Topic: How do i know my dailias are dead

[cambourne7]

Hi All,

My Dalias were left over winter as were still in flower but had a nice layer of mulch to protect the roots and were in well draining soil. I have just been out and broken off last years growth and in all but one case the plants seamed well rooted so i just snapped off the dry stems.

Do you think there dead or should i be more patient and wait for new growth?

Cam

[rugbypost]

I bring mine into the shed begining of octorber cut off top growth water so the soil is good and damp and store in a mini plastic green house insulated from the frost, and about the end of march I water a bit of fish, blood, and bone and they normaly come in there own time. Ithink the frost killed you,rs off :(

[Tee Gee]

I have just been out and broken off last years growth

Its this bit that concerns me!

These will have acted like drainpipes and taken rainwater/melted snow down to the crown.

So I am not optimistic about your chances but equally I am not a defeatist so fingers crossed they have survived.

One way of finding out is to lift them to see what state the tubers are in and if there are any growing eyes on them.

If all is not lossed you can cut off any rotten parts and plant the remains of the tuber/s in pots until all fear of frost has passed.

I wish you luck!

[Digeroo]

Some years you get away with it but this winter was particularly cold.  If I were you I would not hold my breathe.

[Morris]

I always leave mine in and about half lived through last year's severe winter.

You can easily tell if they are alive, even if growth hasn't started yet. The tubers should be firm and whole with no sign of rotting.   If it is dead it will be mush that  you can poke holes in with your finger, yuk.

You don't need to lift them to check. Last year I scraped off the top layer of soil and mulch on mine to see if they were alive.  Some were soggy and clearly rotted. Others were fine. One had a bit of mush at the top but underneath was OK. I pulled off the affected tubers, left the rest, and hoped for the best. The plant came through and was magnificent in summer.

The other approach you could take is to lift them, see what condition the tubers are in, and then either replant (which is a bit more risky once the roots have been disturbed, but I have done it from about now onwards) or pot up and grow on somewhere warm.

[cambourne7]

Thanks guys we did not get any snow but i will lift one up and see what they look like in the next couple of days when i feel brave enough :)

[sunloving]

I would say that it is much to early for shooting outside yet. So the helath of them can easily be determined just by clearing some soil away and feeling for the tuber, if its alive it will be fat and hard if not it will either be squashy or not there at all. You dont need to dig them up just burrow down until you find a tuber.

Fingers crossed  :)
 xsunloving

[Toadspawn]

I wouldn't bother to do anything other than wait and see if they grow. You might be surprised. Mine survived the winter of 2009/10 in the soil and grew very well although they did start into growth a bit later than I expected. I left Gladioli in this last winter and whilst forking the border over I accidentally dug up a couple of corms. They were very healthy and no sign of frost damage so I am hoping they will grow again this year.
Even though the frost was severe it may not have penetrated into the soil very deeply.
 
If nothing appears at least you will have space to grow another plant

[cambourne7]

Well was out today and planted up honeysuckle, roses from david austin and had a jolly good clean up so my 3 raised beds are just about ready for planting. As i was digging i decided to carefully move the soil from where the dailias and there was nothing there so i guess there as dead as a dodo. I am not going to be in the garden for another 5-6 weeks so will leave the area and if they pop up great but i am not holding any hope.