How to care for your cuttings
Your cuttings traveled a long time in the dark and need immediate care.
Open the packaging and inspect your cuttings. If there’s any damage to the box or your plants, take a picture for UPS insurance.
You can check your last frost day here and your soil temperature here.
Inspest and clean your cuttings: Make sure there is no obvious sign of pest, powdery mildew or virus. Remove any damage leaves. Rinse the whole cutting gently in a Rinsing Solution (e.g. diluted solution of Captain's Jack Dead Bug Brew or soapy water). This will remove the contaminants and prevent future pest and diseases. It's recommended to quarantine new cuttings for 1-2 weeks before placing them with your stocks.
If last frost date has passed & Soil Temp is 60 F or higher, you can keep the cuttings in a cup, keep the cube moist but not soaking wet, and harden off before planting.
If you’re not ready to plant
- Pot up your cuttings in a 3.5-4" pot with drainage.
- Remove the bottom set of leaves of possible. Place your cutting in the pot, backfill with potting soil right above the bottom node. Water with half strength fertilizer.
- Wait 2 days before putting them under grow light. Set the light 6" from the plant top for 14 hours/day. Soil should be dark and damp to the touch. Water as the soil dry out. Microfeed with diluted fertilizer every other watering.
Hardening
- A week before planting, place the plants outside under a covered and shaded area for 3-4 days.
- In the next 2-3 days, acclimate the plants to sun exposer by leaving them under full sun for half a day and bring them under shade for the rest of day.
- After 5-7 days total, the plants should be ready for planting in full sun.
Planting Out
- Dahlias need well drained soil and full sun (6+ hours) so choose your site accordingly.
- Pre-moist the soil and make a 6x6" hole for each cutting, spacing 12-20".
- Remove the bottom set of leave, plant the cutting deep so that the first and second leaf nodes are under the ground level. Planting the nodes under the soil will encourage more tuber productions from these nodes.
