3,226 Garden Web Discussions | Dahlias

The seeds are just amongst the dried petals, correct?

At what point can I pick the seed heads? Just when they're browning?

BTW, looked at the package this morning and they are Unwin Dahlias.

Unwins dahlias are dahlias that were developed many years ago to be grown from seeds. There are a couple of other types including the coltness series. They do make seeds and if you like what you grew this year, your seedlings will look about the same, assuming you grew no other dahlias nearby. Seeds form in small pods after the petals fall off the flower. It takes about two weeks for them to ripen after the florets fall off. These varieties do make some small tubers that can be dug and stored also. Having said all of that, these bedding varieties are quite inferior to modern dahlias. If you want bedding dahlias, look in the nurseries for small bedding types grown from cuttings. Two of the series include Karma and Gallery, both developed in Holland. There are also new dark foliage types from New Zealand that are quite nice. You will 10 times more satisfied with these bedding dahlias than any you can grow from seeds.

You might want to consider taking cuttings from the main stem--there have to be cuttings because you said it was a wide plant. I would remove all but3 or 4 of the topmost leaves--do not leave any big leaves. If big leaves are the only leaves available, cut (with scissors) at least half of the leave off--you want to leave only enough for the plant to survive, and hopefully grow roots. I would take at least 3 cuttings and do as above, and try rooting them in water.
I would also take 3 or 4 more cuttings and try to root them in a "soil". Do NOT use your regular garden soil--it is wonderful in the garden, but is not for potted plants. I would make a mixture of 4 parts sifted garden soil, 4 parts of a peat/perlite mix like sunshine brand, 1 part each of Vermiculite, perlite,and sand(I use pool sand, brown because it is cheaper than the white--I suggest you see if your source has any broken bags, and if so offen them half their regular price. Be sure to take a container with you.)

OR
You can make a soilless mix of equal parts of perlite, vermiculite, milled sphagnum moss, and 1/2 part sand. If you have it use 1 part of the contents of a Britta Filter.(It is charcoal, and an excellent addition to the above.)
You may think I am trying to overload you, but if you would sterilize the first suggestion--before the OR,-- after you have it mixed by placing the mixed contents in a container you can place in a microwave, dampen it, and set it on high for up to 5 minutes or until your meat or candy thermometer reaches 185 degrees (NEVER PLACE THE THERMOMETER IN THE MICROWAVE!!!!!)you will increase you chances of success 100% ! Yes, I know, it takes time, but you sound as though you really like this dahlia.
Place the cooled mixture in the container you are going to use to root the cuttings. It would be best if you would "Tent" the container with some kind of plastic to keep the humidity high, but don't let the leaves touch the plastic or you will lose them, and create a potential mold situation. I will gladly answer any questions you may have. Write me at the "address" above. Also, Kindly put the word "GardenWebber" in the subject area to keep your e-mail to me out of my junk pile. My filters are set high because of spam. If I get your message I will respond.
GOOD LUCK !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Corgicorner here again. I forgot to suggest that you apply a rooting medium to the stem ends before inserting into either the "soil" or "soilless" planting mediums.

What beautiful bouquets! And cute little vases - I do the same thing.

We live as far north as you can be in Utah and I guess you could say we live in the mountains. They are all around us anyway. We lucked out and the frost missed us. Others in our area were not so lucky though. So maybe we can enjoy another week or two.

LOL- they're both making the same face! Laelia is definately the more beautiful bloom!

So sweet. Both of them.

Cut back ??? That will be the day, poochella! I keep saying the same thing, but ... I think I am destined to keep a few around. Now which ones, that is the question. Maybe all ??? LOL

NOOO don't do it poochella. More is better it is the American way.

Sheryl,

FWIW, I too am in Ontario in Lindsay. I generally dig mine up late October or early November. I let the frost hard kill the plant before I dig it up, unless there's a forecast for many inches of snow. If the flowers aren't getting mushy, why cut them down?

Cheers,
Russ

I'd like a lot of eyes to grow on it before I dig it up. I will leave it there until the frost kills it. We did have amild frost this weekend, enough to do in my tomatos but not the dahlia.

Some of my shorter ones are in deck pots. I try every year to bring them in, especially when it seems like they are just getting rolling with lots of buds when frost is imminent. I have tried going on 5 years at least.

Every year they either:
- become spindly and peter out and die (this in a room with a skylight!)
- get mildew and die
- shrivel up for no apparent reason and die

I think they just cannot get enough light or adequate air circulation indoors. If you have a greenhouse or sunporch Id be more optimistic.

Sheryl,

There's a lot of variables that decide whether they will grow or not. But start with this; Dahlias originate from Mexico and don't die completely back each year in the wild.

If you search through the forums for my threads from last year, you'll see the type of environment I created to over-winter growing Dahlias. My first attempt (last fall) ended miserably due to spider mites.

Regardless of pest or disease, you're going to have the simple problem of light. Assuming the soil is good, and you provide them sufficient (but meager) water, the only thing lacking is adequate light. Light of the right temperature, duration, and direction. This is why many find their Dahlias get tall and spindly inside...the Dahlias are reaching for better light.

I built cabinets that each had 4 x 4' 6500 degree Kelvin T5 flourescent bulbs ~12" above the plants (Bustan in Toronto can fix you up and they were great). Sunshine simply isn't going to cut it, it will simply tease the plant into thinking..."if only you could reach over here, or there..." and so they put their effort into growing tall and reaching.

Under sufficient lighting (which was on for 14-16 hours a day), they thrive. If you don't want them to get too big over winter, just give them less duration (but it must still be the right temperature light and close enough to them.)

If you were doing a single plant, you could easily do this on the window sill with a plant light over it and a timer on it. No need for cabinets and tons of lighting equipment like me. I was growing 100 plants inside.

Now to the problem I had last year, spider mites. I found a company in Stevensville, Ontario, who supply predatory mites. They have many to choose from, and they were extremely helpful in deciding which one I needed based on my environment and the spider mite type I had.

After my fall crop died, I cleaned everything, tossed all my soil, and almost all of my indoor plants. I bought new tubers and started from scratch in March this year. I didn't, however, realize that my Cannas, which were doing great, were haboring the spider mites. No noticable webbing or damage.

By the time my new Dahlias were getting to 3-4" tall, the spider mites re-appeared. I cut back my Cannas to get rid of the majority of the spider mites, and ordered the predators from NIC. They also recommended I grow a few pole bean plants near my Dahlias, as spider mites will prefer the pole bean to anything else apparently.

Well, one application of predators (essentially sprinkling them over all of the plants) and my spider mite problem disappeared.

I will be bringing many living Dahlias and Cannas in this fall to over-winter alive. My plan is to get predatory mites when I'm ready to bring in the plants, and will sprinkle them once inside to ensure I'm not allowing any I bring in to survive.

So, get yourself a plant light and go for it. With a plant light, there's no reason to think you can't make it bloom in the dead of winter, which would be lovely.

Cheers,
Russ

The foliage looks great but is has been hot lately. Not super hot but in the 90's once in awhile. I guess I will wait and see if the next flowers will be any better. Thanks for your replies.

That's interesting Plantlady. We hit 106 and 108 those hot days and though I've had some hard green centers I'd care to forget, I didn't have any brown buds at all. I hope it never, ever again reaches those temps here in Washington! Too much heat for me.

That's funny, it does look like the same dahlia. I didn't get mine from Wal-Mart; I think it was through a web order and was a "netherland bulb company" package. That same brand was what I got at the nursery. Anyway, I'm going to avoid that brand next year. I've got a small yard to grow dahlias; so I'd like to get what I expect.

Me too! When you're expecting one color and something else grows, it's very frustrating. I got Not Purple Gem and Not Lilac Time from, Not Hamari Gold from Dutch operations too. NO more big box purchases for me, it's just too iffy not only with misidentified tubers, but poor quality in many instances too.