you are planning on keeping them in pots then you need to either plant them deeper, or plant them shallow in a deep pot and add soil as they grow.
So yes 2-3 " of soil is enough if they are only in there for 3-4 weeks
The only seed that is commonly available (that I am aware of) is for "bedding" Dahlias. Short 18-24" bushy plants with 2-3" flowers. They grow very well from seed, and bloom much earlier. They work really well in a mixed bed, but they certainly cant compete with the big "show" dahlias.
Since you have a variety of different plants to trade maybe you should try the Plant Exchange forum.
Here is a link that might be useful: Plant Exchange
Or a bright eye catching dahlia! :) My favorite bright colored dahlia last year was Dr. John E. Kaiser.
Here is a link that might be useful: Dahlia DR JOHN E KAISER
Perhaps this will help answer the question: An old trick when digging dahlias is to cut off the dahlia stalks a week before you dig and divide the tuber clumps. The cutting of the stalk causes the eyes to swell and to be easily seen as you divide. You are just doing the same thing after the clump has been dug and stored for awhile. The act of storing whole dahlia clumps is fraught with danger as dahlias store better as tubers. The dahlia stalk quite often rots, and the rot continues to the tuber eyes. Removal of the tubers from the stalk does not expose the tubers to the rot from the stalk. If I were to compare the net tuber count from tuber clumps divided within a week or so from digging to those stored for a couple of months before dividing, I would estimate a loss of tubers of about 25%. Just a guess however.
>> The act of storing whole dahlia clumps is fraught with
>> danger as dahlias store better as tubers.
Ted,
Hmmm...that has not been my experience at all, quite the opposite. Personally I have found that the most foolproof way to store dahlias is to dig up the whole clump and store it in a 5 gallon bucket or large pot filled with damp garden soil. Sometimes I water and then drain the pots before storage if the soil is bone dry. I don't add any more water over winter and the soil gradually dries out by spring. The tubers almost always come out nice and firm.
I'm trying the plastic wrap method this winter with part of my tubers and I've found some rot problems when I checked on them a couple times. I'm getting too many tubers to store in pots now so I need a less space intensive storage method. I'm also experimenting with leaving some in the ground with extra protection, we'll see how that turns out later.
Ted, what storage method do you use?
- Steve
It really depends on the size and how shriveled they are. I have had some that when soaked for a few minutes in water and then wrapped in saran, revive. I have had others that just rotted.
That was before I began storing them individually wrapped in saran after dusting them with sulfur - now they never shrivel up.
Not sure what state/country you are writing from but in the US, I would estimate the VAST majority of true dahlia lovers order from smaller individual growers, like Swan island, Aztec, Hollyhill, et al. Not only do you order only 1 tuber but their descriptions will tell you exactly how large the flowers are expected to be.
Assuming you are already familiar however with on line growers, I can only assume you deliberately choose the larger European growers like Bourgondien and Royal dutch (or perhaps you are in Europe and many of our growers will not ship out of country) for a reason. If you are purchasing pre-packaged tubers however, I can tell you that the amount of mismarking and misleading of packaged dahlias has been getting worse and worse. (see my recent post re: Rosella and Rosemunde. I just saw another Rosella at OSH today and once again, it is advertised as a dinnerplate and yet mine was at best 4-5" open.)
Dahlia tubers must have an eye to sprout but unlike potato tubers dahlias do not have eyes all over the whole tuber. Dahlias only have eyes right where the tuber connects to the main plant stem. It is not uncommon for tubers to break away from the main plant stem and leave behind the eyes. When dividing dahlia clumps you must always carve away a bit of the stem to go with the tuber and even then it is possible to get a tuber with no eye. Your best bet now is to pot up all the tubers without visible eyes in a loose slightly damp soilless mix and put them somewhere warm. If their eyes don't swell and sprout then those tubers are useless for planting.
In the spring after winter storage, If I dont see a sprout already forming, I move the tubers into plastic bags (which I leave open) with moist peat moss. If I dont get a sprout, then I dont waste the space that a pot takes up. I can put 6-8 tubers in each bag.
There are two keys to getting dahlias to overwinter in the ground in a temperate climate regardless of where you live.
1.) You cannot allow the frost to penetrate to the depth of the tubers. Unlike frost hardy bulbs, daffodils for example, which can actually freeze solid without harm dahlia tubers cannot be allowed to freeze or they will turn to mush and die when they thaw.
2.) The dormant tubers should not be allowed to sit in wet soil. This causes them to rot.
So you should be able to get dahlias to overwinter in your climate if you can meet those two conditions. A heavy mulch of leaves is a good idea and I would also recommend covering the leaves with sheet plastic or a cold frame to keep the soil dry throughout the winter.
Thank you for the tips - I will try them out on a Walmart plant to see how I do. I am fortunate to be getting 2 Wyoming Weddings, and I'm going to plant one in the garden and one in a large pot (18" diameter) to see how they compare - then I'll lift them both in the traditional manner. After I see how the experimental "in ground" plant does next year, I may try it with others.
Thanks again for helping a newbie!