Taking Dahlia Cuttings

blown_dry · 2023-02-04T23:34:14+00:00

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

Krista

Teddahlia Ah! I get it now, thank you for your sticking with me through this (woof, I’m so sorry) and for seeing through my confusion. Ok, I finally get what “pot tubers” are 🥴! Thank you. Finding out that I can grow flats 16/ea is very neat since I definitely don’t have the space to grow 3+ plants of each variety I’ll have, but knowing I can definitely have a backup is great. Does the chain link table of pot tubers likely live in a greenhouse?

Teddahlia

Does the chain link table of pot tubers likely live in a greenhouse? Greenhouses are incinerators in the summer. In part shade outside between the Asian pear trees and some apple trees. Historically, more people grow pot tubers on top of the ground rim to rim. Coarralitos(perhaps a couple thousand of them) grew them in part shade on the ground . I do not like roots going out the bottom of the pots but table grown plants need more water.

Krista

Teddahlia Ah there I go missing crucial details along the way - I was on high-speed cruise control headed down the highway to maximum protection against virus, pests. Back on track now, thank you! Do hybridizers have a well-known scalpel blade preference for taking cuttings; #10A, #11P, #12, #15? Is this a ridiculous question, does it even matter?

SteveM

Krista Do hybridizers have a well-known scalpel blade preference for taking cuttings; #10A, #11P, #12, #15? Is this a ridiculous question, does it even matter?

I use the same pair of Zenport clippers for everything - cutting flowers, dividing tubers and taking cuttings. I never ran into a situation where I thought a scalpel would work better than clippers.

Flowernut

Krista I use a razor blade to take the initial cuttings. After that, I use Ted's method of rocking the sprout back and forth.

Regarding the 120+ days for viable tuber development.....I pre-started all my tubers in April last year. I had 5 plants that I couldn't find good homes, so I ended up planting in my yard in August. When I dug in the fall I noted which ones were planted later in the season. I'm not seeing any difference in storing capabilities and tuber production didn't seem any different.

Teddahlia

I use a scalpel on about 25% of the cuttings and my fingers do the plucking for the rest. All of the ones we ordered over the years worked good. Not much difference.

Krista

Teddahlia Ohhk, maybe I can chill on a scalpel then. I’ll try my fingers to begin. Thank you again!

HiDahlia Oh great to hear that you do the same! Maybe I can figure out a way to bolster those edge pots. Thank you very much!

HiDahlia

Krista Same as Ted, 16 to a flat. Once in a while the ones on the edge would fall over if they were dry and it was windy but not really a problem.

Teddahlia

Krista When I need a scalpel I use a scalpel. I do need one when I need it to cut so that material is left on the tubers to re-sprout.

Krista

NCDahlia Thank you for this photo! I think I can build something similar! And the option for multi-use is ideal, thank you!

Teddahlia Noted, I shall pick one up and not overthink it. 🙃

PegMc

I have 3 or 4 shoots, all on different varieties, all closing in on roughly 2.5 -3 inches, where the leaves are not unfurling normally. It's difficult to even see that there are actually leaves there.They basically look like green sticks. Is this an indication of some weird virus?

Teddahlia

"....indication of some weird virus?" Aliens have landed too. They will be fine.

PegMc

LOL. Thanks Ted.

NCDahlia

I use a very long hardware cloth table that was an old side to a chicken run. It is cedar edges so it does not rot. I have it on sawhorses i made out of 2x4. I have 2 of these. 1 for washing tuber clumps IF I divide, and 1 for spring / summer that stays under my live oak and ginkgo tree for pot tubers / cuttings. I can fit several flats on here.

Teddahlia

PERFECTION for pot tubers.

Teddahlia

Nothing like a slick easy slice by a sharp scalpel. A sharp Zenport is good and so is a good pair of small high end scissors. I like scissors made in Japan and Margaret's KAI sewing scissors are amazingly sharp. I notice that they make a small pair of scissors for utility work. I may order a pair: https://www.amazon.com/Kai-7100-Inch-Professional-Scissors/dp/B01K5VWPHE?source=ps-sl-shoppingads-lpcontext&ref_=fplfs&psc=1&smid=A2IGZ09LPUKLVH

AndreaB

I use an X-Acto knife with a #11 blade.

Krista

I really appreciate hearing what others use, sounds like there’re lots of great options which helps a lot to know, thank you! I’ve got my first two tubers in germination mix, en route to sprouting, and I’m feeling pretty excited!

SteveM

Flowernut Regarding the 120+ days for viable tuber development.

I have seen this information before but don't know how it became a fact. The "120 days until viable tuber" can go down as another dahlia myth in my experience. I often have beautiful clumps of tubers (that store well) from cuttings I plant in the field in August and harvest in October. The day length (and other environmental factors) have more influence on tuber maturity than the length of time the tuber have been in the field.

Krista

Flowernut Ah, initial cuttings! These are perhaps the 25% of the time when @Teddahlia uses a scalpel and may correlate with when it’s important to leave material on the tubers to re-sprout? Adding to my notes now, thank you!

And also adding to my notes that 120+ days for viable tuber development is a myth. Thank you to you and SteveM! I remember a thread in Cubits.org where some dahlia myths were discovered but I don’t remember this one mentioned. I am really happy to learn this. I feel like I’ve been following a relatively strict rule book and this thread alone is opening up a whole new level of creativity and allowance for just playing around when growing dahlias that I didn’t know existed. This year is going to be way more fun!

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