HELP! Will my Dahlia's come back to life?

This is our first summer here and I planted my tubers in a new raised bed without amending the soil. They grew 6" out of ground and that's it, I fertilized but that didn't help so I pulled them and planted them in some good nutrient soil. The leaves all drooped and don't look like they will come back. If I keep watering will I be able to save the tubers atleast?

Most likely they will survive. You shocked them by digging them up so give them time to grow new roots and you should have success. Please let us know how they are in another week or two (or sooner if they perk up).

Muffster, I have noticed in the past that when I moved plants they wilted for a while but soon perked back up. I don't water or fertilize a lot until I think the tubers have developed enough of a root system to absorb the water. Because of all the rain this Spring, my tubers were planted anywhere from early to late June. I thought the ground was plenty dry enough. Many were very slow to come up and when I dug down I found 5 or 6 had rotted. I had two that came up fairly quickly but only got three inches high and stayed at that height for two weeks or more. I dug down last weekend and found they had also rotted. I have now removed 10 or 12 rotted ones even though our weather has been dry the past few weeks. There is a cat using my beds for a litter box and digging with my hands has uncovered some "surprises". Can anyone tell me if this poop and urine dropped directly on my plantings would cause this rotting?

I would think that the acid from the urine alone would cause some problems. I can't think that it is good for the plants. My MIL puts chicken wire over her beds to keep the cats out -- of course, then you can't pull weeds. :( I would spray with PlanSkyd.

Oh, that makes sense, not to water to much till the roots grow back. I will post in a couple weeks of the out come. I'm just sick about them. I looked forward to this summer and beautiful dahlia's. Last summer we moved and I had to give tubers to my daughter.

It's the very fine hair roots (that take up the water) that have to grow again. They are the ones we lose by digging the plant. Is there any green remaining?

Once a tuber has sprouted it will sprout again so view it as a delay but not a total loss, thankfully.

Yes, the tubers have sprouted, atleast 7" tall. I will post some pic's. Delay is better than total loss.

Here is a pic of my shocked Dahlia, how sad! Hope they will come back.

euwwww. Poor baby. What is it planted in? It looks so dessicated - the ground that is.

It is planted in Moana 3 in 1 dirt in a new raised bed. I was in a hurry to plant them without ammending the soil. They started growing and then stopped, so I lifted them dug a hole and filled it with some good organic soil, they went in shock. We moved to the high desert with a lot of heat and winds.

Oh. I knew you had to move them, but wasn't sure what the soil was. I have actually been following the thread. They are tough little plants. And Pirl must know about everything there is to know about dahlias (among other things.) lol

Ha!

The soil looked very dry to me, too!

I'd cut back the plant since pinching never hurts but promotes a bushier dahlia. Those dead leaves will not revive themselves so remove them. Then sit back and see what a week or two will do.

Okay. so I exaggerate a little....

Should I cut the stem or just cut off the leaves? Yes, the top of the soil is dry but the bottom is damp. I've cut back on watering so the tuber won't rot.
Thanks Judy!

A lot, MC! You're funny.

Cut off all dead leaves.

Cut back the stem by about half.

Pray!

It will bounce back.

I have caused more fungus (anyone know a really good fungicide) by over watering though never rotted one. I started using a moisture tester on the stuff in pots as they look dessicated on top but are quite moist below. Has helped a lot. Even use it in the garden sometimes to prevent over 'meditative watering.' lol

Were do you get a moisture tester? Something I could use!

Oh it is just the gadget with one or two long metal prongs that tests for sun and /or moisture. You can get them anywhere like Walmart, but certainly at a nursery. I always call them hydrometers but my DH says that isn't the right word. Oh, usually green square plastic box at the top about 1x1" where you get the reading. Should be very cheap.

A hydrometer measures specific gravity (or density). Those devices are similar to a tensiometer which measures water tension and gives you a reading of soil moisture - but I am not sure what the exact name of those devices are. I have seen water meter written on them. But, they do work quite well since surface looks are quite deceiving.

soilsandup, uh,....you really know your stuff. Anyway, here are two pictures as a visual aide.

Closeup

I only know that stuff because it is part of my job :)
Lots of other stuff I am totally clueless on.......

Have you had your tester long? I bought one about 2 years ago, and it broke the first time I stuck it into the ground. Maybe it was just a defective one.

I have the same tester...somewhere in the garage.

Those prongs are fine for pots but if they meet a stone or rock as we push them into the soil, it's easy to break a prong.

"Lots of other stuff I am totally clueless on" - love it! I think it's true for everyone.

Is hygrometer the word we want?

You guys are so educational! I love this site.
I'm going to Moana Nursery today and see if they have one. I haven't watered my poor Dahlia's in three days, need to know. Guess I could stick my finger in the ground in the mean time.

Arlene, I googled hygrometer and it said that it tested for moisture in the air. So maybe not. The idiots who put in my back yard put 6 lousy inches of dirt on what mounted to a rock quarry. I didn't know as I was working at the time and lots of stuff was done while I was away. I have been adding soil (bags and bags), manure, sphagum to try to build it up. Must have worked as the beds where I did it are huge. Knautia (Knautia macedonica Red Knight) that was supposed to be 22" tall is taller (including the flowers) than I am (5'2"). And the bush is at least 24" around. Wow.

anyway, I guess I have lucked out in not hitting rocks. I usually only test the garden beds if things look odd. Like they are droopy but might be due to too much water, not too little.

I have found that my 'finger testing' doesn't work. I simply cannot gauge what is correct moisture and what is simply damp. Plus those tubers are way deeper than my fingers can go. You might register fairly dry by finger test, but down where the tubers are could be soaking. At least that is what happened to me. We had a gully washer last night so no watering for quite a while in my future. Yeah.

mstella - maybe just using "Moisture Meter" solves the problem!
http://www.amazon.com/Windowbox-RapidTest-Moisture-Meter/dp/B001D10G4A

Even a moisture meter may not go down to the tubers, muffster, and you wouldn't want to stab a tuber in your attempt to find out if it's moist or not so, if you buy one, use the meter about 6" away from where you planted the tuber. I would add mulch just to keep the moisture from evaporating and keep the soil at a more constant temperature. Ask at your nursery if they sell "broken" or "ripped" bags and they'll be greatly reduced in price.

thanks Arlene. Just ordered it. Just love 'one click ordering'. I can use the roughed up one outside and use this on my orchid, jade tree, plumaria inside. touchy plants to grow

I bought a moisture tester at Moana Nursery, I tested the Dahlia Soil and it tested damp. I'm going to use it for my house plants and buy the one on-line for outside use.. Thank you for mentioning the open bag discount also!
I'm learning so much on this site
I'll keep you posted on the Dahlia situation.

Glad it worked well for you and you got the results you wanted. That's double the pleasure!