jay65
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Post by jay65 on Feb 3, 2016 11:51:34 GMT
Hi jay65 I wish my cuttings last year rooted so quickly took about 21days even in April/may . When they did root they made good plants. That seaweed and tomato tea sounds good does he sell it online ? Hi Raymond. I will PM you his email address. I had some left over from last season, so I'm still using that, but I presume he is still doing it. As I said, I will PM you his email address over.
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jay65
Junior Member
Posts: 69
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Post by jay65 on Feb 2, 2016 1:05:15 GMT
jay65 how long are your cuttings on average taking to root at this time of year ? Are you using a grow light ? Look a lovely green colour very healthy and squat. Roots are taking anything from 11 to 17 days at the moment, but can depend on the cutting of course. The thicker stemmed cuttings can be at the upper end of that range whilst some of the more regular stemmed cuttings nearer to 11 or 12 days. Overall average is about 14 days.
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jay65
Junior Member
Posts: 69
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Post by jay65 on Feb 2, 2016 1:01:22 GMT
Hi Raymond. I do spray the tubers nearly every day, just with a mist and once a week with a mix of water and a Seaweed Tea that I get made up fresh from a guy I know on the North West Coast of England. This guy goes out onto the beach near his home and collects the seaweed, then just makes up a tea solution of it. I dilute it down and it gives the early cuttings a rich foliage whilst they're rooting. I've found this really useful at this time of year because of the short days which can produce some slightly pale cuttings initially, but they soon gain a deep green richness when they're on the seaweed tea and starting to root. I give them a spray with plain water @ 18*C and the Seawood Tea mixture on alternate days, but only when they have started to root. Sorry, I know that sounds like I pamper them too much maybe! I then use the Seaweed Tea on the plants for the first half of the season, then he also makes me a up a Tomato Tea, which smells just like licorice and is really thick, which I dilute down later in the season to get nice blooms.
No Growlights on any of my tubers.
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jay65
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Posts: 69
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Post by jay65 on Feb 1, 2016 20:25:43 GMT
Mother plant? I've always thought that is the big main plant that you take cuttings from, have I missed something in dahlia terminology folks??? Feeling thick... Hi Cat. In a few weeks those little plants in 3in pots I have there, will be big enough to take cuttings from. Starting with the tip when it's big enough, which will then throw side shoots which will then be secondary cuttings. Should get another 5 cuttings from each of these little plants, hence the term 'mother plant'. I probably have enough time in some cases, to actually get another batch of cuttings from those cuttings too for some varieties. Therefore 1 little plant at this stage becomes 5 plants in a few weeks, and potentially each one of those 5 can give another 5 cuttings making 25 plants. All from 1 early rooted cutting. Well, that's the theory at least.
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jay65
Junior Member
Posts: 69
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Post by jay65 on Feb 1, 2016 18:01:01 GMT
Nice one Raymond. All looks very good there at the moment. I also had some tubers from Jack Gott come about 10 days ago, no sign of life on those yet, but they look like nice tubers. I also had some arrive on the same day from another Garden-friends member and many of his are already showing shoots including Dikara Superb, Blyton Softer Gleam, Blyton Golden Girl and even one of his George Marston has a shoot on it! Must be a record that...haha.
Sir Alf Ramsey? WILL YOU PLEASE GET A MOVE ON!!!!
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jay65
Junior Member
Posts: 69
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Post by jay65 on Feb 1, 2016 17:01:26 GMT
Well, just a quick update. I have about 80 cuttings now all busting a gut to root. Some look quite sorry for themselves but this is normal I know, and most will pick up in a few days (hopefully). I've already got 39 cuttings rooted and popped into 3in pots. Plenty of Trooper Dans', Cafe Au Lait. The Kenora Challengers all look like nice little plants already. Westerton Folly mother plants look really good and strong this year so far, and the few Brenda T's look great too. Hamari Girl also looks strong, as does Hillcrest Royal and Trelyn Kiwi. So all good there. The Blyton Softer Gleam, Marys Jomanda and Dikara Superb tubers are all starting to shoot nicely, so big hopes for those. And even one of my George Marston Tuber is shooting, which is good for a notoriously slow starter. On the negative side, Kenora Wow, Vals Candy and Hillcrest Candy all look like they are struggling a little to root, but fortuantely I have some pretty good tubers where I have a fair bit of cutting growth to come. Nothing coming through on the Sir Alf Ramsey and Oakwood Goldcrest tubers yet. i68.tinypic.com/30kyc0k.jpg[/IMG] Just a few of the already rooted cuttings in their 3in pots Some of the mother plants in the Vitopod A really nice little Kenora Challenger plant Some more mother plants of various varieties
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jay65
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Posts: 69
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Post by jay65 on Jan 29, 2016 20:53:43 GMT
That's really interesting that you mention about re-stimulating some tubers who are getting a little tired, by re-planting them, particularly varieties that have been set up early, that's great info, and something that I will certainly remember as the season goes on. Thanks Dave.
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jay65
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Posts: 69
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Post by jay65 on Jan 29, 2016 18:22:16 GMT
Hi dave , based in Hull, East Yorkshire, Only my 3rd year growing Dahlias, I joined the site last year and won some prizes at our local Dahlia and Chrystant show last year, I have been quiet over the winter, but learn so much from this forum Hi Alan, Nice to meet you. Like you, I'm only in my 3rd year of Dahlia growing. So nice to hear that you won some prizes already at your local shows. Congratulations on that, quite an achievement.
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jay65
Junior Member
Posts: 69
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Post by jay65 on Jan 29, 2016 13:53:08 GMT
Good news for me today. Red diamond tubers have finally started to show some signs of life with a couple of shoots on each, and also one of the Bracken Ballerina tubers is shooting from the bottom. Always a good sign I find as the quality of the cuttings always seem to be a little stronger than the smaller ones that shoot from last years stems higher up. Marys Jomanda showing signs of shoots too, as is Blyton Softer Gleam. Also managed to pot up another 14 rooted cuttings today. Currently at 29 mother plants. So things are coming on nicely
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jay65
Junior Member
Posts: 69
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Post by jay65 on Jan 29, 2016 9:06:11 GMT
I think this is always the gamble for the amateur. Do you set up the tubers early to get the numbers that you're looking for, and perhaps compromise both some early losses, and risk the little tubers running out of steam come March (In the absence of early mother planting of course). Or do you wait a while to get the length of days producing good quality cuttings, but then risk not being able to get the number you want/need.
For you guys it's a slightly different variation on a theme, but that same balancing act is more influenced by volume and practical business decisions.
Personally, I would love to drop by and nose around your set up and get some valuable insight, because I find the whole thing fascinating. Maybe one day, we'll drop by?
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jay65
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Posts: 69
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Post by jay65 on Jan 29, 2016 9:01:25 GMT
That's good info Dave. Early to mid April is fine for me for Sheval Megan to be honest. I also find that at this time of year with the shorter days that some of the varieties cutting material is slightly on the pale side. I'm finding Kenora Wow to be a little like that, but as you say I suppose they struggle a little for photosynthesis and therefore come out a little on the pale side. I fully expect the first few cuttings may struggle to root, but I think it's a variety well worth perservering with, as I think that as the daylight gets longer perhaps the cuttings aren't trying to put down roots and photosynthesize at the same time, suggesting the later cuttings will be more successful, and as long as the tubers of Kenora Wow keep throwing shoots, it'll get better and better as the cuttings season goes on. If I had the choice I would want to send out all our cuttings mid April to May but with the volume we do that is totally impractical. My reasoning for this is as you mention related to day length and the resultant quality of cuttings produced. We only have lights over about 5% of our stock. We've never really needed them, but early cuttings never grow quite as well as those taken and rooted after the spring equinox. We allow about 28 days from taking the cuttings to them being ready to go out in the early part of the season. By the time end April and May comes we can be taking cuttings and they are ready to go out in about 18 days. What makes life even more interesting is that we can take a batch of cuttings one week and is not quite ready to go out when scheduled but the same variety, taken a week-10 days later is- and can quite often be twice the size! Its all down to the quality of cutting when it is taken which we have noted is very often due to the amount of sunlight in the few days before taking the batch. Taking as many cuttings as she does, my cousin who runs the Ovington nursery and therefor looks after the dahlia propagation, can "feel" whether the cuttings are going to root easily or not!
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jay65
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Posts: 69
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Post by jay65 on Jan 28, 2016 22:22:52 GMT
That's good info Dave. Early to mid April is fine for me for Sheval Megan to be honest.
I also find that at this time of year with the shorter days that some of the varieties cutting material is slightly on the pale side. I'm finding Kenora Wow to be a little like that, but as you say I suppose they struggle a little for photosynthesis and therefore come out a little on the pale side. I fully expect the first few cuttings may struggle to root, but I think it's a variety well worth perservering with, as I think that as the daylight gets longer perhaps the cuttings aren't trying to put down roots and photosynthesize at the same time, suggesting the later cuttings will be more successful, and as long as the tubers of Kenora Wow keep throwing shoots, it'll get better and better as the cuttings season goes on.
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jay65
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Posts: 69
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Post by jay65 on Jan 28, 2016 21:40:13 GMT
That's pretty awesome Dave. I'll order me some Sheval Megan tomorrow from the website if that's okay with you? I'll also pick up some Westerton JWH too I think.
Can I ask you a question? Why do you mound up the compost like that in troughs? Is it to allow the roots of the tubers to spread into them?
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jay65
Junior Member
Posts: 69
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Post by jay65 on Jan 28, 2016 16:10:07 GMT
All looks great jay65 just placing my halls order . Mostly bedding ones for top border some new for me but I have succumbed to the dark side and ordered 3 sheval Megan ! Hahaha I started Michelle early ian as the tubers where not good and starting to shrivel. Hope I get some mother plants on this . Would like to get a decent bloom on Michelle as I thought it was knock out as wisley and nobody else shows it in Kent. Set all three tubers up ranked them a b and c hope to get all from the "a" one as it was the best and biggest flower and biggest tuber. Was told later cutting from dcdahlia as well. Aaahhh! Good for you Raymond! IThough I don't blame you at all for ordering a few Sheval Megan. I think I will order 3 too.
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jay65
Junior Member
Posts: 69
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Post by jay65 on Jan 28, 2016 9:53:46 GMT
One of the Vitopods nearly full now with around 100 cuttings and various mother plants already potted on.
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