Dahlia question

[shirlthegirl43]

I have dahlias growing in an old tumble-drier drum on my patio. They look lovely and I have been cutting the odd bunch for the house. I was about to throw the last lot away as most of them were dead but I noticed what looks like the start of roots on two stems.

Is this a good way to propogate dahlias or should I just chuck them?

[nick the grief]

I've never tried it shirl, the trouble is this is a bit late for taking cuttingsas you won't have enought light to keep them growing let alone warmth.

So I'd chuck them if I were you and start agian in the spring with proper cuttings.

[smallblueplanet]

I'm confused here, I thought you could save dahlia's over-winter?

[bramble]

You can, you dig up the tubers and store them wrapped in newspaper or you can pot them up in dry compost. They just don't grow in winter but throw new shoots again in spring. Hope this helps a little bit.

[smallblueplanet]

Oh I've got it now Bramble - I read the OP too quickly, the 'roots' are forming on the cut dahlia's - thanks though.

[nick the grief]

Sorry Manda did I confuse you? Yes I meant the "new" cuttings not the old tubers

[smallblueplanet]

I'm so easily confused NTG!

What do you think, should we lift our smallish dahlia tubers and if so when? (We're on sandy/loamy well-drained soil, but the tubers would be in winter shade as they're in front of a shadow-casting fence.

[pigletwillie]

I tend to lose more by lifting them so tend to cut them right down when blackened by frost and cover with a good layer of allotment compost.

[smallblueplanet]

I tend to lose more by lifting them so tend to cut them right down when blackened by frost and cover with a good layer of allotment compost.

Yes I figure we'd lose some (or all!) lifting them, will try your idea pw.

[nick the grief]

If your on a sandy soil you may get away with it. Straw is another alternative. but it's more the damp than the cold and your at the mery of the slugs.

[shirlthegirl43]

If your on a sandy soil you may get away with it. Straw is another alternative. but it's more the damp than the cold and your at the mery of the slugs.

I guess mine should be okay in the drier drum - good drainage and easy to slug-proof.

Might just see what happens with the stem that is rooting as it is from the only plant which doesn't have yellow flowers. I have plenty space in the house for it so nothing ventured...

Thanks for the advice folks.

[rustylady]

I've had better results with leaving dahlia tubers where they are (usually in the border). Tried lifting and storing and they either rot or refuse to grow in the spring. If you have a particular favourite then it's worth trying to overwinter (specially if it's not a named variety), otherwise I now buy new tubers in Spring.

[nick the grief]

Most of the troubles from Lifting tubers come from not dryimg them out properley. Some folks advocate sticking a screwdriver in the cut stem and trhu the bottom of the tuber to ensure the excess moisture comes out. I just stick min e upside down on the greenhouse staging for a couple of weeks - like ripening onions for storage - so long as they are reasonably big I've never had probs with them if you do this

[pigletwillie]

This may be of some interest.

http://www.jrg-dahlias.co.uk/how_to_grow_dahlias.htm

[shirlthegirl43]

Thanks Piglet - that is very informative.