Dahlia help

[MissPea]

So I purchased a new dahlia (labyrinth) recently. Looks like a strong plant but my pot took a tumble after my toddler flew into it by accident, and knocked off a top part of growth. I’ve looked online to see if this could be made into a new plant but looking it seems it needs a tuner part. Has anyone taken cuttings without tuber and it has been successful? Thanks in advance 😊

[Guest]

I have rooted cuttings and I can't see why it would be an issue - actually I lie they will need time to form a tuber before winter so they can come back. The usual practice is to multiply the plants when they are just coming in to growth.

You know what - it is broken bung it in and see what happens

[mcdood]

As NG says you can root Dahlia cuttings but it won't have time to form a tuber this year. First frosts will kill off the top growth and in that case your cutting. Best thing to do is to overwinter the tuber you have and if you want more plants take cuttings in spring.

[Mark_Riga]

It's a bit late for dahlia cuttings, the normal time is spring when they have about 3" to 4" sprouts (2" or so above the soil). But there is no reason not to try now. If you put it in a pot in damp compost and cover with a plastic bag then put it somewhere light and frost free.
I once bought a dahlia raised from a cutting and when I dug it up in the late autumn after it had been out flowering all summer, there were no tubers so I put it in a pot and left it in a shed (it did have roots) and it was OK the following spring.
If it is a nice one, as mcdood says, you can take cuttings in the spring as above but take the cutting close to the tubers where the stem should be whiteish. They usually root then quite easily.

[MissPea]

Thanks all �� I’ve put it in a pot with a bag over it , I’ll happily overwinter it I have to. Just hope the main plant will survive ok that was the majority of the growth that came off

[mcdood]

Your main plant will be fine. I'd guess in Glasgow your first frost is only 2-3 weeks away so that would kill off the top growth anyway. You will then need to lift the tuber and store it somewhere frost free over winter or you could potentially leave it in the pot and store frost free.

[rary]

As long as the stem is not hollow and you can cut it just below a leaf node it will root and again you must keep it frost free and I would suggest that you use heavy grade fleece (or a double layer of thin fleece) to protect it at this time of year as dahlias can be prone to damping off, and depending on what part of Glasgow you have your garden you may be able to leave it outside, Glasgow has it own micro climate and some areas can remain relatively frost free untile there is a sever frost