3,226 Garden Web Discussions | Dahlias
The answer relates directly to your other post about roots - no eyes.
By starting them inside in trays and waiting for them to get started, you dont plant any in the ground that are duds. If you have limited space thats a big plus.
Many people move them from the trays to pots for a few weeks. For those of us in cold areas it allows a month head-start. The ground here in WI isnt usually warm enough for dahlias until the beginning of June. For the last couple of years I have planted them out with 10-18 " of growth on them already.
I started potting up my dahlias at least a month ago. ..they got potted as eyes started to sprout. Ten minutes ago I was going to give up on the last few tubers that weren't showing any promise yet and toss them into the compost. But yet another little Rock Star tuber now has eyes, so I guess I'm giving the rest of them yet more time. When I saw those new eyes (2 days ago I couldn't see anything on that tuber, even with a magnifying glass...now it's visible to the naked eye), I thought of this thread and had to come tell you not to give up!
In San Francisco they sell lots of rooted cuttings and some tubers. Link to dahlia sales site:
I found that before but I was googling to find out when the show was. That link did come up, that is where I got the April 7, because the hall of flowers does not list it at all on their website. I was going to post the date of some local garden shows on pininterest. I did not have many on my list, so I was looking for the dahlia show.
Dahlias can be grown to bloom earlier by starting them in gallon sized pots 4 to 6 weeks before traditional planting time. In your climate, they need to get to blooming size before the hot weather of summer when they do not grow much.
The blooming dates for varieties is not all that different but goes mostly by the size of the flower with smaller flowers blooming earlier. Varieties that grow only 3 feet tall or so may bloom a bit earlier.
In large dahlias, Trooper Dan is an early bloomer because it grows only about 3.5 feet tall.
The Colorado Dahlia Society web page has the big list dahlia locater which will show you where you can purchase the varieties you are looking for. It may be hard to find them at this point since many people have already placed their orders as far back as last fall and many varities are already sold out.
You should check and see if your local dahlia society has a tuber sale and you might find some of them there.
Good Luck!
Linda
Yeah, it is up to you.
I keep some of mine at 3-4 stems because I think they look better, but I am not growing them for competition. Whichever works for you. I will say that you need good air circulation no matter what you choose to go with 1 vs multi-stems.
Good uck!
Keriann~
I would divide them now. But I would prefer multiple plants than a plant with multiple stems. If you are concerned about burying them right after dividing, just nestle them halfway into the soil of the pot to start with, and then bury them deeper as they grow.
Last year I had some tubers that were to large to fit into the pots I was using. I just cut off the end of the tuber (about 1/3 on some of them) and it didnt seem to slow them down at all.
Some of mine now have sprouts that are coming up and some of them do not. I do know they all had eyes that were starting to sprout when I planted them. I think some of them are just slower to grow. Sometimes I get impatient and dig around to see if anything is happening or make sure the tuber didn't rot.
Most people lay the tuber sideways when they plant them. The sprout will find it's way up. You want to avoid watering tubers until the sprout is about 3" tall otherwise you'll either cause it to sit in damp soil and rot or in the case of a couple I grew my first year they swelled and split and then rotted. I'd water it once it gets warm outside enough to keep the soil from being bone dry.
Here is a link that might be useful: Swan Island Dahlias growing tips
Hilltop Gardens is owned by Buddy and Kelly Dean. They are top notch dahlia growers well recognized in the Southern States and Eastern seaboard dahlia community of the American Dahlia Society. If you ordered from them you will receive quality dahlias, on time.
In addition to their private business Buddy manages the Great Smokey Mountains Trial Garden as a volunteer service for the members of the American Dahlia Society to test their new dahlia varieties prior to introduction.
You have linked up with a top quality supplier of dahlias!
^Well thats good to hear. I wasnt extremely worried yet, it's just that a few years ago I ordered from Dan's dahlias, and was supposed to receive about 7-8 tubers, and there was no mention on the ordering page that any of the tubers I'd ordered from them were not in stock. It was also early in the season, like late march, early April. I also received an email receipt from them which had no mention of any problem with my order, but when I actually received the order,literally half of the tubers were NOT what I'd ordered.
It wasnt until then that they set a note with the order saying they were out of stock of 1/2 the tubers I ordered. Whats worse, was that they replaced the ones I ordered with cheaper, less desirable tubers, without ever asking me to choose other tubers. What was worse yet, was that when I planted them in late April(warm outside), only 3 actually came up! Plus, 2 of the 3 that did come up weren't the ones I'd ordered......
I shouldve sent them back, but it wasnt worth digging them up, then paying for shipping and everything(maybe thats the plan!)
I bought from Swan Island last year, and aside from 1 tuber being weak and dying early on(Tutti Frutti), the other 85% of the order was fantastic. I'd expect maybe 1 bad tuber. I didnt bother sending it back either, and I'll pay for another Tutti Frutti this year. No Biggy......