Who was it who said " Don't plant too early?"

You'd have thought I learned my lesson losing many many tubers over the years. But recent warm spells lured me to plant a few dahlias early up here. 78 and shorts yesterday, a much nicer 50's this morning when I dug in a few more. Now it has just finished snowing after 3/4 inch of rain and the temperature plummeted to 30! 30! I have the space heater at the ready in the garage where potted tubers are shivvering and tubers are huddling together back in styrofoam coolers LOL. The ones in the ground are on their own....

Our unscenic garage with white blobs falling is below...LOL Look in the window on top of the boat- it's a cut off milk jug to put over dahlia sprouts! They are everywhere in our poor garage. And one is already deployed to cover a sprout on Stolze Von Berlin outdoors right now. Now named: Stolz von Brrrrrrrrrlin.

I can't give you anything nice - can I. My Stolze are warm and happy - although bored- on my porch yet. I guess they would say that snow is better than frost. Best of luck - Seattle's in your bedroom right?

Well although a lot of corn is still in the bag in Iowa____ours will be ready (next week) as soon as the current few days of much needed rain ends____ to be planted. A week ago I started checking soil temps. and it was satisfactory. But at our house we have a magic date May 7 when we declare go for it!!! Then I rush for the cannas, peruvian daffs. and callas while he enjoys climbing aboard his "toy" to plant. Time was when we had 400 acres to do and every day counted. Now we giggle about the little 4 row planter____yes there are still a few of them lurking about____ while the big operator has at least 16 to 24 rows+.

So I've got just 7 days to wait______unless I get over-eager.

Oh Annie, so sorry to hear that.
Up here in Bellingham, it was cool but not that cold. In Albany, OR, I don't think it was that cold but.... don't know for sure.
I am hoping all yours will be fine tho..... hope so.
Dang!
This weather this year is the pits, that is for sure!
When will it ever be nice for a period!
Yesterday was so nice and warm!!!!
But, hey, everyone, it has to be nice real soon, RIGHT???!!!

Chin up, Annie.

Annie,

Brrrr. I am so sorry. I hope the babies in the ground are OK. If not tell me what I can send you from my "collection" :-P I have not planted mine yet, but they are in pots on the sidewalk getting soaked, though. It' s rained a few times. I hope they'll be OK here. I am waiting until Mother's Day to put them in the ground.

Good luck.

Oh Annie.... hopefully they will be just fine! It's difficult, I know, after the weather we've had here on the "left" coast this year to not take advantage of a few warm day! Last Sunday here was just gorgeous, and I planted about 1/2 of my Poochella collection, and yesterday I got the other 1/2 planted! I have to put them either in containers or raised beds due to critters eating the tubers. (I'm too scared to try this year, after losing a few last year.) My raised beds have hardware cloth at the bottom to keep them out. I can hardly wait! I also planted some annual seeds in between.

And this one is one of the tubers I stored using the saran wrap method. You can see some nice healthy shoots just ready to burst out!

That looks like an ideal dahlia home Sanna Jane. Great looking soil. I had a few nibbled dahlia tubers last Fall, but thankfully not a huge problem. Let us know how the hardware cloth works.

Isn't it amazing how the tubers know to wake up every year? Even in little cocoons by the Man from Glad!

I find the little experiment at this link hilarious. We should recruit these folks to help at tuber digging/wrapping time!
http://www.cockeyed.com/inside/glad/glad.html

hiya Poochella,

Well isn't that the pits...

I see the boat is nice and safe...lol. Mine sits outside all year (covered) and the shop tools have its' spot in the garage. One must prioritize.

I like the new name for the dahlia....Brrrrlin...lol.

I'm sending warm weather thoughts.

best,
don

Hi Poochella, I hope everything turns out for your little tubers. I am waiting
for after May 15th here per Big City Al's instructions and my tulips are still blooming
where the dahlias are going to be planted. I have a questions though.... My first
dahlia that grew so nicely and I had to take outside my little indoor greenhouse has
leaves that look shriveled. Any idea what I am doing wrong? I covered the top of
the tubers now with more dirt and gave the plant some water. This is an Arabian Night one and is so gorgeous I hope I don't kill it before it gets a chance outdoors. I did top it back but it is still 20" tall. I am amazed how fast some of the plants are growing.
Once again, I hope the guy above us is watching over your little ones, Annie.