Dahlias that die!

**rana** · 03-05-2010, 07:33 AM

When you lift dahlias in the autumn they must be allowed to dry thoroughly before winter storage or they may rot. Unless your ground is particularly waterlogged I would expect them to survive OK in the ground in your locations.
In the late spring fresh dahlia shoots are a magnet for slugs which may be wiping out your immature plants before they get going.

**Two_Sheds** · 03-05-2010, 07:59 AM

I (accidentally) dug up a tuber in the autumn, so potted it up in MPC, letting it grow slowly in a cool room. Come March I was able to take cuttings from it: I now have four cuttings & a bushy 12" tall plant

**Snadger** · 03-05-2010, 08:41 AM

The recommendation is to bury them under a privet hedge for the winter. Its always dry and frost free there, but do make a note of WHERE you buried them!

**Newbie** · 03-05-2010, 08:50 AM

I kill them every year too, however my brother lifts them, places them in a shallow box, sprinkles them with some kind of powder then puts the box in his loft until planting time again & manages to keep them year after year.

**Snadger** · 03-05-2010, 11:28 AM

Originally posted by Newbie View Post

I kill them every year too, however my brother lifts them, places them in a shallow box, sprinkles them with some kind of powder then puts the box in his loft until planting time again & manages to keep them year after year.

Probably uses Flowers of Sulphur which is a fungicide?

**sunnymay10** · 05-05-2010, 10:46 PM

Thanks for the replies, I've had another look at the ones I left in the ground at the end of last year and it looks like I've only got 3 out of 10 seperate plants each one being a different variety.
So it looks like buying more again this year, but I think I will lift them again at the end of this year,
not sure how to store them thats different to what I have done before, they seem to dry out and crumble, so if there are any other thoughts, I'd be interested.
sunnymay.

**bramble** · 06-05-2010, 05:50 PM

If you just want them for cutting why not sow seeds. I sow seeds every year. They are very easy to germinate and you can get tall or dwarf ones.

**dincur** · 07-05-2010, 07:38 PM

Hi there. I know for a fact that ashes(mostly cinders) will act as a mulch against the cold and deter slugs. Tesco cat litter may do the same. Neither will look attractive but the dahlia tops won't look great either. Give it a shot.

**rana** · 08-05-2010, 06:35 AM

Originally posted by dincur View Post

Hi there. I know for a fact that ashes(mostly cinders) will act as a mulch against the cold and deter slugs. Tesco cat litter may do the same. Neither will look attractive but the dahlia tops won't look great either. Give it a shot.

Presumably the resultant cat poo acts as a free and handy fertilizer ?

**dincur** · 08-05-2010, 08:21 PM

Or deters the slugs. Maybe the litter doesn't really work. HA HA.

**IgglePiggle** · 13-05-2010, 06:12 AM

I had 60 odd once and only had 4 by the following year

Last year I lifted them, wiped off the muck as much as I could and put them in a small box in a shed. Most rotted but about 12 lived. So maybe trying lifting them again this year

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Dahlias that die!

Dahlias that die!

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