A recurring comment before any cuttings sale is “cuttings don’t make tubers”.
While this may have been true for that individual, with correct planting and care, rooted dahlia cuttings WILL yield tubers. Follow these guidelines to ensure proper tuber production.
1. PLANT DEEP. Pretend the soil line of your rooted cutting is the tuber. This may mean burying most of the plant. That’s ok! It feels counterintuitive to bury so much growth, but, without enough depth, you won’t get your tubers.
2. HARVEST OFTEN. Tubers are not a dahlias preferred form of reproduction. Seeds are! Cut for bouquets, deadhead, and disbud. If your dahlia is focused on making seed in spent flowers, it will not focus on making tubers.
3. BE PATIENT. Your dahlia needs to grow for at least 120 days before digging it up, but, the longer you can wait, the more tuber production. Those shorter days and cooler temperatures are what trigger your dahlia to get down to business and really push tuber growth. Think of it this way… every day you leave your tubers in the ground, is another day you don’t need to worry about storing them. Let Mother Nature worry about temperatures and humidity for as long as possible!
4. DO YOUR RESEARCH. Some varieties of dahlia are just better tuber producers than others. So, if you are new to dahlias, or new to storing tubers, start off with some of the easier ones. The tried and true workhorses are tried and true for a reason, because they are gorgeous flowers, they’re easy to store, and fantastic tuber producers. Cafe au Lait, Bridezilla, Diva, Cornell, and Sweet Nathalie would be great examples to start. If you’re looking for something a bit newer, LeeAnn @coseytownflowers breeds specifically for cut flower production, AND tuber production. Anything Coseytown is a beauty, and a joy to divide and store.
Don’t be afraid to buy cuttings! With proper care, you’ll have that new variety for years to come. I hope this helps, and I can’t wait to grow with you!
#dahlias #dahliacuttings #dahliafarmer #blackpennyfarms #coseytownflowers #ohiofarmer #flowerfarmer #dahliatubers #growbeauty
