Usually, this tends to happen for smaller Dahlia tubers, as they do not have a long shelf life.
Dried Out Dahlia Tubers Are Deadĭahlia tubers should have a nice full shape, if they look wrinkled and dried out then they are dead. Although some of these soft tubers can recover, but it is a gamble, on the other hand, mushy tubers are definitely dead. The problem is that some people squeeze them way too hard, or the same Dahlia tubers have been already squeezed by way too many people which has damaged the tubers. A lot of people squeeze the Dahlia tubers before they buy them, which is a good idea, if they are firm then they are good and if they are soft then they have gone bad. Soft or mushy Dahlia tubers are a result of two things, the tubers are either rotten or damaged. Oftentimes this also comes with a foul smell but this might not be always the case. One of the most tell-tale signs that the Dahlia tubers are dead is that they are soft and mushy.
If you want to know how long it takes for Dahlias to sprout then check out my recent article How Long For Dahlias To Sprout? ( Weeks Or Months? ). If you are purchasing them online, then you should do the same, and if they smell bad then simply return them and ask for a replacement. If you find a big clump of tubers and most of them look healthy but they have a slight smell to them then do not buy, odds are that most of the tubers have already started to rot away. If they have a foul smell to them, then they are definitely rotten, so in the best case scenario, they will be good only for the compost pile. The first thing that you need to do when buying Dahlia tubers is to actually smell them. Dahlia Tubers That Do Not Sprout In 3 Months Are Dead.Damaged Dahlia Tubers Will Eventually Die.If your Dahlia tubers are not sprouting then check out my recent article Dahlias Not Sprouting ( Top 6 Reasons ).
Old Dahlia tubers that have been sitting on a shelf somewhere for months or even years are less likely to be actually alive.
Store bought Dahlia tubers tend to have a higher rate of being dead than the ones you harvest from your garden, provided that you were able to grow Dahlias successfully.Īlthough Dahlia tubers will survive for a relatively long time if they are stored correctly, but they do have an expiry date. This is a natural process of the plant, some tubers simply die off and this lets the new ones grow and take the place of the old ones. If you are a fan of Dahlias then my personal recommendation is to plant some Cafe au Lait Dinnerplate Dahlias, they are stunning Click here to check it out on Įven if you live in a Hardiness Zone where you can overwinter your Dahlias in the garden, some of the tubers will still die. Dud Dahlia tubers are the ones that look healthy but are actually dead, these will never sprout and usually just rot away in the soil. In addition to this, if the tubers are dry and wrinkly or they have some kind of mold growing on them then they are dead. Soft and mushy tubers are either damaged or rotten, so they are definitely dead. You can tell if the Dahlia tubers are dead by smelling them, a foul smell is a clear indication that the tubers are rotting. Generally speaking, the two main causes of Dahlia tubers dying is too much or too little water, they either rot or dry out.
Usually, Dahlia tubers tend to die during the wintertime, although storing them is relatively easy but far too often small mistakes can kill off the tubers. Dahlia tubers tend to be fairly sensitive, if you plant a couple that are dead or dying then you will be disappointed when they don’t even sprout.