Virus in Cuttings

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The photos above are from member Cory Kelso. On the left is a healthy cutting and on the right is a cutting Cory received from a dahlia seller. Cory noticed right away that the cutting was not doing well. As you can see, the leaves are mottled, and wrinkled. The dahlia is slow to grow and somewhat stunted. This dahlia should be thrown away. Do not compost, so that dahlia Virus does not transmit to other plants. Be sure to observe your plants during the first few weeks of growth.  If you suspect virus, pull the plant and dispose of it, as it can be spread to other plants via inoculation of the plant sap from insects; such as aphids, white flies, and other pests. Viru can also be transmitted from plant to plant via a gardeners cutting, disbudding, and grooming of their plants. It is important to maintain clean cutting tools while caring for our dahlias.