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Post by Raymond on Jan 25, 2017 21:32:44 GMT
Hapet perfect last year gave me only one shoot off the tuber. I tried to root it and it didn't luckily I had left a side shoot and this grew very big and strong. Took the tip out and tried to root that then the side shoots and couldn't root any of them.
Then after all that malarkey it it fired a new eye so just grew the stupid tuber ! Hahaha
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Post by Cat on Jan 25, 2017 22:40:55 GMT
Thanks@johndoe top tip (no pun intended)
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Post by ian on Jan 26, 2017 15:31:50 GMT
johndoe could you explain how to create a mother plant for myself and others who may be starting along the dahlia route please. I know it's your first time but a rough idea would be a help TY! Hi Cat. I'll explain it as clearly as I can, and as it was explained to last year. I did trial the method, and had some success.
I required tubers of early, new years day for me. Discard the first shoots, as these are usually fat and hollow, and difficult to root. Once I get the shoots I want I take the cutting as usual. Once it's rooted I'll pot it up into a 4" pot. I'll then let it grow up to 3 to 4 pair of leaves. I'll then cut off the top and use this as a cutting. Then as the other side shoots grow, I'll cut the tips off making a cutting, leaving the first set of leaves behind. These 2 leaf joints then produce 2 more cuttings and so on. When I've taken all I need, I'll keep the mother plant as a pot tuber for next year. 
Sorry the drawings a bit primitive, but hopefully you get the gist. If you do this for every side shoot, you get plenty of stock.
If I've got anything wrong, I'm sure someone will put me right 
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Post by ian on Jan 26, 2017 15:33:02 GMT
Nice one JD well explained top of the class.
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Post by johndoe on Jan 26, 2017 20:11:18 GMT
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Post by ian on Jan 26, 2017 20:35:46 GMT
Go on then well done 🌟
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Post by Cat on Jan 27, 2017 22:15:10 GMT
Today we got permission to grow our unwanted dahlias at our primary school so all broken bits and those with no name are heading to their new home after half term. A friend is also giving 2 tubers from her garden. The kids will love the colours and varieties I'm sure, AND SO WILL THE POLLINATORS which is great as we are an Eco school. I hope they will enjoy learning something new too and keep the dahlia spirit alive. It just means 'The Boss' and I will be going into school during the summer to keep them watered and hopefully alive - it will be worth it |
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Post by johndoe on Jan 28, 2017 11:12:21 GMT
Well done you two. That's great news. I can see a small enclave in Cornwall becoming the future home of young champions   |
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Post by Raymond on Jan 28, 2017 20:26:17 GMT
That's great news Cat . Got a couple of chicken legs that look like an eye is there but dont know from what tuber they came off of. I will send them down in your box. |
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Post by johndoe on Jan 30, 2017 15:32:42 GMT
Taken my first five cuttings to make Mother plants. Four Rossendale Hero, and one Westerton Lilian. Hopefully they'll root up in a couple of weeks, then I can pot them up into 4" pots. Should be taking cuttings from them by the middle to end of March. 
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Post by Cat on Jan 30, 2017 18:52:57 GMT
They look good johndoe thanks as always for sharing |
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Post by johndoe on Feb 2, 2017 17:11:18 GMT
Just a quick greenhouse update. 57 out of 150 tubers now have varying stages of growth. And it must be said, they are mostly the ones directly beneath the new light I put up. Probably just a coincidence 
Carrying on removing all the fat early shoots, so hopefully will be taking cuttings for real in about 3 weeks. |
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Post by Cat on Feb 2, 2017 19:28:06 GMT
i would say the light is doing the job! |
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Post by diggie on Feb 2, 2017 20:58:48 GMT
I have got a light over my tubers and playing the waiting game. So far only three tubers have woken up. I live in hope.
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Post by johndoe on Feb 3, 2017 16:54:30 GMT
I have got a light over my tubers and playing the waiting game. So far only three tubers have woken up. I live in hope. I so know how you feel Diggie. Every day after they first go on the heat, I'd go in the greenhouse and stare at each one, willing the beggars to shoot. It gets to about two weeks, and still nothing, then I'm franticly checking thermometers, plugs, electrical connections, soil moisture, just everything!! I start thinking, have I done something wrong, have I put them in upside down...arrrrrgh! Then the next morning I go in there, and........BANG!! There's a tiny eye poking out of one. Then another, and then another one. And I start wondering how the hell I'd missed them the day before  . Hooray, I chant to myself, alone in the greenhouse. How stupid I'd been to think that I couldn't get a few tubers to come to life, and for ever doubting myself. Then I realise, it's nature. You can put heat under them, and lights above them. But they'll come when they are good and ready.....and not before Every January, I say to myself, patience. And every January I stand in my greenhouse alone, pleading with them to shoot!!!! Just as well, no one can see me
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. Hooray, I chant to myself, alone in the greenhouse. How stupid I'd been to think that I couldn't get a few tubers to come to life, and for ever doubting myself. Then I realise, it's nature. You can put heat under them, and lights above them. But they'll come when they are good and ready.....and not before 
