Darling dahlias ..

[alp]

I bought quite a few dahlia tubers and now I can share their flowers with you .. only some of them... as some not-so-sweet darlings are still sulking ..

Kelvin Floodlight - a dinner plate which was so heavy that I had to pick it up for photo opportunity - a big yellow bloom

Bishop of Llanduff

A pompon

I just love this colour - unreal - so pretty

Another of my favorite

Emory Paul

Mrs Eileen, probably same as @johnny canoe 's

A delicate Teesbrooke Audrey

its fiery cousin Night Butterfly

Caribbean fantasy

Some speckled

This could be Thomas Edison, but not too sure

A new addition

My favorite - dinner plate Frosted tip

 

[Larisa]

@alp , beautiful dahlias! I even thought about putting some too.
How do they winter in your climate?
What do you do to prevent the dahlias from falling? Do you support?

 

[alp]

Hi, @Larisa I supported some and the whole plant bent the bamboo cane! See, I'm an amateur who can't even support a dahlia.. Here in Essex and especially my garden, some dahlias even set seeds and I left the tubers in the ground and they didn't die. However, I planted something on top of the old tubers and killed the whole plant. I was so gutted as it was such a lovely plant. If they soil is not wet i.e, free draining, you could mulch generously. You could try that by mulching probably up to 1 feet and gradually reduce the the height of the mulch. But I don't know if you have a microclime eg concrete floor, near the wall which retains heat and the soil is free-draining and not excessive rain.. People say it's not the cold which kill the tubers, but the water in the soil which rot the tubers. Quite a lot of people dig up their tubers and store them, but it's absolutely fine with me. We have had snow in the winter, but last year was very mild. Dahlias are really worth it. Once your flowers finish flowering, just bring them in and store them. I'm taking cuttings. See, it is really worthwhile growing dahlias.. The dinnerplate is just smashing. Never had one before, now I'm on the look out for more.

 

[Larisa]

I have to dig dahlias in my climate. Keeping tubers is my problem. I can forget about them ...
No, I'll still buy it in the spring, too. It is beautiful. I'll try to learn.
Should dahlias all day be in the sun?

 

[alp]

They do like it full sun. If you mark the time you should take your tuber out on the calendar, life might be easier.

 

[Larisa]

Thank you, @alp ! I'll put a note on the refrigerator on the magnet in autumn: "Check the dahlia, it wants to live!"

 

[Robert Cummings]

Some interesting Dahlia talk here, as the climate warms and winters are not so cold, Dahlias will stay in the ground in all but the wettest soil, wet is a problem for Dahlias overwintering in the ground as they are susceptible to rot in such conditions.We have quite light but peaty soil here and all ours stay out. My grandfather who was on clay soil brought all his into the shed dried them and stored them in wooden trays till the new shoots appeared in Spring.

 

[Verdun]

The National Dahlia Collection is not far from me.....their open day today. Last year
I got a few bargains so may pop down (8 miles or so) later.
This year dahlias have been esp good.....got several well over 6' and a couple over 7'. One butter yellow variety just outside window is vying for height with verbena bonariensis...nice combo too. Well staked of course. Not always a fan but now couldnt be without dahlias

 

[Beth_B]

Gorgeous! I have some too, and had no idea I could dig up tubers and replant in spring! Does this apply to all varieties?
I did have some come back on their own a couple of years ago but thought they had re-seeded.
Just took these of a couple of my humble dahlias. Aww, the pink one has a tiny bee on it.

 

[Verdun]

Beth, they all form tubers and get bigger year on year They are all perennial. However, they are tender and need frost protection over winter. We keep tubers in the ground unless we want to propagate them.
You can divide tubers in autumn or spring ....they often simply pull apart. Many take cuttings but division is so much better.
Down here dahlias do well.....long season (they start early and finish late) so they grow pretty big.
They do need supports though.......put in early I find 3 stout canes and strong twine will support dahlias totally. I add more twine as they grow.

 

[Beth_B]

Thanks alp! The type I got don't get that tall. So later this fall, I can just dig up the tubers and then what...keep them inside in a paper bag and a dark place, then replant in spring?

Sorry for what is probably a rather basic question, but I've never done this with tubers or bulbs or anything. Unless we have a crazy warm winter they likely won't survive up here.

 

[Verdun]

Beth, you prob have dwarf varieties but treatment is the same.
The aim is to keep the tubers dry and frost free over winter so dry mpc, cardboard box with paper, fleece, etc. Is fine.
However, I pot up in dry compost in a cold greenhouse.....mild here so this is sufficient but again fleece over them too will be fine. If it is very cold where you are then extra fleece etc Don't need to be in the dark though.

 

[MaryMary]

We keep tubers in the ground unless we want to propagate them.
You can divide tubers in autumn or spring ....they often simply pull apart.

I have a couple questions.

When the tubers come out of the ground, they will look a bit like these? And if they are separated, each one will start its own clump of tubers? Will even those small ones flower the next year? Or would they need another year to just be a plant, and will be a flower the year after?

. .

. .

Do those pictures represent tubers that have been left in the ground for years? (I'm trying to figure out approximately how many new tubers would form on a tuber over a year...)

Tubers are fairly new to me, too.

Thanks!

 

[alp]

View attachment 26052 The National Dahlia Collection is not far from me.....their open day today. Last year
I got a few bargains so may pop down (8 miles or so) later.
This year dahlias have been esp good.....got several well over 6' and a couple over 7'. One butter yellow variety just outside window is vying for height with verbena bonariensis...nice combo too. Well staked of course. Not always a fan but now couldnt be without dahlias

Crikey - some giant has grown some other GIANTS!

 

[alp]

@MaryMary Two years ago, I was quite new to dahlias. I used to think they are old fashioned. I bought some dahlia tubers, thinking that if I separated them, I would have at least 4 or 6 new plants. Then suddenly, some veteran said that if you separated the tuber and left it with no eye, there would be no flower at all.

Here is a photo of dahlia with eyes circled.

Best is to leave the whole clump alone and wait for spring and once they are out, you can do this.

Take cuttings with a bit of tuber material..

Or mulch it like her if your area is not wet and soggy

I hope she gives me commission .. hehe!