Virus and Nutritional problems

janell

I would like to speak with more individuals testing DMV to compare my observations with them, but the high view is the virus is not always present and the best time to test for a higher degree of (asymptomatic) accuracy is late fall.

The virus presents symptoms in times of stress, particularly when the evenings get cold (40's) or directly after a kiss of frost. During warmer times of growth (on a cutting mat or the middle of summer) the symptoms disappear. I suppose it may depend on the viral load of the plant and I need to look back over the testing data to see if that information can be extrapolated.

Testing asymptomatic plants can be a gamble with DMV which is 'good' and 'bad'. The good part is symptoms are easy to recognize if you train your eye and look for the new growth along the entire plant (even the low new shoots that can pop up late fall.) You wouldn't need to spend any money to have faith to cull the plant.

The bad is it makes virus indexing stock a longer more expensive process. I wouldn't trust a negative until it was negative two seasons in a row.

calico20hill It is mostly my seedling tubers, 1st and 2nd year that I am concerned with. I guess I wonder whether it is something genetic

Do the seed and possible pollen parents make good storable root stock? If the genetics are new to you, then maybe you are growing seedlings that innately don't store well and nature is working against you. Just something to consider when looking at the forrest instead of the trees.

calico20hill I do believe the problem comes from the soil being too wet where they were grown.

A lack of oxygen to the tubers can definitely impact the tuber structure and development of a dahlia. I have a farm friend that grows hydroponically and he wondered if dahlias could be grown that way. He grew cuttings and seeds and the plants grew very healthy above the waterline and only made fibrous roots in the water solution. However, when they dismantled the tank they found tiny tuber clusters forming on the stem just above the waterline. This was hidden due to the foam boards they use to hold the plants in place.

So this is to show that I can grow a seedling that is big and strong and has wonderful tubers! It was growing at the start of bed 3...I sure would like to have tubers like those on the first row seedlings!This one is Salish Breaking Dawn and is being grown at Triple Wren Farms this past year for evaluation.

Tuber characteristics are genetic. You can make them them a bit bigger by cultural things like fertilizer but most of it is genetics. One factor is the amount of time in the ground during the favorable growing season. They do get bigger in a longer growing season. and one way to extend the growing season is to start them in gallon pots 30-40 days before your planting date. Remember too that one trick of the trade is to plant a first year "too small" clump whole the next year and the tubers will be bigger the second year. I remember first reading about this trick when a person could not get tubers from Camano Cloud and the second year clump had nice tubers. The trick has been enhanced by the practice of harvesting the top couple of tubers from a clump and then planting the bottom portion of the clump where the tubers are smaller or harder to divide, whole and continuing the practice ad infinitum. A grower said this worked well for a shy tuber producer. All of these methods to increase tuber production are because the breeder did not breed good tubers into his/her product. But when a super nice flower appears in the seedlings and it is a shy tuber maker/keeper and you know that there are ways to grow it , should you toss it or keep it? Most of us keep it,
Gregor's Mad is one of the names of this one that is a crappy tuber maker but is still gown 20 years later. It is a Danish dahlia and as of few year sago, the breeder(Gregersdahl) was was still alive and in his 90s. It is related to Duet introduced in 1955, Duet is one of the more popular varieties sold in Dutch tuber packs. If you can get some good stock of Duet, it worth growing. Get stock from someone who has grown it disease free in their garden.

Well that idea gives me a lot to think about, Ted. And thanks to all responders on my question. New plan...tell my water manager (husband) to cut back on the watering. Check the soil moisture level several times mid season to make further adjustments, and look for seed parents that make good tubers. Apparently my Breaking Dawn makes good tubers. As I continue to pack tubers I will keep a list of those that looks the.best. I will also compare notes on what my neighbor is finding with the seedlings I gave her to grow out.

Teddahlia It is related to Duet introduced in 1955

I grow Gregor’s Mikkel and it had a couple blooms this year that looked like Duet. It’s never done this before and I’m hoping it’s not reverting back to it’s parentage.

I think I lost HH Hello Dolly. It is a seedling of HH Margarita. That makes it related to HH Cotton Candy.

Noni's picture of HH Hello Dolly

That's too bad. I got a tuber of it 2 year ago from Connell's and it did well for me, but the vole ate this year. Pretty much every IC was planted together and they wiped out the entire row. I liked growing it by hh peachy keen was a nice color combo

Teddahlia Thank you for brining that picture up! I had forgotten it, but what a wonderful time I was having with them and the hydrangeas, making b9ouquets for a Farm to Table event back on Vashon Island!

Noni, my finding of the picture was pure luck as I was looking for something else(that I never did find).

calico20hill Maybe Thomas @ HOE has it? He's a big collector of all things HH. I think he might be Ted's biggest fan.

Thanks! That is good to know. I need to restock several of my favorite older Hollyhill dahlias...It would be nice to be able to make one order and get my favorites growing again.

I’m wondering if anyone here can help identify what’s happening with this plant? It’s in a friend’s grow room, indoors, and is the only plant showing these brown spots on the underside of the leaves? I haven’t seen this before and it’s on one of their precious seedlings.