Dahlia Bulb Problems

Hi,

I have had a couple of dahlia bulbs in a container outside for the last couple of months and they are showing absolutely no sign of sprouting any new growth. I have actually dug them out a couple of times to check for any signs of infection or rot but apart from a few measly roots they are doing absolutely nothing. Is there anything I can do to give them a boost and encourage them to grow?

 

Not really, they should have at least a few signs of growth buds around the neck of the tuber, at the base of last years stem.
Although, I would expect them, at least, to be a few inches tall by now.

 

Have they got some stem (with the tuber)?

Tubers on their own, without stem, won't sprout (unlike, fore example, Potatoes)

 

I say this in all seriousness and not for a cheap laugh................

Yes...............

...............stop disturbing them.

Are they in full sun? Are they drying out too quickly?

 

I used a heated propagator to start some of mine off as I wanted cuttings. My advice is don't let them get too wet or they just rot. They don't need light either until the shoot appears. I had one which turned to actual mush but think it was a breakaway not a proper tuber anyway. One of my garden planted ones hasn't shown but others are all ok. I didn't label any so lots of surprises to come them I will label them/stick a photo on the bag when I dig them up and dry them out.

 

I've had this happen a couple of times with dahlia crowns just being completely blind and sitting all summer in a pot with a few wispy roots out of the tuber.
The advice I received was to plant the crowns deep enough so that the base of the stem was well covered, as this encouraged bud formation at the base of the stem and these would then sprout next summer. I haven't had the problem since.

@weas3l
Probably not with these ones.

As longk says. However easier said than done I can be a touch impatient with things that don't go as fast as I would like after a number of disasters I'm slowly learning at least to disturb things carefully.

 

Threw mine out yesterday :( Nice plump tubers (albeit only single-tuber + stem), looking perfectly healthy, not rotting, compost nice and damp ... but they were right on the surface of the pot ... I'll remember that for next year (remind me if I forget, OK?!!)