3,226 Garden Web Discussions | Dahlias

Crown gall is caused by a bacteria. Very infectious to other dahlias. Toss it.

Thanks for identifying this Ted, I sure don't want to spread it to the rest of my collection.

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

Hi David,

I am interested in Dahlia tubers. I had bought few tubers last year and I didn't realize that I need to dig them up to save them. I have left them in the ground. I have to wait and see, whether they come or not.

I live in charlotte, NC. I don't mind paying you shipping charges.

my email id k_kosaraju@yahoo.com

Thanks,
Bunti.

Hi Bunti

first, the good news. You do NOT have to necessarily dig up your dahlias to save them. I rarely dig mine up at all and if so, only because they get 'reedy' or I am giving some tubers away, like to Duke. Most dahlias do fine when left in the ground.

The bad news is I do not have time to get into digging and dividing and packaging and shipping. That's why I asked Duke where he lived - so he could pick them up if he wanted.

There are others here who trade and will ship but I do not. I apologize but with long lines in San Francisco at the post offices, I just don't have the time to ship tubers.

I grew Zorro last year. It was a big plant and very prolific.

Thank you all who had responded. I really appreciate your suggestions and they are all beautiful. If I have the space, I would probably plant them all. :)

Hi, I am working on a similar problem...is it possible for you to email me the photos you have of the dahlia tuber with the cauliflower like growths. thx vb

Hi there
could be caused by bacteria, and called crown gall. I hope the link works. If your Dahlias have that stuff, it seems necessary to destroy diseased tubers.

Hope that helps, best luck, Lin

Here is a link that might be useful: Crown gall

The tubers were not eaten they rotted after the shoots were eaten off. I guess I should have explained better. One of the tubers was in a planter over three feet off the ground. I had sprayed at 11 o'clock at night. When I got up in the morning the shoot was gone.

Thanks all ... seems that you are all starting them inside a warm area, something I'll have to think about.

My Rosella from a box store is the same as yours, half the size.

Thanks to both of you. Collie - that is exactly what I needed to hear. It (maybe) wasn't something I did to it to cause it to grow so small.

Honnat - thanks also for the reply. I grow close to 100 dahlias now and have ordered from maybe 8-10 different AMERICAN vendors over the years. In all honesty, many of them have never sprouted or bloomed (maybe 25%) so I don't see USA growers being that much better. More accurate yes but not necessarily fool-proof bloomers.

And the reason I even fall for the box store varieties is because you can plant them right now! As it is, unless I want to pay extra, the 15 tubers i ordered this year won't arrive until early to mid April and some of my dahlias start blooming in May, so I hate to plant in late April or even early May. Hence, the box stores blues!

Its really simple, seperate the tubers, I put them in a 1 part bleach water for a couple min., dry them really good, then take one tuber and wrap it twice untill you have wraped about ten. Store them in a cool place. I only lose about 5% with this storage :)

Beautiful eulogy, Diane.