Now, I am excited!

15 years ago

Last fall I posted because I could not pass up an offer for a quantity of Red Decorative Dahlia tubers from a roadside truck patch farmer who was having both knees replaced and not planting Dahlias this season.

I was overwhelmed with the amount of tubers I was given, a full trunkload, a few 100lbs of Dahlia tubers.

Not being able to see eyes I just transferred into plastic grocery bags, put in boxes in the basement. A month ago I took out the dried, shriveled ones (only 10% of what I bagged)I didn't even bother to hose them off, there were so many.

I just went down to check on them, holy moley, they all have sprouted stems on the clumps! These tubers must have timers in them, lol.

Anyway,my new planting area was just plowed, harrowed and the neighbor said he was bringing over the row marker today.

My last frost date is May 15th, when can tubers be safely planted out?

Is using black plastic a bad idea for weed control?

the horse farmer who retired from the business last year dropped off 2 truck loads of mulch hay I fielded for a year I am planning to use in the new area for the taters, have enough for the dahlias also.

I think I will use the fence posts and wire for the rows as support.

And to think, I never bothered with tubers because of fear of losing them over the winter!

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Comments (5)

homemommy
15 years ago
I am excited for you!

I hope that they continue to keep ok! I am not sure when you can plant out, really can't offer much advice there... Have you thought about contacting the person you got them from and asking them when they normally put them out?

I learned the hard way with a tuber of mine, I bought a Black Wizard, I was so excited, but... I left it out one night in the poly house and even at just below freezing it is done for! So you want to be careful, that is for sure!

how are they stored right now? Perhaps someone can suggest what may be the best solution for making sure they survive a few more weeks, you are in the home stretch! perhaps they should be hosed off to replenish moisture... but maybe this is a bad idea... I just don't know!

One thing is for sure, what people normally do when they have a handful of tubers, is not going to be practical for you! No matter what though, even if you have to wait for mid May, my guess is that at least a decent number of them are going to survive!
rose_nutty
15 years ago
I never plant mine outside until at least Mother's Day - the last frost day in my area is around May 15th. They'll be fine in the ground if it frosts - they just can't be growing with anything above the soil level. Just leave them alone - keep them dark and cool just like they have been and they'll be okay. If the sprouts are really long when you plant them, plant them deep enough to give support to the sprouts. Hosing them off would be a really bad idea, I think. It would either encourage rot or growth - neither of which is desirable at this point.
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busylizzy
Original Author
15 years ago
Yes, was able to find out that I will plant them around the time I plant out the maters, they are going in the same plot. Just got too excited, lol.

I think this year will be the first I will be able to sell enough flowers to make some extra cash to fund some field help. My perennial bed will be 3rd year and looking well so far, after a harse winter. Annuals, I love my zinnias and they love me back, lol.
I have lots of blue ribbons for zinnias, I can look at one and say your blue, lol.

Yesterday and this morning I was splitting the tubers apart, so far they are plump like a fresh tater.
The clumps were pretty large so I was able to divide in 1/2 or 3rds.

Now, for the game plan for weed control.
I have decided not to direct sow annuals, but start from seed and transplant.
Being I was just plowed going to apply corn gluten meal as the pre emergent...measure out the landscape fabric for the walkways/garden tractor paths.

Best laid plans, lol hope they work!
homemommy
15 years ago
BussyLizzy;

Have you ever heard of Lasagna Gardening?

It may sound far fetched, but apparently spreading out newspaper and even cardboard on theground, and covering with mulch makes an excellent weed barrier!
busylizzy
Original Author
15 years ago
Yes, Hommy I have been using layers of newspaper with mulch on top for a weed barrier even since they started using soy ink. I still do this in the smaller garden areas

However, my neighbor works at a carpet mill, he gets huge rolls of the backing for carpet for free.
I can roll it out, garden staple that down alot faster and it works very well. He covered his entire garden last year, that was intresting.