What Would You Do?

MissyWeitzel

I'm about to lose this variety. I only had 5 or 6 tubers and all but this one was lost in storage. This one feels super squishy and it's just a matter of time. If you were me would you:
A)try to root the little white sprout now
B)put the tuber back in it's bin and see if the sprout gets bigger
C)Pot it up with the sprout sticking out and see if it will grow more and develop leaves before taking it for a cutting

I'm genuinely curious to know what you'd do!

Flowernut

MissyWeitzel I opt for C. I have a few varieties that I'm pretty sure will not make it. In April, I will pre-start and hope that I can get cuttings. Good luck.

SteveM

MissyWeitzel I'm genuinely curious to know what you'd do!

"C" for me. If the tuber starts to rot I would change to plan "A". I have better luck rooting a sprout that has some chlorophyll than one without any. I would pot it up with the soil barely covering the eye and only slightly moisten the soil.

Krista

SteveM C" for me. If the tuber starts to rot I would change to plan "A".

MissyWeitzel I would also do what Steve said! I might also share the variety name in case someone here grew it last year and can help by sending you a new tuber. 💞 Keep us posted on what happens!

Bessie

MissyWeitzel I think I saved a Hollyhill Snowdrop by taking a cutting that was that small ( about 3/4 inch). I've also made cuttings by putting tiny sprouts in a jar lid that holds 1/3 inch of weak fertilizer water. I put it on the window sill in my kitchen. It takes a few weeks, but I was able to get roots to grow. Those experiences were in my first year of buying tubers in January 2022.

MissyWeitzel

Thank you, I was leaning towards C too. This isn't something that's "a tuber emergency" so I'm open to trying whatever. It just occurred to me to ask in case the dahlia experts here had a different idea I can tuck under my hat in case of future tuber emergencies! Those white sprouts turn green and grow little leaves pretty fast, so even if being in moderately damp potting soil makes the tuber rot faster, it shouldn't matter.

And @Krista you're kind to suggest that! It's not something anybody here likely has, but is something I should be able to replace pretty easily. 😊

MIDahlias

I'm just seeing this post, so you have obviously made a decision by now. I would go for option D. I would pot up the entire tuber and only leave the tip out. My thought is growth with happen under the soil from the nodes and the tip with continue to grow up.

Teddahlia

Tuber rot can cause the sprout to wilt badly and if it is not growing, you only option tis to harvest the cutting and try to root it . The tuber may not have been able to supply any nutrients to the sprout. I would consider very weak balanced liquid fertilizer in the water so that the spout has some nutrients to grow. I am pessimistic.

MIDahlias

Teddahlia Pessimist, realist or a lot more experience than I have. 🙂