A Dahlia Grows in the Basement

snapmaker

Oopsie. It was a dahlia. When I decided to finally remove the dahlia out of the large pot in which it was placed last fall, it was frozen. After I got it out of the large pot, I put it into this bag in the basement to let the soil thaw. After that I wanted to remove as much of the soil as possible, and store it along with the dahlias.

Look what I found in the basement, inside a plastic bag.

Phooey. It doesn’t fit.

I wanted to pot the plant into something shallow and wide. I already have a lot of houseplants in my windows, so a large container or one with a heavy top was not an option. I already had a large hanging basket for seed starting in the basement, but it wasn’t enough.

Rats. It’s time to go out to the shed. The temperature is 34degF (1degC), not bad at all for this time of the year. But it’s much warmer inside and there’s snow on the ground. So I will have to wear my boots. Sigh. I did remember to bring the measuring tape to the shed and measure the diameter of that pot.

Not really wide enough, but it will have to do.

I searched the shed for a pot that was suitable, but could not find one. The 2 and 3 gallon containers were not as wide, but just deeper. I don’t need a large pot. I am afraid that if the soil is too thick in the pot the dahlias will rot. To get more width I would need to use my outdoor fake-stone pots, but I didn’t want something so heavy and bulky in the house.

So, Mr. Wants to Live dahlia must make due with a small space. I’ll have to be careful when watering him. I’ll likely take the pot down to the sink.

Does this work?

I’m expecting the leaves to grow and greener. Dahlias will not be able to bloom if there isn’t enough light. I hope that there’s enough light to keep the foliage compact. I’ll have to trim it back if it begins to stretch to the ceiling or flop over. I’ll be on the lookout for insects like aphids and scales. I may even throw it out if I find it infested.

If I can keep it alive till the Spring Equinox I’ll take cuttings and see how they turn out. I have never taken dahlias cuttings, but it has been recommended. Some people even say that a dahlia cut will produce a more flowering plant.

canna growing in the dark — I kept these cannas in their pots, and they’re starting to sprout.

These are miniature dahlias, also sprouting.

I don’t usually check my stash in early January, so I don’t know if it’s early for them to be doing this. They are usually putting out some sad growth by the time I check on them in March, which I don’t cut off when I plant them. But I never had a dahlia tuber send out such vigorous growth before.