General Dahlia Chat 2023

blown_dry · 2023-02-04T23:41:17+00:00

Continuing from https://cubits.org/Dahlias/thread/view/91587/?offset=560#end_of_thread

Krista

This is really funny, I feel like we might need a “lost tuber” discussion thread. I’ve been kicking myself because I’ve lost Mak's Volcano which was my prized, first-ever, bonus tuber! And I was so excited to grow it! Ugh, I have no idea where it ended up and I have a sickening feeling it must have been tossed into the recycling with a pile of tuber-delivery-boxes.

Juliarugula

Funnily enough, it showed up as soon as I decided to post about it! I need to remember that trick!

Apparently I did indeed plant it, just not where I originally had planned. I always do things like that, but I had already made my mapping pass through to confirm and fix modified locations. Odyssey’s tag just got a little buried in leaves and I must have overlooked it. I’m surprised I found it tonight of all nights in my post-middle-school-field-trip-chaperone sleep deprived state…

Juliarugula

calico20hill Do you have pets?

If my pet stole a tuber it would no longer be viable. 😬. He’s a real menace! 🤣🤣

Please let us know what your pet’s taste in dahlias is once your stolen tuber blooms!

calico20hill

Juliarugula Ha ha! I will have to note where I planted that one so I can follow up on it! Its hard to know between the kitties and the older dogs. I will guess it was the kitties rolling it around but it was a bit scuffed.

edewitt

I was digging in my raised flowerbed that's going to be strictly for my Hollyhill varieties and managed to dig up a sprout that split into three different sprouts of what I think was AC Devin (which I lost all of in storage). I dug around looking for the tuber and couldn't find a thing. I'm gonna see if that I can get that huge sprout to root. It was quite a strange find.

AKWindWatcher

Sorry I've been a bit AWOL. Took two trips to the PNW to pick up & drop off dahlias (plants & tubers) and went to Dallas (for work) in between. I'm now in the middle of getting all the annuals (dahlias included) in their Summer pots and pulling all the perennials out of the dirt pile where their pots get buried for the Winter. It's the time of year when I think to myself "I have way too many plants" but I quickly forget that as soon as everything is in its spot and growing.

Honnat

Teddahlia Another informative discussion was on the positive benefits of Mycorrhizae, the beneficial root fungi that causes plants to grow extremely vigorous root systems

The last couple years I have used this when planting. Busting the myth that dahlias cant or shouldn't be watered until they are growing x number of inches, I have been digging planting holes, putting in tubers with an inch of soil on top and then hand watering with a watering can that has some powdered soluable mycorrhizae mixed in (1/4 tsp / 5 gallons). Then I rake holes shut the rest of the way. I don't know if the mycorrhizae does anything much but I do like watering in tubers like that. The last few years we have had "unseasonably hot and dry" weather late May so it feels necessary in my loose sandy soil. I have enough left that I may throw the rest of the bag of it in my irrigation 'EZ Flo' later in the year.
Mycorrhizae is in soil if something has been growing there. Those of you who cover crop probably reap the benefits of it and you'd never need to add it. Here in Minnesota the ground freezes shortly after my tubers come out and doesn't thaw with enough time to cover crop.

Juliarugula

Honnat I have enough left that I may throw the rest of the bag of it in my irrigation 'EZ Flo' later in the year.

Have you tried this before? Last year I had some of wetable mycorrhizae left and thought about trying it in my EZ Flo, but I worried it might clog the filter. It seems to do ok for you?

Honnat

I haven't done it in a couple years but don't remember it being an issue. The product description states: "This product is a powder that has a particle size of less than 220 microns and ideal for spray applications, injection systems and drip irrigation."
I get it here:
https://www.kelp4less.com/shop/mycorrhizae-inoculant

Juliarugula

During the seven years we’ve lived at this house, it has become apparent that the sprinkler system (among other things) was a DIY job, and has been a bit difficult to figure out. Specifically, nobody seems to be able to find the valve boxes.

This spring, one of my zones has started refusing to shut off, so I decided it was time to get the irrigation company out here again to look a little harder.

Anyone want to guess where the valve boxes seem to be? Ugh. The irrigation company is going to send someone out next week with better locators to minimize exploratory digging. I’m trying to decide if I really need to water my lawn this summer. They could just come and fix it in the fall right?

A few minutes after they told me they’d have to dig in my dahlia garden I got an alert from my fitness watch. “Your stress levels are unusually high right now. Would you like to try a breathing exercise to calm down?” 🤣🤣🤣

MissyWeitzel

Juliarugula our valve box is located approximately 10 feet directly behind the well pump thingie (sorry I'm not sure on correct terminology). Where I'm standing to take the pic is the back of the house by the water/hose connector.

SteveM

Irrigation systems are one reason I don't wear a fitness watch. 🙂 Most irrigation problems are not anticipated when allocating future time but they usually demand immediate attention and seem intrusive.
I have seen some irrigation valves "hidden" in the crawl space under the house. Usually, the valves will be somewhere close to the house or barn to make the wire runs shorter and to hide the valves. Good luck with your search!

Juliarugula

SteveM I wish ours were in the crawl space! We have a full on Michigan basement - walk-in crawl spaces. That would make everything easy.

I really am considering just dragging a portable sprinkler around the yard for the summer and waiting until October to get the valves fixed. Conveniently, I can turn off well water to the sprinkler system but keep all the hose bibs on.

Juliarugula

MissyWeitzel my well thingy is just inside my dahlia garden, so it checks out…

Anyhow, I just scheduled an appointment for the fall. They weren’t going to be able to work on it until late June. I might be able to move some plants out of the way for them now, but not at the end of the month. Should be okay. I’ve been kind of enjoying using my portable sprinklers during this heatwave because I can really focus on the areas that need water the most.

calico20hill

THis all brought up good questions for me. We are on our 4th growing season in this location now. I asked my husband where the water would need to be turned off at.

UNder the back deck, you have to crawl under it and there is a door to the crawl space. YOU open thaat door and the water valve is inside of it. YOu will need tools to turn the handle. Or you shut off the main valve out at the street...(which I hve never seen). I guess I need a guided tour....Nope...this 77 yr old body is not craling 8' under the low deck...

MissyWeitzel

I attended the midwest dahlia conference annual meeting and plant auction today. I managed to snag a few goodies - about 20 total plants. Just in time to plug in empty spots from my recent losses.
I was excited to get 2 Netherton Cindy and 2 Bloomquist Jean for $5 each! Then I overpaid for some others so I guess it evens out. 😆
Our presenter this year was great. I'm too tired to dig out my notes to tell you his name, but he talked about interpreting soil analysis results as it pertains to growing dahlias. I brought my printout along and was able to ask a couple questions and it was super helpful.
Anyway, you all probably knew this, but in case you didn't and your boron levels are low, as mine are, I was informed the easiest way to add some is to broadcast Borax powder from the laundry aisle.

Cosey

MissyWeitzel Anyway, you all probably knew this, but in case you didn't and your boron levels are low, as mine are, I was informed the easiest way to add some is to broadcast Borax powder from the laundry aisle.

You'll want to mix borax with sand and put it in a large holed cheese shaker. I taped off half the holes and sparingly 'seasoned' the growing rows where I saw boron deficiency. I would not amend until deficiency symptoms presented themselves.

Teddahlia

Be extremely careful with the borax powder as from what I have heard over the years is that the amount you may need for you entire garden may be only a tablespoon or so. If you overfertilize with it , it is extremely toxic to the plants. One soil scientist said he would not risk putting down any boron onto his garden.

MissyWeitzel

Teddahlia oh, thanks so much! I'll do it very sparingly, if at all!

Teddahlia

Fertilizers with "minors" have boron in them. One or two treatment with one of them would be enough boron.

Juliarugula

So, question for more experienced growers.

What is up with these tubers that have the starts of a sprout (more than just a swollen eye) but just sit there and don’t do anything? I have a handful of these. I planted at the beginning of May and have been rooting around checking on tubers that haven’t popped up yet and a few look exactly the same as they did when I planted them 3-4 weeks ago. Tiny start of a sprout, nothing more. When should I give up on these? A couple were really highly desired varieties, so I’m loath to discard them, but maybe I should at this point? Any suggestions? The weather has been pretty wonky this spring, so I guess that could be part of it?

Bessie

Juliarugula I don't give up easily. Two days ago I decided to experiment based on a scientific article that indicated
potato tubers overcame dormancy to sprout. I mixed up a solution of 1% sucrose and .5% ethanol and sprayed it on all the tubers that never sprouted and on tubers with small sprouts that failed to grow. It's too early to tell if it will work. I can help anyone that needs the math for mixing up a solution.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/7703028_Ethanol_breaks_dormancy_of_the_potato_tuber_apical_bud

SteveM

Juliarugula What is up with these tubers that have the starts of a sprout (more than just a swollen eye) but just sit there and don’t do anything? I have a handful of these.

I have had a few of those this year. Many vendors will "pre-sprout" their tubers before they ship (to verify they are shipping viable tubers). In my case I planted these tubers in pots with soil that was colder than the temps they were pre-sprouted in. They didn't continue to sprout, it was as if they were forced into a second dormancy. Once the potting soil temps warmed up the tubers started growing (sprouting) again. These took forever to sprout but are fine now. I don't know if this relates to your circumstance but you might check the soil temp at your tuber level.

« Previous Page Next Page »