Dahlias

I have seen posts here where you talk about taking cuttings from your dahlias - well I have nothing sprouting on mine yet

Have given them a tug today and they are rooted in the pots - but nothing growing from the tubers - had a little root about on the top - I remember last year when I bought them, they sprouted very quickly - they are obviously alive because they are firm and cannot be moved therefore rooted. I planted them with the woody tops just showing above the compost.

Am I being too impatient ? They have been planted up a good 6 weeks (ish) now and have been in the greenhouse.

S

 

If the greenhouse heated? If not then they will be slower than if you could move them to somewhere warmer until they start to sprout - then they will need light, so you'd need to then put them back in the greenhouse.

 

I was getting a little concerned with mine , in a cold GH . Not sprouted after 4-5 weeks . The Dahlia instruction video said "they will be up in a matter of days " . As it has forecast pretty cold night temps for the next week , I'll bring them back inside when Mrs H isn't looking !
The good thing about forums is it is reassuring to know that you are not the only one having problems !

 

Mine have been in our boiler room. Its cold in there when the boiler isn't on, but even so ... its not THAT cold even then ... and when the boiler is on its toasty in there, but even so mine are a month behind normal this year, its as though they knew that it was a pants spring and no sense hurrying ...

If you want to take cuttings I suggest you put them somewhere warmer to encourage them to sprout. If you are just starting them off for earlier flowering etc. then you are fine as you are - keep them frost free though (I reckon a greenhouse should be fine, temperature falls so late in the night now that by the time its falling fairly inside the greenhouse the dawn is just around the corner and temperatures start to rise again

 

Have potted mine up and in a cold greenhouse, out of about 12 I can see 4 sprouting.

 

Very reassuring to know I am not the only one - I will leave them in the greenhouse and wait it out - not bring anything more into the house now that most plants have been put out and I have my home back again (well - sort of - with the exception of about 50+ scotch bonnets and habaneros all in 1.5 litre pots !!! and some petunias and trailing begonias getting a boost under the lights - oh and not forgetting all the african violet babies that are in small pots and those that are still sprouting from the planted leaves - I just can't bring myself to throw the leaves away )

Just looked at the Dahlias, the tops are a bit crumbly - so not holding out too much hope anyway - and I only have 2 - so not the end of the world if they fail - think I got them on special offer last year - will get some more next year and then look into taking cuttings.

Thanks again

S

 

I purchase a huge bag of mixed dahlias last year end of June, planted all the largest tubers into the ground, not one, slugs ate them as soon as they appeared. In July I had a huge trug going spare , so I drilled holes in the bottom, filled the base with polystyrene topped it up with some compost, and laid all the single tubers that had broken off in the pack on top, covered them with compost, and ran some copper tape all around the tub about 3" down,,I had the most fabulous display one was 4 feet tall ,beautiful yellow cactus. After the frost had blackened them, I dragged the trug into the greenhouse and left it alone. just cleared the debris off the top as it died back, Beginning of the month I decided to have a look at it, I struggled to get the tubers out as they had grown huge, after the first one it was a little easier , all the large tubers I have planted into pots, and repeated the process with all the bits that broke off.Will do exactly the same this year, although I do hope to see some of the ones in pots flowering in my front garden.

 

Is there sill hope for any tubers that have not shown any sign of life?

Got about 4 large tubers that have been in some MC for the past 8 weeks or so......they are in a warm (unheated) green house with plant of light, things are not looking good for these

 

I was worried about mine too - but just this week I have noticed 1 small sprout on two of mine - I still have 3 more smaller ones with nothing showing yet. I gave mine a little tug from the stump showing above the soil and they had rooted - which I assume was a good sign of life.

S

 

Out of the 14 potted up, 12 are going well, 2 no signs of life but will wait a little longer. The broken off tubers I threw back in trug, and dragged outside, are showing nothing yet either.
I will not plant them into front garden until June anyway, as weather still variable Wait and see, if you can leave them there a little longer, when I was weeding front garden, I dug up some of the tubers I had planted last year, and the slugs ate, some looked healthy enough, but no shoots on them, I pushed them back in and will regard them as a bonus if they grow

 

I bet last year's will grow, Pamsdish, but you might have to wait till halfway through June to see much. I always end up damaging fat, healthy tubers with my trowel when I'm shoehorning all the new stuff in.

 

I've got 3 in the cold frame and all of them are showing shoots today

Rusty

 

The last 2 are showing signs of life today , do not know where it`s all going.