A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2006 stored dahlias are sprouting

Hi All,
I am a new member and hope someone out there can help with my dahlias. I started them from seeds this year. When I dug them this fall the tubers were abundant. I cleaned them, but didn't cut them apart. I have them stored in peat moss. Due to the mild winter so far, my garage has stayed warm and they are starting to sprout in the bin I have them stored in. What should I do. This is the first time I have grown dahlias. They were magnificent and want to save them for next year. Thanks to anyone who responds.

It's common for them to sprout if the temps are warm, but it won't hurt them. Just leave them be and cut back any growth before you plant them next year.

kitty, I read that you can root the sprouts, just cut them off when they're about two inches high and you can try rooting them...mnaybe youll be able to stat more plants and grow them inside?

~~~~>Kenny, not that I have ever heard of dahlia's doing that..
They are a tuber like source..
The sprouts are coming from that and need the energy stores from the tuber thingie to grow..


**I agree with Alan, leave 'em be, they should be fine..

Are they were alot of light can get to them?
That may be a reason for resprouting as well...

I read that in the plant propagation book from reader's digest. Of course, experience is always better than a book, I'm going to try what the book says this year an let everyone know. but here's an excerpt from the book:

...you can take basal cuttings in late winter with a bit of tuber on each cutting

...you can take 3-4in cuttings and cut above the lowest node to leave a bud on the tuber...keep the tuber in a warm and moist place and they will send out a new flush of shoots...

sounds like what commerical gardeners do...they book has just about any plant! Just though I'd share

Okay Kenny...
I did some hunting for some info,
and I stand corrected..

And a nice job you did of posting the info...
And a great big Thank~You for sharing it...

And I sincerely hope that if you do try this method, I would love, love, love to hear all about it.. how it did, what method's you tried, and everything.. it sounds like a fun project...

What wonderful advice from all of you. I've been gardening for most of my life (66 years now) but have never done dahlias. I got the seeds from Thompson and Morgan and I have to say they produced gorgeous plants, 40 of them. I think I may try potting up one or two of them just to see what happens.

They are stored in peat, with newspaper over the top to avoid light, but the little darlings are determined to sprout anyway.

Again, thank you all for responding. It is great information to have.

Kitty, same here, I've always admired dahlias but have never tried them from seed. I was given tubers from a red one as a gift, I can't wait to see how your dahlias look, promise to put up pics!

Kenny,
They were wonderfully easy to start as seeds. I do have pics and as soon as I have some time to figure out how to submit them I will do that. One was as big as the palm of my hand.

The tuber production was amazing. I didn't cut them apart, but think I'll do that in the spring and discard those that don't have eyes.

If I was more organized, I would have labeled them while they were in the ground because the packets were mixed colors, some double, some single. That's on my list for next year.

I started 40 of them - two varieties. Fast germination and good strong plants. They bloomed a bit later than I expected, but once they started, they were non-stop. Well worth the small effort to have these beauties in a vase on my desk every day.

I did some seeds the season before last..
and was amazzzed on easy they were to grow from seed..
I had almost all germination of the seeds I planted.. *I planted 12 and got 10 plants*
and they are the cutest things I've ever seen..
I had so much fun growing them..
and the colors were sooooo pretty...

I cheat though with mine, I just let them die back in the frosts, then pull them back into my basement and leave them right in the pots..

And then around March or so and I go down to the basement and peak at them, if I see growth, I start to water just a bit.. and then they seem to sprout like crazy...

Weezie thanks sooo Much for that wonderful Link I definately saved that one to my favs list!!!