Dahlia tubers

Dahlia tubers

Asked on 12 Jul, 2008

I planted my dahlias from seed and grew them on to plant outside. Have the seeds now become tubers and, if so, please can you tell me how to keep the tubers after the plants have finished flowering - is it worthwhile keeping them from one season to the next or better to buy new seeds and start afresh?? Thanks so much.

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Poppy

12 Jul, 2008

Certainly you can keep the tubers, they can be left in the ground if your soil is well drained so that they dont rot, but to be on the safe side its perhaps best to lift them. Dig them up, allow them to dry & remove the soil residue then store them in a dry, dark place (a box maybe in the shed) some people store them in their house. Then start them off again in spring. Trim any thin weak roots off leaving plump healthy tubers. Start them off in a tray of shallow compost, up to (but not covering the crown), keep them moist & before long they will start producing shoots which you can take as cuttings to pot on & wait for more shoots before planting the whole tubers.
This year I took 8 cuttings from 3 B.of Llandaff tubers which are now garden ready & the tubers are now planted in the garden & doing great so give it a go.

Sheila123456

13 Jul, 2008

Hello Poppy - thanks for answer. Do I cut the shoot off the tuber and plant it or cut the piece of tuber off the remaining tuber with the shoot attached to it? Does that make sense?
Sheila

Poppy

14 Jul, 2008

Take a cutting from the shoots off the tuber when they are 2 or 3 inches, so strong enough to be potted up in sowing compost in a small pot. Don't cut into the tuber itself. The tuber will keep sending out more shoots. Good luck. I will put a pic of my cuttings taken about 3 months ago.

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