9 posts were split to Methods for labeling tubers and plants.
Weather Chat - 2023
The seagulls are back, the sandhill cranes and trumpeter swans are passing through (using my woods and the field around the lake as a rest stop) and I've killed my first mosquito. All good signs. I'm really hoping the birch leaves pop in the next 2 weeks. Once that happens, it's safe to put things outside. (When the leaves are the size of squirrel ears.)
AKWindWatcher I didn’t realize the cranes made it up there!
AKWindWatcher I killed my first mosquitos yesterday! And the weeds are suddenly twice as tall. More sunlight. 
I was informed it snowed where I live in NM on Friday then was 80° on Sunday. My area's weather is as weird as Boise's was when I lived there.
reaction was for the mosquitos because they attacked me unmercifully last year and I hold a grudge.KitCMC They go all the way up to the North Slope. They usually take rests around my neck of the woods and then go up to near Fairbanks & Delta Junction (lots of open fields there) before heading to their nesting areas. It is really amazing how far they fly and how they manage to do it given their size. They go up to 10,000 feet or so and then coast down until they need to climb again.
The pair that has been hanging around my cabin for a week or so now is quite comical. Tonight I watched the male repeatedly toss leaves in the air and jump up and down to impress his lady. She was standing on top of one of the remaining mountains of snow and was decidedly unimpressed. I could just hear her saying " Dammit George! I told you we were heading North too early! My feet are cold!" 
AKWindWatcher that’s incredible. Their dance moves are something else to see 
A little drizzle here today in Sonoma County, and a cool spell with highs in the low 60's. Unusually cool Spring so far. Fungus gnats love the moisture. I encountered a few fungus gnats outside, and killed two more in the tubers growing/waking up under lights in the garage. It was time to treat the top soil of all the pots with a misting of Spinosad spray. I even sprayed some into one of the containers of cuttings, since some of the plant material came from plants growing outdoors. That container of cuttings has the last small pieces of genetic material of Hollyhill Serenity, a fine delicacy last year for the gophers.
Bessie I’m still clearing my space of fungus gnats too - it may be time to go for the spinosad spray after all. We’re experiencing a similar weather pattern here in Seattle! We zipped up to mid 70’s last weekend but we’re down to highs in the 50’s & low 60’s this week - plus drizzle. I can’t wait to get everyone moving outdoors!
Guidance please! Here is the local weather forecast; ugh. Most all of my tubers are fully sprouted, anywhere from 2-8". I have light loamy soil in raised bed rows. We were pelted with hail and heavy showers for three days straight at the end of last week but with the high winds that have moved in hence, it's most likely dried out (it has been so blustery that I haven't gone out to check, lol, but at least all of the standing water in the walkways are gone/good indicator....) Do I wait yet another week or start planting on days it isn't rainy? What would you do?!
PegMc if there's no hail in the forecast, I'd plant as many as I could before the temps hit in the 80's. I absolutely love when there's light rain and mild weather after I plant anything. The mild weather allows the plants to adjust and start sending out roots before the stress of warmer weather hits.
Thunder storm from California dropping some rain here. 
PegMc if they're already sprouted with growth that will be above the soil, you'll need to harden them off first!
Good example of why we don't plant out dahlias in early May here in NW Oregon. It is 51 degrees with thunderstorms and lotsa rain at mid-day/! ( Yesterday it was up to 72). The rain is pouring off the roof in torrents! I did set out a whole bed of annual fflowers yesterday and I hope they are not being beaten into the ground by the rain.
4 days later
Dry and drier and almost dry enough to till and the rain storm hits us
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I am concerned that our weather forecast over the next week has jumped up into the mid 90's for a day or two. I am just in the process of planting out my pre-started dahlias that are growing in 3-4" pots. Also flats of seedlings. Would it be better to get them into the raised beds in full sunlight, or leave them outside in the shade of a tree? The soil in the beds is still damp from heavy rain about 3 days ago. I have about 15 more flats to move out of the greenhouse that have my known varieties up and growing in. I am not sure that tree makes enough shade mid day for all the plants I have!
Noni: I do not know the answer to that question. I have planted in heat successfully and also have had plants die. We do our best and hope it is enough.
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calico20hill Wow, it looks like you have a couple of days in the mid 90s starting Sat/Sun. I would keep them in the shade (and watch the moisture so they do not dry out) until after the heat wave. If I needed room I would plant out the sprouting tubers but keep the new seedlings and cuttings in the shade, especially if they haven't had any sun exposure yet. When I plant cuttings in very hot weather I shade them by placing plastic crates (that bulbs come in) over the plants for several days, during the hottest part of the day, to harden them off.
It is brutally hot 83 and humid as can be. I am planting my dahlia tubers, the ground has finally dried out enough to plant. I have already planted 300 seedlings. I think next year I might just start all my stuff from cuttings I find they grow better than from tubers and do not rot out if we get spring rain being in lots of clay soil. Looking the last 2 years I planted April 23, May 7 and May 12.
I also got 20 yards of compost for garden + dahlias so that will take me till end of the month to spread it, yes I use a wheelbarrow lol. I gave the driver a tip of $100 for dumping it in 2 different spots on the opposite sides of my property.
Rain this weekend maybe 1 inch total but I have enough tubers if I lose some to rot I have backup cuttings and extras.
Happy Mothers Day to all the moms here!