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Starting dahlia tubers- watering

Dirty HarryDirty Harry Posts: 1,030
edited March 2020 in Plants
To satisfy my curiosity given some mixed results last year, for those of you who start your dahlia tubers indoors in pots/containers, do you water them immediately, regardless if they are shooting?

Starting dahlia tubers- watering 19 votes

Yes
68%
Auntiemandmrs bee2AHRBeaus MumGuernsey Donkey2Daniel RutherfordZenjeffSlumenilorac2Uncle MortEustaceSteph14Inthegarden1990 13 votes
No
31%
Hostafan1LynNanny BeachNanniemoSuesynCopernicus 6 votes
«13

Posts

  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,041
    edited March 2020
    No
    gosh. 100% in agreement with me, lol
    It's first come first served with me. I don't do anything until they start to grow. 
    Devon.
  • Dirty HarryDirty Harry Posts: 1,030
    Hostafan1 said:
    gosh. 100% in agreement with me, lol
    It's first come first served with me. I don't do anything until they start to grow. 
    Have you had bad results (i.e. lost tubers) by watering immediately in the past or is this something you've always done?
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,041
    No
    Dirty Harry said:
    Hostafan1 said:
    gosh. 100% in agreement with me, lol
    It's first come first served with me. I don't do anything until they start to grow. 
    Have you had bad results (i.e. lost tubers) by watering immediately in the past or is this something you've always done?
    No, I'm just too lazy to " start them off "tee hee. 
    They'll grow in their own good time. When they do, I deal with them. Saves time, space and energy.
    Devon.
  • Dirty HarryDirty Harry Posts: 1,030
    Anyone else have any reasoning one way or another?
  • B3B3 Posts: 25,155
    Just dampen the soil after potting and don't water properly until the leaves are showing and the soil is obviously dry.
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • AstroAstro Posts: 406
    At present I find dahlias to have the most amount fuss, I only grew them for the first time last year. Dig them up, don't dig them, don't let them get too wet or dry, water them, don't water them, put them on heat or not 😀
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,041
    No
    Astro said:
    At present I find dahlias to have the most amount fuss, I only grew them for the first time last year. Dig them up, don't dig them, don't let them get too wet or dry, water them, don't water them, put them on heat or not 😀
    If you find them too much fuss, don't bother?? Seemples.
    Gardening shouldn't be a chore.
    Devon.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 83,720
    I pot the tubers with pre-dampened compost ... no need to water. 

    But there’s not an option for that in the questionnaire ....

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • B3B3 Posts: 25,155
    I have some I abandoned in pots last year. If they grow,they grow. If they don't, I'll plant something else. This strategy worked last spring.. They all popped up, but watch out for slugs. The new shoots are very toothsome for slugs.
    Have slugs got teeth????
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • AstroAstro Posts: 406
    Hostafan1 said:
    Astro said:
    At present I find dahlias to have the most amount fuss, I only grew them for the first time last year. Dig them up, don't dig them, don't let them get too wet or dry, water them, don't water them, put them on heat or not 😀
    If you find them too much fuss, don't bother?? Seemples.
    Gardening shouldn't be a chore.
    I prefer not to quit at the first few attempts, wouldn't do or learn anything with that approach.
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