A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The Plants and Flowers Forum Dahlia bulbs are prematurely sprouting

I'm new to this site and new to Dahlia growing. Have some bulbs that I dug up and saved from last year. Got ready to plant them again and found they have large crooked white sprouts (8 -10 inches). Should the sprouts be cut before planting? Even staked they won't grow straight. Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.

Welcome, mompf3.
If it isn't yet the season to plant out in your area plant them in a pot to give them a head start. Bury those stalks if you can. But I would not cut them. Those are this year's growing 'eyes'. You can start preparing the planting holes for them out doors at any time the ground can be worked. Don't forget those stakes.

You can cut the white sprout off, but you can't cut it all off. You have to leave a small 'stump' a few millimeters (1/8" or so)and the tuber will push out anywhere from 2-4 new shoots from the base of the shoot that you cut off. In some nurseries you can buy rooted dahlia plugs instead of tubers, and the cutting material are these shoots. Just remember that when you plant them outside, you should cut off all but one shoot, so the nutrients go to one plant.
You can also bury the tubers a bit deeper, and leave the top inch or so of the shoot exposed. It'll turn green very soon after it get adequate light. When you stake them, put the stake in before or at the same time your plant so you don't accidentally pierce the tuber (which I've done before when I tried to stake when the plants got too floppy).

Oh, very cool, Kenny. I learn new things every day. I have always been terrified of breaking the eyes off of any of my tuberous plants. I will handle them with a more secure feeling now.

Nice info Kenny.

Thank you so much for the info. I am definitely a gardening neophyte, but love working with pots and dirt. I'm thrilled to have found this forum.

kenny,that was great info. I would have been afraid to cut the top off also. LOL