How to divide MONSTER dahlia clump

[rainey]

I probably put this dinner plate tuber in the ground 4 years ago. Then we were out of the country for 2 years. When I came back last summer I had a truly chaotic plant well in bloom so I supported it the best I could and let it go.

Now I've uprooted it and dried it out. I'd like to break it up and spread it around the yard and give some away. They're lovely blooms when they're not out of control. But I can't even get my fingers in anywhere to grip individual tubers and break them off.

That's a woman's size 8 clodhopper next to it for visual reference, BTW.

Any ideas????

 

[digitS']

You must be in a warm winter location to have left dahlia roots in the ground for years.

There is no reason to keep those old stems. Don't think about breaking anything. Use sharp pruning shears or a sharp knife. Get those stems out of your way so that you can see the new tubers that developed during the last growing season.

There are probably some old tubers but you can recognize their deterioration in contrast to the soundness of the new. The old may even be hollow. Toss them.

What you are looking for are swelling buds on the necks of the tubers. That is where the new plants will break and grow. If those necks have buds (eyes), and some of them may not, you are in luck. If they neck is broken down into the tuber, those eyes have been lost.

Sometimes, they will look like a shoot will be developing within days and there will be nothing that emerges from the soil and no easy explanation. I don't know much about growing dahlias in other climates and soils but it's fairly easy to have, at least, one viable root from every plant by the end of the growing season.

Storage through the winter can be a real problem for some varieties. That doesn't look like it will be the case with your plant. There appears to be some nice roots in there. Separate them, protect them from freezing and get them back in the ground .

Here's Wishing You the Best of Luck!

Steve

 

[rainey]

Thanks.

No danger of freezing here. I'm in Los Angeles and we are in Spring. Nurseries have tomato plants. Daffodils, camellias and Calla lilies are in bloom.

I'll follow your instructions. Yes, when I was hosing it off I saw lots of very new, very robust tubers. I'll give the cuts time to callus over and get them back in the ground muy pronto.

But tell me about this business of not breaking them apart. I always feel like the plant knows where it wants to separate.

 

[digitS']

Often, the best place to divide a dahlia is right down through the main stem. (Your plant(s) may have several main stems since it has been in one place for several years, however.)

..|..
_o_ there are some pebbles .. .. around my plant .
..|..

Okay, my plant produced 4 tubers through its season of growth. I will cut right down through that central stem, the "o". It amounts to nothing but dead tissue and I will probably trim it completely away.

I now have 4 tubers with good necks: _ | _ | Hopefully, there are some eyes developing on each of the 4. Any roots can be trimmed away. The tuber will need to develop new roots as it grows with the energy and nutrients stored in that tuber.

Your plant(s) had multiple 2017 stems. Those stems are dead. Some may have tubers that are attached that didn't develop enough to have eyes but it seems likely that there will be tubers in there with bumpy eyes along their necks. Those eyes will grow as a green shoots this year. Nutrients will be pulled out of the tuber up into that shoot. New roots will grow out of it, down and out. By the end of the 2018 season, new tubers will radiate outward from each stem and they can grow the 2019 plants.

Steve

 

[flowerbug]

i'd just take a straight shovel and cut down through the middle of it to break it apart. you may damage some of them, but even those may recover.

 

[Nyboy]

Welcome your in luck Steve is a dahlia guru. I am just getting into them after buying some on clearance.

 

[digitS']

I think of ..

. @RustyDHart as the dahlia guru.

I just grow them.

Steve

 

[catjac1975]

I probably put this dinner plate tuber in the ground 4 years ago. Then we were out of the country for 2 years. When I came back last summer I had a truly chaotic plant well in bloom so I supported it the best I could and let it go.

Now I've uprooted it and dried it out. I'd like to break it up and spread it around the yard and give some away. They're lovely blooms when they're not out of control. But I can't even get my fingers in anywhere to grip individual tubers and break them off.

That's a woman's size 8 clodhopper next to it for visual reference, BTW.

Any ideas????

View attachment 24417

Use a sharp knife to make your divisions.

 

[Nyboy]

I think of ..

. @RustyDHart as the dahlia guru.

I just grow them.

Steve

Steve you have a lot of knowledge that you are always willing to share

 

[rainey]

Steve you have a lot of knowledge that you are always willing to share

Yes, and I'm very grateful for the advice.