It’s that time of year… spring flowers and bulbs and tubers are starting to arrive at hardware stores, nurseries, grocery stores, Costco, Sam’s club… they’re everywhere! And the prices! Holy crow they’re so much cheaper than buying from a small US grower!
But, every forum you go to, every dahlia grower you know, says ewww. No. Don’t buy those.
So, we need to know, is there actually something wrong with tubers from the store?
And the answer is, maybe… most tubers you’ll find in a store are imported, mostly from the Netherlands. Dahlias are susceptible to a few diseases, but, the big focus of the growers saying don’t buy them are crown gall, and leafy gall. Both are bacterial infections, easily spread by water, or soil. They cause growth deformities, and cause genetic breakdown. But, they don’t only affect dahlias. Over 600 different plants can be infected. So, you may be willing to gamble with a couple 5$ dahlias, but what about your fruit trees? Or your grandmothers rose bushes?
Here’s the thing…. Almost every dahlia grower you know, started with those big store tubers. They can be a fantastic introduction, at an attractive price. So, if a Home Depot dahlia is the only one you’re willing to try, it’s better than nothing. Please learn what gall looks like! Inspect the tubers through the bags at the store, and leave any behind that are questionable. Once you find a good one, grow it in a pot or grow bag for a year or two, to make sure it is disease free. I am sure that once you dip your toe into the dahlia pool, you’ll never look back. Welcome to the dark side, and I can’t wait to grow with you!
#blackpennyfarms #dahliatubersforsale #dahliafarmer #storeboughttubers #leafygall #crowngall #growsomethingbeautiful