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GARDENACTION Mini-Project
DAHLIA
Splitting the dahlia bulb has the advantage that only the best
tubers need to be stored, and individual tubers can be removed from
storage if they deteriorate.
Look
For The Dahlia 'Eyes' or Growing Points Select the best tuber(s) from your dahlia using the rules below. The tuber from which the dahlia plant grows (referred to as the "mother" tuber) sometimes
rots and dies and sometimes it lives on. The mother tuber is often darker than the
surrounding tubers, Sometimes it may have an eye, but it is best to throw this away.
Reject tubers if the necks are thin and easily broken, these may well rot in storageot sprout.
Over-winter Dahlia Tubers
(page 2)
It is possible to store the tubers (note that many people refer to a dahlia
tuber as a dahlia bulb) immediately they are dug up from the ground - if you want to
do it this way, go to the 'Trim The Tubers' using the Quick Finder on
the left. The best way however, is to split the dahlia bulb into individual tubers (as this article recommends).
There
will be several 'eyes' or growing points on the dahlia tuber and it is
important to identify these. A tuber will not sprout unless it has at
least one "eye." The eyes are typically found at the top of a
tuber on the ridge where the tuber joins the stem. When a tuber is
removed from the clump, the ridge containing the eyes must be attached
to the tuber. In some cases, this will require taking a piece of the
stem as well. In the picture on the right two 'eyes' are marked with an
arrow, one 'eye' (to the right) has already formed a shoot. Identify these on your tuber.