Dahlia Cuttings - No Shoots But Loads Of Roots

I have some Dahlia tubers warming up for the last four weeks in large a
propagator and I would say that 98% of them now have shoots and I have
been taking cuttings from them

But the one I want is Bishop Of York and that one hasn't produced any
shoots, so I checked and lifted it out of the compost and it has load of roots
(these are not from last year as I cut all the roots before putting the Dahlias
away for the winter) but not a sniff of a shoot :(

I had the same last year with a few dahlias where there were loads of roots
but no shoots (even after about 7 weeks) and I ended up throwing them away, do
you think this one will end up the same way? :(

 

Possible that the neck of the tuber has died.
I believe the tubers can still root, but if the part that contains the growth buds is dead, it cant actually grow.

 

I am planting my dahlias this weekend in pots. So it is possible for them to root but not grow ? And if they don't grow , the only answer is to bin them ?

 

Hi H
It only happens now and again with no growth , yes in the compost bin as they are useless as Pete said "but if the part that contains the growth buds is dead, it cant actually grow."

 

I have had this happen once or twice. Buds are formed at the bottom of the stem during the previous summer/autumn. These then start to grow the following spring. If these are damaged or the stem is cut off right at the base then the tubers just sit and look at you.
Also you need to make sure that dahlias are planted quite deeply so the base of the stem is well covered as this encourages the formation of buds for the next season.

 

Thanks for the replies so far.....Spruce does that mean that if its dead then
no roots will grow? or can you get plenty of roots but no shoots as Pete suggested?

 

Hi Intel

If the tuber is already dead , it will just start to rot and will be rather stinky no roots no shoots will appear.

what Pete has said, the part where the tuber produces shoots from if that has died or been badly damaged no shoots will grow , but the swollen part of the tuber will carry on to produce roots , but it is doomed for the compost bin as they wont produce shoots , but if me I would leave as long as I could as you never know.

If all that makes sense

Spruce