Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => General Gardening => Topic started by: Stripey_cat on April 12, 2008, 14:21

Title: Dahlia tubers
Post by: Stripey_cat on April 12, 2008, 14:21

You know how when you buy tubers in bags, there are always a few bits that are broken off from the stem-bit in the middle?  Those broken-off bits won't grow, will they?

On a slightly related note, can anyone suggest why the garden centre was reducing them, given that it's at least three weeks to average last frost date locally, and more like a month up into the hills?

Title: Dahlia tubers
Post by: Trillium on April 12, 2008, 22:07

Dahlia roots really do need an 'eye' bit to actually put up green shoots. Ever the optimist, I still plant the broken bits nearby to see if they'll grow anyway.
As for reducing them, they should be potted up by now as they're very slow starters and by the time the weather is right, they'll just be putting out shoots. This way you plant out when warm and enjoy flowers for a while before frost. If you direct plant, most likely fall frost will kill the plant just as the flowers are in bud. Had that happen too many times so now I pot up inside first.
Also, if left in the bags too long, the tubers go moldy or simply shrivel.

Title: Dahlia tubers
Post by: Stripey_cat on April 13, 2008, 00:24

Thanks, I was wondering (I'm still not quite used to this concept of "frosts", even after closing on seven years).  Mine went into pots tucked between the house and the mini-greenhouse, so they should be OK unless we get more snow!  Would they be better inside for the extra warmth?  I'll try bunging the bits into a pan so I can see if they do anything.

Title: Dahlia tubers
Post by: neil1967 on April 13, 2008, 16:33

tuber?
I've grown some from seed (bishops 'something') does this mean that i'll have to wait for a tuber to form before i get flowers ?

Sorry if this is a silly question but i'm just getting into this gardening lark and more interested in fruit and veg but thought dahlias looked stunning so had to by a pack of seeds.

neil

Title: Dahlia tubers
Post by: matron on April 13, 2008, 17:27

No, I always grow my dahlias from seed and have lovely flowers on them. At the end of the season they have formed tubers that you could lift if you wanted but I like to grow from seed each year.  :)

Title: Dahlia tubers
Post by: Trillium on April 15, 2008, 03:58

Matron's right. Seeded dahlias will produce tubers their first year. But over here we can't get the giant 'dinnerplate' sized dahlias through seed, only by tubers so I don't have a choice when I want the big guys, which is my preference.

Title: Dahlia tubers
Post by: neil1967 on April 15, 2008, 04:04

Thanks for the responses. Don't like instant garden so brougt seeds but wanted flowers this season thought i'd done the wrong thing when people started talking about planting tubers. :oops:
Thanks for putting me at ease. :D

Neil