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linnea56chgo5b

Bought WAY too many: space saving way to start tubers indoors?

I start them indoors in pots about now, before transplanting
them into the garden and some into patio pots in about 6 weeks. I usually line
the pots with newspaper, so I can lift the whole thing out easily and set it
into the hole outdoors. I set the pots in a plastic under-bed storage box, and
have room for 2 such boxes on a card table in front of one of my few sunny
windows.

But, I’ve bought 26 so far, which is way more than the plastic
boxes will hold.

Is there another way to start them that takes less space
than individual pots? I tried flats once, and it was not easy to disentangle
the roots. Thanks!

Comments (25)

  • J Pru
    6 years ago

    I start them in sandwich-sized plastic baggies. I buy several of those aluminum roasting pans (the disposable ones) at the dollar store and I can get two rows of baggies in each tray. Since there is no drainage, you need to be careful with watering. My rule is: no watering until they sprout, and then I just mist them every 3-4 days with a spray bottle. (Also from the dollar store). If the tubers are too long to fit inside the smaller baggies, I use the gallon size. I'll try to post a picture tomorrow.

    linnea56 (zone 5b Chicago) thanked J Pru
  • linnea56 (zone 5b Chicago)
    Original Author
    6 years ago

    Thanks! So you don't poke any holes in the bags?

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  • J Pru
    6 years ago

    No, I'm just very careful not to overwater. I suppose poking holes would help, just in case. When I plant them out I dig the hole, and then place the baggie in the hole, and slit the bottom and side so I can pull the baggie away without having to disturb the roots or tubers too much. I saw someone on this forum posted a photo of using baggies (Cicivacation, maybe?) and I went to look for it but can't find it. I'd be interested in learning how Cici deals with drainage...

    linnea56 (zone 5b Chicago) thanked J Pru
  • linnea56 (zone 5b Chicago)
    Original Author
    6 years ago

    Thanks! They were all "bagged up" yesterday, and they took remarkably little space. They are all just holding each other up in the plastic box. It took much less time, too: I got at least 30 tubers done in about 2 hours.


    When I moved on to begonias, etc., that needed pots, those took hours longer.

  • J Pru
    6 years ago

    I like the tray in a tray idea. Why can't the tubers touch the plastic? Does this cause them to rot? I haven't had problems with this (so far) but I use a lot of soil in the baggies, so maybe I've just been lucky.

  • cicivacation
    6 years ago

    'Does this cause them to rot?'

    It seems to for me, in a majority of times. Might be that there is a pocket of moist air if the plastic flexes, and mold that can't thrive in soil does great in the pocket. Regardless of how and why, I've learned that lesson multiple times, and make a point to avoid it when possible. Perhaps others will have different experiences.

    I use as little mix as I can get away with in each quart bag, as I will have several hundreds of bags stuffed with tubers and very little space to put them. More potting mix would most certainty be better, but the very reason I use bags is to take up less space.

  • Rachel Cross- Harder
    6 years ago

    Sorry to butt in ladies. I was going to ask how to start tubers before planting out bc it's raining this week & I don't want them to rot :( Not only did I get my answer but lots of extra tips!! Thankyou all so very much it's priceless to learn good tips & tricks :) I know I'm a few days late on this thread but need advice. So which do I look for , a good start of roots on tubers or the length of the top growth or do I consider both ? When do I know they're ok to be watered & planted outside in ground safely without rotting. All my tubers have feeder roots w/ eyes starting to peep thru the skin & some have 1- 4 " of stem growing. Is it okay to plant out now or should I wait a lil longer? As long as my tubers have good roots does it matter how long the top growth is ? -Everything I read on dahlias says wait until the growth pokes thru the top of soil to water. I'm asking bc it's going to rain on & off all week & I do not want to risk any tubers rotting!! I think I'm going to head out to " baggie" up my tubers to grow the way u guys explained to. I'm so worried my tubers might rot! How long do I leave them to grow before planting out ? Also at what stem length do I consider trimming back before planting ? I have a couple tubers thatve grown 5" stems how far back to cut ? If at all ?? Thankyou guys :)

  • Rachel Cross- Harder
    6 years ago

    Oh also do I bury the stems as they poke thru soil? Like u would with asparagus?? Can't remember where I got this idea

  • J Pru
    6 years ago

    Hi Rachel -

    People usually start tubers inside so that they can get a head start on growing before its safe to plant the tubers directly in the ground outside. Here in Michigan, the frost free date is mid-May, but the soil doesn't usually warm up enough to get good growth until end of May. Recently, I've begun to start my tubers inside in March or April, so they are generally 10 - 12" tall by the time its warm enough to move them outside. However, another very successful way to get your dahlias into the ground is to simply plant the tubers directly into your garden, about 4" deep. You can do this at any point after danger of frost has passed. It is usually a good idea to plant them (either indoors in pots or baggies) before there are roots and sprouts growing. Planting indoors is a lot of work, not only do you have to put the tubers in pots or bags, but you have to harden them off before you can plant them outside.

    Where are you located? I would think at this time of year, almost anyplace in the continental US is past the danger of frost. You want the soil to be above 60 degrees F for the dahlias to grow. If it is colder than that, they won't be harmed but may not grow fast until the soil warms up. A trick to warm up the soil in the spring is to plant the tubers and then get a plastic gallon milk jug with the bottom cut off and place it over the area where you planted the tuber. They act like little individual greenhouses and help keep the soil warm. Again, depending on where you are, it may not be necessary this late in the season.

    What kind of soil do you have? If it is heavy clay, you may run into trouble with too much water/tuber rot at any point during the season, but especially before the feeder roots are established. You can amend your soil with peat, compost, sand or many other choices to increase drainage. You can also make little "hillocks" and plant your tubers at the top of them, with little ditches along the sides so the water will run down the sides to increase drainage. Where I live, we have sandy soil and I have never had problem with tubers rotting. I actually plant them with little drainage reservoirs in the soil to catch extra rain water, otherwise I'd be watering all the time.

    Most dahlias take about 90 days from planting until first bloom, so by planting April 1 I get my first blooms end of June. Planting at the beginning of June may result in you having to wait until September. But I also believe that the varieties that I plant outside directly in the garden seem to catch up very quickly, and don't have all the stress of changing environment and getting shocked after being transplanted. So I end up doing both, some I start indoors and some I throw in the ground around Memorial Day. I have sprouts already 6 " tall from bare tubers I planted 3 weeks ago, whereas some of my early-starts are still only about 10".

    If you already have sprouts, you can plant the tubers 4" deep, or plant them close to the top of the soil, and then mound up the soil around the stem as the plant grows. You want them to have some depth so they don't get too hot or dry during the warmer months. As for trimming back, I "top" my plants when they reach about 12 - 18" high, or have about 3 or 4 leaf sets. This involves simply pinching off the growing tip, so that the plant is forced to develop more lateral (sideways) growing branches and become bushier and shorter, with more flowers.

    Don't forget, Dahlias are pretty resilient once they get going. Good luck!

  • cicivacation
    6 years ago

    Pru covered things pretty well. If you have feeder roots already on your tubers, there is little to be gained by using undersized pots/bags. Transplanting slows growth down, so it shouldn't be done unnecessarily.

    Make sure that standing water can't gather where the dahlia tubers will be planted. If water doesn't naturally drain away after a hard rain at your planting site, mound soil up six to nine inches above grass level before planting tubers at grass-level, leaving moats on the outside of the dahlia row for the excess water to drain to. If you can, plant in a raised bed. Or use a miniature french drain to allow the water to funnel off into another area.

  • Rachel Cross- Harder
    6 years ago

    Thankyou for all the info :) I feel silly for not saying I'm in Florida. I wasn't worried ab frost - the last frost for my area is early march. I should've had them in ground growing by then but I didn't think of planting dahlias until I came across the GA dahlia society online. They have a list of heat tolerant varieties for the Deep South which started a dahlia frenzy for me! Not only did I start purchasing heat tolerant varieties but all I could get my hands on from may until now. Last I counted was 42. I bought many more since then from eBay to Swan island dahlias. I have a long list for next spring. Getting off topic now, lol. The main reason I thought to start them in bags is bc of all the info I'm reading & learning it says they will rot if watered before the foliage is above the soil line. Even tho all my dahlias have some kind of root growth or eyes poking thru the tubers skin, I have such a fear Theyll rot if i plant them in ground :( I don't have soil. What I have, if u want to call it soil, is silty sand. My main concern is now that I'm late planting them out, rainy season has started. It's rained the past 4 1/2 days straight, without a ray of sunlight outside! Sometimes, it pours hard. Even though my tubers have some roots or a little bit of top growth, my concern is this isn't enough to keep themselves from rotting. I will post pics of what my tubers look like. I'll also post pics of where they're going in ground. I dug individual holes for them instead of amending a whole bed bc I have a lot of other gardening to do & plants to tend to. I dug holes 22" apart on center & 34" between rows. The soil is too sandy so I amended each hole with a mix of 3/6 peat potting Mix ( 100% organic, no chemicals or fertilizer) 2/6 black cow & 1/6 worm castings. I only amended 2 holes before the rain started & have the remaining holes to do. I figured I'd ask someone if this is okay to use before I continue w/the rest. So please, any advice or constructive criticism is greatly appreciated!!! :) :) like I said before, I mainly got the idea from u guys to start them in bags or pots bc I'm very concerned ab my tubers rotting due to the access rain. Now that I rant & raved ab it the sun decided to come out a few min ago!! Lol the first time in almost 5 days. I took a pic of soil from one of the holes I amended to give u guys an idea of how wet it is - honestly, it's pretty well drained but I'm still scared the constant rain on a tuber without many roots or leaves to take the water in could still rot them. What do u guys think ? Is it okay to still plant them out or should I get them going in pots/bags until their roots & leaves are a little more mature ? Also, is the mix I'm using to amend okay? I know it says no compost but my soil is So sandy I have to amend some. Are worm castings safe to use in the mix ? I'm not using a lot of castings or black cow but just enough to hold some water & for lack of nutrients my sand has. So here's my pics :) Thankyou for any and all input !

  • Rachel Cross- Harder
    6 years ago

    Here's my bed - I'd rather tilled the whole area but didn't have the time maybe next year

  • Rachel Cross- Harder
    6 years ago

    I have Steve meggos planted in ground I planted him the other day and already see him poking thru the soil but that doesn't mean he still can't rot on me

    Im going to mulch when they're a little bigger & invest in shade hoops, garden sails or whatever I have to invest in to make them happy!!! They supposedly don't grow well in Florida but I care less what's said ab it I'm going to do whatever it takes to have a big n beautiful dahlia bed!

    Heres The soil after a weeks worth of rain it seems okay

    And here's some of the tubers they need to be planted desperately!!

  • Rachel Cross- Harder
    6 years ago

    Sorry my photos are squished you have to click on them to see regular size I'm worried these little guys might write because there's not enough routes to soak up enough water with all the rain but then again it might be dry for a week after this rain- The rain and weather is unpredictable here in Florida they could say it's going to rain all day 70% and a storm come by within two minutes and be dry for the rest the day but gloomy

    I've spent a great deal of money on dahlias this year. The last thing I want is to lose any to rot.

  • Rachel Cross- Harder
    6 years ago

    Here's some in pots I started they look fine.

    Also have one more question I bought a potted dahlia from lowes it was very root bound.the roots looked more like snakes than rounded tubers. It said it was peaches & cream but didn't say how big it would get. I planted it in ground weeks ago & it's barely grown but maybe 2 leaf sets??? I found online it said it grew to be much taller but this one is just under a foot tall & doesn't seem to be growing any bigger. Any idea why ?? And does this look like peaches & cream to you ?? I thought the tag said peaches & dream but when I looked it up there's nothing on peaches n dream dahlia . There's 2 different dahlias under that same name of peaches n cream or at least they look different maybe the blooms can be different on the same plant. Here's a pic, it's so short! Lol

    So sorry for the long texts but I sincerely appreciate any help I can get !! My first year getting serious with dahlias besides a few border dahlias in a small garden in the city. Thanks :) :)

  • Rachel Cross- Harder
    6 years ago

    If u guys think it's ok to plant them out I'm going to jump on the first chance I get bc many have sprouted & I would hate to lose any :(

  • cicivacation
    6 years ago

    RE Soil:
    Your amendments sound good, but remember that a clump from a single tuber can grow a foot wide quite easily, with feeder roots out to three feet diameter. Amending only a quart-sized area of soil doesn't do much long-term for the plant.

    RE Drainage:
    Looking at your first image with a long view of the garden location, its hard to tell if the garden area is at a slight slant with a lower area further back, or if the whole lawn is in a valley , flat as a board at the bottom. If the dahlia area is above the lowest point, you are probably okay to plant. If not, I would consider building up the rows by extra top soil or creating a trench.

    RE Mulch:
    I am wincing at the amount of work you are making for yourself by not eliminating the grass between plants. They are going to love the amended soil, too, and you may not want to see THEM flourish. Unless you put on four inches or more of mulch, all of that will benefit from the mulch, and will grow that much more vigorously with their roots protected.


    Good luck!

  • J Pru
    6 years ago

    When dahlias are full grown some of them can be 3-4 feet across, and mowing in between won't work, because you could cut the stems.

    Do yourself a favor and rent a sod cutter from an equipment rental place. Its so much easier than trying to dig up sod yourself. Sod is very heavy so make sure to cut it in strips that aren't too long: 6 feet or so. You might get lucky, if you advertise on Craigslist or a local Facebook group you may be able to sell that sod and make back some of the money you have spent on dahlias! And you can stipulate that the buyer comes and picks it up themselves, so that takes care of disposal!!!


  • Rachel Cross- Harder
    6 years ago

    What's sad is I have 2 other gardens amended ready to plant in !! But on the s. side of my yard in full, direct, all day sun.. ugh! dahlias won't survive here - they need afternoon shade in my heat :( My hubby said just dig the holes - I knew better!! but thought how I will be pulling weed & grass clumps out of the area for the next 2weeks before I dare to plant one tuber in :( even after digging up the top area of sod. I feel stuck :( I dont want my tubers to stay out of the ground another minute but also know what it's like to do something half @s$ in the beginning and regret it until I fix it ! Now that u have me thinking ab it !! It's harder work to go back n fix it verses doing it right in the first place. I have 47 tubers waiting to be planted - my fear is, if I go ahead & do the bed right, it might take a while. I dug individual holes bc I've been physically sick lately & haven't had the energy to do my normal gardening - I counted 4 bags of black cow & 3 bags of potting Mix - far from enough to amend this area. But I can use soil from one of my open gardens I only have some kelp & bone meal in it - I'm an avid gardener. I know amending a small area for a plant does nothing good for it - I honestly think it's better not to ammend at all unless enough area is amended to accommodate the root zone @ maturity. I was trying to convince myself it'll b ok this way & I'll fix it this winter. Do u have any ideas for a quick solution ?? I wish I had the money to hire help to get this done asap!! Ugh- So how far apart on center should the tubers b planted ?? and in between rows ? I went by online recommendations. I'm beyond upset with myself I didn't start this early march!! Grrr !!!! Very upsetting...

    Along the south side of my house there's a hillside that stretches out past the right side of my back yard & circles behind it. The hill dips into a valley, which is were my "immediate" backyard is. The lowest point of this " valley" is behind the area I picked for my dahlias 2b planted. My backyard is a little valley but the ground closer to my house is higher than the rest of this valley area. I chose to plant my dahlias in this area closer to my back lanai for afternoon shade & higher ground. Bc the dahlias are at a higher point than the rest of the " valley" if it rains & floods, my dahlias won't be sitting in it. My yard is weird & uneven. I'm upset I waited way too long to get this started!! Do u think I will have blooms this fall if I get them in within a week ? Sorry for flooding u with questions but Im not familiar with dahlias like I am Roses & other flowers :) thanks cici


  • Rachel Cross- Harder
    6 years ago

    Thanks j pru for the advice :) had no idea there was a sod cutter- lol - sounds like a great idea to me!! However, With 4 boys & 3 dogs we definitely have bald areas on our land that can use sod :) :) Please!!?? if u guys have pictures of your dahlias, blooms & your gardens please post pics!! I'd love to see pics of your dahlia gardens ! All areas of them! It's inspirational & helps give me the drive to push myself even when I don't feel so well to get my gardening done!

  • J Pru
    6 years ago

    Don't be too hard on yourself. Do what you can do - it doesn't have to be "ideal". Really what you need to do is get them planted somewhere. You may not have the biggest and best blooms this year anyway, since you are still learning. What your goal should be this first year is to figure out where/when/how to plant dahlias, and try to keep the ones you already bought alive. Remember, they make tubers, so as long as they don't die, you will have lots of extra tubers next year to expand and experiment. Even experienced dahlias growers lose some plants each year.

    I wouldn't worry too much about amending the soil if you feel like it is too much. Rent the sod cutter and get rid of that grass, and if possible maybe rent a rototiller to loosen up the soil. Then just plant them. More than likely they will be just fine. There were some years I barely got them planted, and by planted I mean I stuck a shovel in the ground, pushed it forward, and dropped a tuber in the space. There were some years I forgot to tie them up and they fell over and cracked. There were some years I didn't label anything and I had a big mess. They (mostly) grew, and I had tubers to try again the next year. Remember, this is supposed to be FUN!

  • J Pru
    6 years ago

    A few photos from last year:



    The dahlia garden before planting: its pretty much a 30' square with 5' wide rows. Right now it looks terrible because I have a janky temporary fence around the perimeter to keep out the critters and lots of tall stakes up already.


  • cicivacation
    6 years ago

    Glad that your dahlia area is 'uphill' of the yard's low-point. Might still be beneficial to provide trenches and create height, but may not be essential.

    If you are physically incapable to de-sod, you might consider using roundup and planting in 10 days. I've done this in the past with no ill-effects, and the dead grass is an added beneficial barrier when mulch is put over top of it. If you chose to try this route, go ahead and prestart your dahlias to get the roots developing. There will always be someone ready with a horror story around dahlias
    and round-up, and I'm sure someone will refute this suggestion. You just have to make your own mind up on what to do, and don't mind the 'peanut gallery" noise (of which I am taking a front-row seat).

    RE Flowering:
    Being in southern Florida, your season is very different from mine in PA. I can tell you that my Gainsville, FL friend has been cutting his dahlias starting a couple weeks ago. His plants die back in the heat of the summer, and come back on in the fall for a couple more months of GLORIOUS blooms. With this in mind, you missed the first mini-season, but you have a chance for fall blooms still, as hard frosts shouldn't plague you like it does us in mid-October.

  • Rachel Cross- Harder
    6 years ago

    I'm not physically incapable but been pretty sick often lately & it's beyond frustrating!! Im 34 & I have to get a biopsy done. Cancers killed my cousin & a lot of family are survivors so it's worrisome.

    I started digging up the sod last night before the rains hit again. The sun was out today for a min, now the clouds are coming in. I'm so frustrated living here! We moved here recently & this city rains 30% more than the rest of Florida. Florida rains 30% more than the rest of the US. I've had it with the rain! I feel like I'm living in the rain forest ! Too much rain causes so many probs for my beautiful flowers!!

    Its funny u said ur friend digs tubers up now. I read an article last night in the *Orlando sentennial* online ab a mans dahlia gardens in central Florida!! Yippee! Orlando is maybe 30 min south and 45 min east ? Of me. If I have to wait to put the tubers in the ground how would I store them?? They have roots & actively growing!! My closet stays at a steady temp of 69•

    Well, I'm digging up the sod & going to till & amend the whole area. I have 1/4 area left to dig up ?? & just enough black cow to amend. I do need some more potting peat mix. I think I'm going to chance putting my tubers in ground & see what happens! I understand how others do it in florida & my area is a lot like Orlando but at the same time it's not. Many factors could play into my tubers not surviving, I guess. I'm going to purchase hoop shade covers. Also, I made sure I'm planting in an area I can cool off with industrial sized fans. Like I said before, I'm going to do whatever it takes! It just sickens me others, like you, can plant a tuber in the ground & not have to worry ab heat, humidity & nematodes like I do. I'm so jealous! When u go out to enjoy your dahlia garden, think of the struggles u don't have to endure to grow these beautiful flowers! (Not saying u didn't bust ur butt for them) I'm talking ab the annoying headache u don't have to deal with like us Floridians ... ugh If I move to Kentucky or Georgia my dahlia probs would be solved!! I want out of this state so bad!