Sunday, January 10, 2010

What the dahlia grower can do in January…

There is always something that can keep the dahlia grower busy through the year. Here are some things that I will be doing:
• Check on your stored tubers—Tubers that are stored in peat moss, cedar shaving, sawdust and vermiculite can get too dry. A quick check of the tubers will reveal any issues in this area. In years gone by, I stored tubers in peat moss. In January I would put a damp towel at the top of the peat moss in each box. This increases the humidity in the box. Tubers stored in plastic wrap do not usually get too dry.
• Order new dahlia varieties—Now is the time to dream! A few of the larger dahlia growers have beautiful catalogs. Most growers cannot afford to print such catalogs and opt for an online presence. The dahlia Big List Locator (http://www.dahlias.net/dbiglist.htm) is a great source to locate dahlia growers that sell online. Check out my site at: http://dahliaguy.com/. Recognizing that the families are still having a difficult time in making ends meet, we are still selling all of our dahlias at $2.50 per tuber!
• Get those seeds ready—Some dahlia growers wanting to produce new varieties harvest seeds from selected plants during the growing season. Now is the time to remove the seeds from the seed pods, if you have not already done so. Yesterday I removed seeds from the seed pods while “watching” (I should probably say listening) to the NFL playoff game.
• Check out the home and garden shows—The Seattle Home and Garden Show is at the end of January. We went to the Puyallup Home and Garden Show yesterday. Disappointment! Only two exhibits had anything to do with the garden!
• Get garden machines working properly—Now is the time to take the rototiller to the shop for maintenance. I need to do that this week!
• Get ready to take cuttings—Thrifty gardeners may want to try taking cuttings to increase their quantities of select dahlias. Many sources are available to describe how to take cuttings. (Note: We will be making videos of how to harvest seeds and take cuttings this year)

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