Manhandled my dahlia tubers :(

11 years ago

Hi all,

I'm putting in my first ever garden this year, and my mom bought me some tubers from Swan Island as a gift. I planted them, promptly forgot where I planted them (!!) and about a week later I was digging around in the bed with a trowel and disrupted two of the tubers. Anything I could/should do?

Also, I also... broke one of the tubers. The very end with the roots coming off just snapped off. Is it a goner?

So, to conclude, am I just too klutzy for dahlias?

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Comments (4)

oscarthecat
11 years ago
Nope everyone gets a case of the clumsies now and then. replant the broken tuber, shoud come out ok.
Noni Morrison
11 years ago
To keep from loosing your dahlia locations...it is suggested that you plant a stake at each one when you plant. All but the miniature varieties will need staking up later as they grow, so by putting in a stake even a small one when you plant you will know exactly where to put a taller sturdier one when they get up several feet high, without impaling the hidden tuber as you stake it. After many frustrating years, I now also bury a plastic tag with the plant name along with the tuber, so when I go to dig it up after its dormant I know which one I am diving and possibly giving away tubers to. A label just stuck into the ground by it will be pulled out by chickens, crows, children, dogs, ets. Been there, done that! Last year was teh first year with 4 chickens in my garden. They pulled out all 160 labels and flung them as they were scratching for bugs! They also unburied the tops of the tubers. THis year they are no longer allowed in there when the dahlias are growing!
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Noni Morrison
11 years ago
To keep from loosing your dahlia locations...it is suggested that you plant a stake at each one when you plant. All but the miniature varieties will need staking up later as they grow, so by putting in a stake even a small one when you plant you will know exactly where to put a taller sturdier one when they get up several feet high, without impaling the hidden tuber as you stake it. After many frustrating years, I now also bury a plastic tag with the plant name along with the tuber, so when I go to dig it up after its dormant I know which one I am diving and possibly giving away tubers to. A label just stuck into the ground by it will be pulled out by chickens, crows, children, dogs, ets. Been there, done that! Last year was teh first year with 4 chickens in my garden. They pulled out all 160 labels and flung them as they were scratching for bugs! They also unburied the tops of the tubers. THis year they are no longer allowed in there when the dahlias are growing!
avamava
Original Author
11 years ago
How clever! Thanks for the tips. The dahlias are all coming up despite my rough handling, so here goes nothing.