dahlia cuttings

hi everyone very new to gardening, iam taking cuttings from dahlias that have been producing new growth in a propagator, the cutting are about 3 to 4 inches cut low down to the tuber, i have put them in a mix of grit,multipurpose and perlite, i have covered them with a plastic bag, but after a few days they have gone black and dissapered, is it to early , i have put them uncovered in the propogator, but the same has happened, so experts can you suggest what iam doing wrong ?

My tubers sprouted just over a week ago. I want to take some cuttings but am a bit wary. I know there are some GW videos on doing it here somewhere.

discodave ive watched the videos, followed them but still no luck, iam going to give them another month and then try again

i may not be the best person to give advice on dahlias as its my first yr growing them also, but from the videos and infomation i have read is that when taking a cutting it needs to have an eye ( a small connection to the parent tuber)

so when taking a cutting take it as close to the tuber as you can ,also trim the excess leaves off apart from the  top leaves and keep watered , fingers crossed for you guys and myself 

x

No it doesn't Kerri-you cut above the tuber-not into the tuber

Pleased to say I've two saved tubers sprouting which is a first for me  and one has two shoots on.

The other four haven't sprouted  so won't be giving up on sowing seeds just yet but if this years sprouting dahlias are successful will branch out to cuttings next year

think i saw someting saying if you cut a small bit of tuber with cutting its called a irishman cut, and the small amount of tuber gives better results as kerri was suggesting, have been on hols so going to give another go, another idea could be compost to rich burning the cutting, so have brought new seed compost fingers crossed for another go ???

hi you must take a little cut off the tuber to allow more roots to grow from there, put the cuttings around the edge of a pot withenriched compost , keep moist and once the roots appear from the pot, pot on to a bigger sized pot!

beth greenfingers thank for advice going to try once more