3,226 Garden Web Discussions | Dahlias
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
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.
Nice Annabeth! I like Lyn's April the best. That big white should be called "Blizzard" or something. I have one similiar with no name, about 8" of informal white madness and very fluffy.
For golden yellows- Wyn's Aztec Gold is a new favorite this year. Golden Egg for a very small waterlily. Sea Oro for a large, wavery informal that leans more toward a pale orangey gold. Taratahi Sunrise is goldy egg yolk colored for me too. All nice depending on your taste for height and size.
Keep those photos coming!
It's Boogie Nights from Swan Island Jroot, and quite stunning based on fan approval so far.
Now I want to know what that intriguing orange and green trimmed building is in PD's photo. Now that you have the hang of photos PD, how about a little photo tour of your gardens?
The little red and green house is the pool house. Pooch, I have another flower to send you. This dahlia has lasted 8 days and counting. Long stems and just beautiful. I will do it later. The big garden has been tour up. It didn't have any dahlias in it. I took daylilies to my cousin in VT. and gave some to a friend here. I just wanted to do new things out there next year and it would give me something to think about this winter. I will try and find some old pictures.
The female is eating your dahlia petals while the male is getting busy. When they are both done gettin' their groove on, they will concentrate better on eating more of the flower and you will be left with chomped up blooms (I've seen them eating my blooms). I have a major grasshopper problem this year and that's why I've stopped posting pictures. Sevin dust is the only thing that really keeps them away (for me) but it's so toxic I try not to use it. Hope you don't have many of them hopping around.
Phyllis, we want to see your dahlias! Check out Photobucket, if you want, and I'll be happy to tutor you by email on uploading and posting. It's really easy.
Regarding tall dahlias, we're reaching that time of year when I have to sacrifice tall monsters to let sun get to those poor waifs in their shadows. My tallest by far was Jaylene G a small rose-colored waterlily that packed a punch at 9'-10'. I cut one off at a reasonable 4'level. It's already grown new sprouts up to 5'. Others that will get the snip are 8' or so, shadowing 4 footers behind them. So much for planning heights.
Here is a link that might be useful: Photobucket
Thank you both for your suggestions. Poochella, hope your pretender does well. I've had them break up higher before but this is the first time they've broken below ground. I'll cover them and leave them for now. Some are in an area of heavy wet clay and I always dig those, the other end of the planting is in good soil that is bermed up and I may leave those in the ground. I have a lot of one particular dahlia so not a disaster if I lose some some of those, but I also have a few "onesies" that haven't multiplied as much as I'd like and those will be pampered a little more.
You can always experiment with some tubers that you think will be excess, but don't rely on that method totally. My thinking is that the tubers will dry out and die. I have found that they are not like cannas at all, which will survive if you treat them as you suggest.
Dahlias are a lot of work, but they are so beautiful that, to me, they are worthy of the extra effort needed.
There are several postings about how to overwinter the tubers.
Here is a link that might be useful: dahlias are in for the winter.
Just wonderful fall colors.
Love the form as well as the color combo. A beauty.