I planted 12 tubers last week.

Only about 3 inches deep. My soil is clay and when wet gets very heavy, so I wasn't sure if too deep they might struggle to sprout.

All of them in the last two days are sprouting.

I have read that you're not suppose to water them when you plant them but I did anyway.

I dug holes about 18 inches deep and back filled with about 6 inches of clay, filled in 6 inches of miracle grow garden soil, more clay that I "ground up" in a bucket with a drill and mixer.

Put the tuber on top of that then topped with more garden soil.

Then I watered each one for about 2 minutes and haven't watered them since.

A couple of them have 4 inch sprout already.

Until two days ago I had wondered if I had ruined them or not with watering them right away.

I can't wait to see them.

Andrew - keep us informed as to how well they grow for you. We can all learn from our dahlia buddies.

Post photos as they bloom and please enter the photos on our database. Thanks.

pirl said:Andrew - keep us informed as to how well they grow for you. We can all learn from our dahlia buddies.

Post photos as they bloom and please enter the photos on our database. Thanks.

Absolutely.

I've learned so much from people here I almost feel like I should have had a student loan to read.

I'll do what I can to keep track of what I do and how it turns out.

@oldfatguy - If you haven't already put in stakes for them, I would recommend it now before the tubers start growing and expanding. You don't want to pierce them when you stake them. And.....at 3" deep, staking is going to be important. Thats assuming these are full sized dahlias that can get 4-5 ft. tall. (or taller if not full sun)

I think we have all learned lots from the other gardeners on this site. Its what makes it work so well.

Wonderful!

I've learned more than I ever knew thanks to those who post and explain what they're doing (or have done) and why they do it.

For years I didn't tie them up, then tied often when they weren't full yet, then didn't tie often enough in August and September. I learn so much from my mistakes!

Geof - we cross posted with the same thought!

mandolls said:@oldfatguy - If you haven't already put in stakes for them, I would recommend it now before the tubers start growing and expanding. You don't want to pierce them when you stake them. And.....at 3" deep, staking is going to be important. Thats assuming these are full sized dahlias that can get 4-5 ft. tall. (or taller if not full sun)

I think we have all learned lots from the other gardeners on this site. Its what makes it work so well.

@mandolls

I staked a couple of them at planting but I didn't have anything for staking at the time.

The way I have most of them planted in one large hole and three of them making a triangle inside the hole, two in back one in front. Anyway with the way they are since I was out of stakes at the time I planned on making something to support them that sits above ground from deck railing spindles once they start growing.

I'll take a pic once I make them since my description is kind of blah.

All of them should get around 4 feet or so. They are all in full sun except for one set of three that in the mid afternoon get shade from my neighbors garage.

Will full sun keep them shorter?

Welcome to the forum, Andrew!

Too much shade will have them "reaching" for the sun. A few years ago, I had two plants that were between 8'-9'. There were very few blooms and staking was a nightmare, if not impossible.

I have the bare minimum of sun in my yard for dahlias (about 6 hrs). they all get at least a foot taller than they usually do, and probably have less blooms. It doesn't stop me from growing them though

Here's my method of attack:)

1. I wait until the end of May to plant. By then, most tubers will have shown growth. If they haver not shown growth by this time, I will probably discard. MS dahlias usually have a lot of growth at this time and I really should plant them earlier. Oh well...

2. I plant 2 tubers per stake. I only plant tubers with visible buds.

3. When you plant late, they come up quicker. A couple of years ago, I ordered some end of season sale dahlias from Swan Island. Planted them in the first week of June. They did as well if not better than dahlias that I had planted in early May.

4. I do not need dahlias blooming in July. August, September and October is just fine!

I totally agree, Frank, but I do plant just one tuber per stake unless I have multiples of the same dahlia.

Amen, about the later blooms, Frank! Since I normally have blooms into early November, I can wait, too. Any blooms I have before mid-August is like ringing a dinner bell for the Japanese beetles. I'd almost as soon not having blooms than seeing them eaten full of holes. How do the JB's know to attack our favorite ones?

Dan, you are exactly right about the JBs. They seem to aim for the most beautiful ones for sure. Last year was really awesome. We did not have killing frost until Dec. Dahlias and roses were blooming into Thanksgiving.

The JB's usually arrive before July 4th here and remain for about six weeks. So far the dahlias have been safe, probably because they're feasting on roses.

Karen - we had a nice winter and we were still getting tomatoes in December that lasted through January!

pirl said:Andrew - keep us informed as to how well they grow for you. We can all learn from our dahlia buddies.

Post photos as they bloom and please enter the photos on our database. Thanks.

@pirl

Just a quick update and question.

All of mine have sprouted but only 3 of them are over a foot tall. The rest are still small and barely growing.

Anything that can give them a boost?

In my back yard they are next to my roses and in front they are mixed in with Limelight Hydrangeas so I've been hesitant to give them anything as I'm not sure it'll hurt what's near them.

Andrew - many of mine sound like yours, short (some wimpy) and not as tall as I'd expect. Some of us are going through this right now. I don't know if we're too anxious to see progress.

I have some around my Limelight hydrangea as well!

Mine were all planted with a handful of Superphosphate so I'd have thought I'd get more growth by now.

I'm hesitant to recommend any supplement since I don't know if it's our weather (too dry but our irrigation system goes on four times a week, 45 minutes each zone) or if there's another reason for it. Hopefully, someone will post with a remedy.

Michigan dahlias...

I planted 50 or so dahlias in late May, early June. Some are a foot tall, some are just breaking ground.

If I see them breaking ground, I am happy.

July is for Daylilies, August is for Dahlias:)

Be patient.

frankrichards16 said:

Be patient.

Easy for you to say.

I got a couple already with flowers from Lowes and I love how they look, I want me other ones! Hahaha.

pirl said:Andrew - many of mine sound like yours, short (some wimpy) and not as tall as I'd expect. Some of us are going through this right now. I don't know if we're too anxious to see progress.

I have some around my Limelight hydrangea as well!

Mine were all planted with a handful of Superphosphate so I'd have thought I'd get more growth by now.

I'm hesitant to recommend any supplement since I don't know if it's our weather (too dry but our irrigation system goes on four times a week, 45 minutes each zone) or if there's another reason for it. Hopefully, someone will post with a remedy.

Mine finally picked up like a week after my last post and having been growing really steady.

Here's one that I got from Lowes, half dead and half price. Thrived once I got it in the ground.



Tag said it was Go Go Peach. It's gained about 6 inches and always has blooms and buds.

My temptation Dahlia I got from Lowes at the same time hasn't grown an inch but constantly has new buds and flowers, I didn't snap a shot of that.

I'm astonished how thick the stalk(is that the right word?) is on this one.

Here is a better image of the GoGo Peach. I added it to the database since it didn't have a picture.


And my Temptation.