How to Propagate Dahlia Through Cuttings
The propagating compost may be one of several types, but should be sterile and very porous. Probably from the amateur's point of view it is best to eliminate soil from the compost as it is difficult to sterilise without the aid of rather elaborate apparatus.
One very good compost can be made up from sharp silver sand, fine granulated peat and horticultural vermiculite in equal parts; this seems to give a very good balance between water retention and sharpness whilst quickly losing any surplus water which may be supplied. Peat and sharp sand in equal parts may be used.
The shoots should be severed from the tubers with a very sharp knife, as close to the tuber as possible, and then trimmed by making a second cut with a razor blade, immediately below the joint of the first pair of expanded leaves remaining on the cutting. In some instances, particularly when the shoots have been allowed to become too long, it is advisable to shorten the cutting, after removal from the tubers, to a more manageable size, even if this means removing one or more leaf joints from the base of the cutting. This is much better than removing just the tips of the long shoot, and so leaving a stump.
As an alternative to a true cutting, it is possible to take what are known as heel cuttings, that is cuttings taken with a small part of the crown attached. This is easily done with a very sharp knife, providing it has a thin point (a rose budding knife is ideal), by making at least two cuts inwards at the base of the cutting from opposite sides to minimise destruction of the secondary eyes.
Some growers maintain that this type of cutting strikes more readily and is less liable to damp off, reasoning that the best and strongest roots are produced from the area immediately between the crown and the base of the shoot. It is certainly true that many varieties often produce roots from this point more or less at the same time as the shoots develop, and if a cutting can be taken which includes this root it is often possible to pot up into a normal potting compost straight away.
Such stem cuttings seldom make really good tubers, and are often hollow and therefore difficult to root. The succeeding crops of cuttings rapidly become very thin and long jointed, and are definitely poor material for propagating.
One very good compost can be made up from sharp silver sand, fine granulated peat and horticultural vermiculite in equal parts; this seems to give a very good balance between water retention and sharpness whilst quickly losing any surplus water which may be supplied. Peat and sharp sand in equal parts may be used.
The shoots should be severed from the tubers with a very sharp knife, as close to the tuber as possible, and then trimmed by making a second cut with a razor blade, immediately below the joint of the first pair of expanded leaves remaining on the cutting. In some instances, particularly when the shoots have been allowed to become too long, it is advisable to shorten the cutting, after removal from the tubers, to a more manageable size, even if this means removing one or more leaf joints from the base of the cutting. This is much better than removing just the tips of the long shoot, and so leaving a stump.
As an alternative to a true cutting, it is possible to take what are known as heel cuttings, that is cuttings taken with a small part of the crown attached. This is easily done with a very sharp knife, providing it has a thin point (a rose budding knife is ideal), by making at least two cuts inwards at the base of the cutting from opposite sides to minimise destruction of the secondary eyes.
Some growers maintain that this type of cutting strikes more readily and is less liable to damp off, reasoning that the best and strongest roots are produced from the area immediately between the crown and the base of the shoot. It is certainly true that many varieties often produce roots from this point more or less at the same time as the shoots develop, and if a cutting can be taken which includes this root it is often possible to pot up into a normal potting compost straight away.
Such stem cuttings seldom make really good tubers, and are often hollow and therefore difficult to root. The succeeding crops of cuttings rapidly become very thin and long jointed, and are definitely poor material for propagating.
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