Taking Dahlia Cuttings

blown_dry · 2023-02-04T23:34:14+00:00

Continuing from https://cubits.org/Dahlias/thread/view/92091/#end_of_thread

Teddahlia

While indoors still, do they get the same amount of time under grow lights each day as everyone else or do they live their lives with less light from the get?

They will do fine outdoors and the effect of the light indoors will not affect the pot tubers that are actually being grown in squalid conditions outdoors(little fertilizer, water is only enough to keep them growing) as our goal is only to have small tuber clumps for next year.

Krista

Teddahlia Great to know, thank you!

Teddahlia

Most of my rooted cuttings get planted in the garden. Timing is always an issue as a too young cutting plant or an overly old and t o eat them like they were spinach salad.

Krista

Teddahlia Oh is there a benefit to planting the cuttings vs tubers into the garden or is this just how your system operates? I realize most likely pot tubers aren’t kept from one year to the next, they’re used up as propagation tools in the early spring and new are created each year. I’m trying to wrap my brain around all the facets of growing dahlias beyond what I’ve known over the last few years; simply taking a tuber and cramming it into the ground.

Teddahlia

We have hit the wall. Dahlia cuttings. Flower seedlings. Flower cuttings. Tomato seedlings. Dahlia seedlings. All of these want time under the lights in our daylight basement and there is no longer room for all. We are moving flats to the greenhouses but the unheated big greenhouse is very cold and it not make it up to 60 degrees today. This is not normal weather as by this time in a normal year the greenhouse would be over 80 degrees during the day. My little heated green house is nearly full too. Plants generally doing better in there. I took 72 dahlia cuttings yesterday and need to do about 35 or so tomorrow. Dahlia seeds need to go into 2 inch pots as they are on the kitchen table and we are getting tired of pots on the table. Meanwhile, Margaret is putting her marigolds into pots with little thought of where they are going.

Krista

Teddahlia this sounds like my life too. I should say actually, it’s my partner who is the one hitting the wall 🤣 Our dining room table is covered, the buffet next to it is covered, I’ve got a light strung up underneath the table with trays below the table, and more trays of potted tubers that haven’t sprouted yet in the office. It’s been a long spring in Seattle. For Ian. 😅

Krista

A couple of tubers that I’ve taken a couple cuttings from are now pushing up foliage that is more rounded in shape, and curling a bit. Is this an indication of virus? The tuber’s beginning to lose steam? Or am I overreacting and need to chillax and have faith that the leaves will unfurl in their own time?

Teddahlia

Fertilizer and lots of light causes short fat dahlias with big leaves. I move the pots into just daylight in the room after the first batches of sprouts. They then stretch to get to the light source and have skinny sprouts that are good for rooting.

Krista

Teddahlia Ooohhh I wouldn’t ever have known, thank you! These aren’t receiving any fertilizer but definitely lots of light. I’ll move them right away.

Krista

Teddahlia Would you suggest that I remove these sprouts and let the plant start again with new, thinner sprouts?

Teddahlia

with new, thinner sprouts? yes

Krista

Teddahlia On it, thank you!

KitCMC

A few sprouts got knocked off during shipping and I couldn’t help myself from trying to grow them. Two were teeny and dried out when I took the dome off, but these guys seem good to go. They are needing to be watered 2 or more times a day, and I can see roots on the larger 3. They’re between 12 - 14 days old. Should I fertilize 1/2 strength? Pot on? Pot on & Fertilize?

Teddahlia

It all depends on roots. Any roots at all, and they can be re-potted . The fiber pots really evaporate water. I would consider getting them out and into plastic pot even wihout roots.

KitCMC

Teddahlia

SteveM

Will do.
I’ve had much better luck this year with the few tweaks you both advised me on earlier this winter. Thanks a million.

SteveM

I would pot up and fertilize (depending on your potting mix), especially if you are needing to water twice a day. Nice job!

KitCMC

48 hours later - success!

Teddahlia

Winding down on cuttings. Late acquisitions and perhaps a cutting or two of them and of course still taking some cuttings from the best seedlings. Spiderwoman provided two nice cuttings and one more more would be great.
I need to do sorting of rooted cuttings more than taking more of them. Picture is labeled HH Pink Pearl. I re-selected stock and hope it does well this year. I do have stand in seedling available that may be just as nice.

JessieC

Teddahlia HH Pink Pearl is stunning! I hope to see more of that one.
Thanks to all of you, I’ve got a few trays of cuttings, many of which will probably end up in the hands of friends and neighbors. So far, my success rate is around 100% 🤗 I mostly used the small and/or ugly tubers from those I overwintered myself. And it gave me practice for the ones that I wanted to try from my 2023 purchases. I’ve got two cuttings from Hollyhill Miss White, among others that I deemed special enough to want a spare. I’ve set aside a little space for pot tubers. I designated May 1 as the end of the cutting season. It’ll be nice to reclaim that space in the kitchen 😅

Krista

I’m starting to lose track of which cuttings are how far along, and which bags they’re in. I’ve been experimenting with tuber, top, and leaf node cuttings which has been really successful. But allowing the leaf node cuttings extra time being bagged, and checking to find that some varieties don’t like to come out of their bags without being drama queens and wilting immediately, has disrupted the rotation of where each one is. I’ll have to work on a better set-up and system for next year. Also, now I have more plants than I can possibly plant, but it sure has been educational. I’m sorry that we’re coming to the end of this stage in dahlia growing, but I’m excited to get planting outdoors when it’s time!

Krista

JessieC 100% is an outstanding success rate, woohoo! I hear you on reclaiming the house, but haven’t decided when to end cutting season yet. It’s new to me this year and I’m really enjoying the process.

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