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

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.

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.

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.

Juliarugula

Bessie

Interesting! Maybe I’ll try this on a couple and see what happens.

Teddahlia

Tubers that come from a clump that was infected by crown gall generally never sprout. In the clump, one of the tubers may have had the tumor that indicates the gall infection and it sends a chemical to the entire clump. A grower may discard the one tuber and send out the others that are doomed to never sprout but look really good. Perhaps Bessie's chemical concoction would work. Doubtful if crown gall is involved. I always enjoy being the bearer of bad news. 😫
Actually, I hope it is not crown gall and they are just lazy tubers. On a lighter note, I do not wait for the split tuber to to heal over when I split one just before planting. I enjoy getting extra plants from the split tubers. Perhaps this information is too upbeat when we are talking about the exact opposite situation, tubers that have no growing sprouts despite nice looking eyes.

Juliarugula

Teddahlia tubers that have no growing sprouts despite nice looking eyes.

The tubers I’m talking about really have more than just nice looking eyes - they’re at that stage where the white sprout is just poking out, but no more than say 1/16”.

I’ve certainly considered the possibility of crown gall with a few sluggish tubers this year that didn’t eye up at all (now discarded), but I’m not really as suspicious with these. Partly because they did sprout, but even more so, because the two most maddening ones were direct from long time hybridizers both of whom I’d be shocked to find had sent a tuber from a clump with gall. I suppose the gall could have just not shown up at all on the clump yet, but…

Teddahlia

HH Electra requires more heat than most to sprout. Kenora Clyde sprouts really slowly as the sprouts have such a large diameter. Small tubers with small sprouts seem to sprout first but take longer to make a full sized plant.

Juliarugula

SteveM . I don't know if this relates to your circumstance but you might check the soil temp at your tuber level.

Hopefully, if that was the case, the last week should have kicked them into gear since we were in the 90s. Before that, it was a fairly cool spring. Like I said, the weather has been wonky.

Bessie

Some info on boron deficiency in potatoes(close enough to dahlias?). I had no clue what a boron deficiency might look like. Interesting that tubers get some deformity with this deficiency.
https://www.yara.us/crop-nutrition/potato/nutrient-deficiencies-in-potatoes/boron-deficiency-potatoes/

NCDahlia

its so hot here. the sprouts are struggling, getting burned pushing through the dirt. I was 2 weeks late planting because all the rain. will have to put slug bait down again. have a few with 2nd leaves that melted off from the heat at 11 am when i checked. ground temp is hot to the hand cant imagine how dahlia leaves felt

Bessie

NCDahlia I tried to think what I would do in your situation.... I like to think outside the box. I thought what is needed is shade cover. Do you think these mini cocktail umbrellas that are 6" x 6" could provide individual shade to the sprouting Dahlias? Crazy idea, I know.

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