3,226 Garden Web Discussions | Dahlias
PDSHOP it is nice to see more shots of your garden. I feel compeled to ask are you JROOT ok. I know my garden is not as nice as last year. It it wasn't for some of the new dahlias I planted I would have a very sparce garden this year. I put all the new dahlias up in March and they were will formed before facing all the rain. Later I tried to start all my other dahlias out side late and it still rained them out.
That is so wrong: I'd contact the vendor and attach your red/white photo and ask them what they sold you instead of the Clair Obscur you wanted. Then have them send you Clair Obscur and don't order from them again, if it's a company with initials VB. Too many negative ratings in Garden Watchdog. Mistakes, especially from very large suppliers, are inevitable but fixable. Shop elsewhere for dahlias IMHO.
I don't know what the cute red and white is, but I bet with half an effort you could overwinter it successfully.
Google 'Wynne's Dahlias' and you'll find the link to seed-to-seedling photos and descriptions. Very informative and soooo much work!
If you Google "dahlia seeds" Images, click on the largest image of seeds that show up. You get a view of a fairly close up from a dahlia society page in CA, I think.
Thank you for introducing me to Wynne's. Unfortunately, my DH and pocketbook will not be thanking you! I was so impressed by the pictures of their plants and reasonable prices. I spent time at the site, reading and learning. What a wealth of information for the dahlia novice is there.
I have grown "pot" dahlias for almost as many years as I've been gardening, and also grew a few of the taller varieties. These did not have larger flowers but they did produce "pretty" ones. It's just been in the last few years that I tried my hand at keeping my tubers over winter and had some success. I'm pleased because one of my keepers did not bloom last year - I may have planted it too late - but I have buds now. This is Hayley Jane and I can't wait to see it. I also have a plant given to me in a trade by Corgicorner, who I hope sees this message. Betty K is going to bloom too, Alfred, and I'm anxiously waiting to see it.
I have much to learn and will be spending lots of time reading messages here and enjoying all the pictures everyone has shared.
Thanks again,
Linda
YIKES, trustmissy- that's one nasty looking center. If it doesn't straighten up on the next few blooms, give it the old heave-ho! That can be caused by extreme weather or by the stock just being no good any more. If they all have looked like the second picture for long- ie- a dahlia that's supposed to be fully double but has an open center then I'm tempted to say it really has broken down & needs to be replaced. If that's a picture that you took late in the bloom's life & it was closed in the center (like poochella's picture) when it first opened then it's OK.
poochella- yes - those are curly petaloids- but our weather has been so weird this summer that I'd give it until the end of Sept to see if all the blooms are like that. Hopefully it's straightened up by now.
Growing for eg.- 8 up --means to allow 8 laterals to develop on a plant.
If you grow too many up on a plant the blooms will suffer as they won't put enough petals in each bloom so you get early open centers. Your blooms won't be as large either. If you grow too few up- that is-- if a dahlia has a really high petal count- like Wyn's Sensation or Wyn's Aztec Gold-- for instance, the centers are pushed into ovals as they try to crowd a lot of petals into a small space.
pdshop- usually the Pacific NW is dahlia heaven- they grow better & easier here than anywhere else in the country-- & there's a load of dahlia societies from Canada to Oregon so you can move here & get your fill of wonderful dahlias every year! Right now, the weather has settled down & the dahlias are spectacular!
Here's a recent post on the subject with some options.
I have zucchini in the garden with mildew starting so I'll be out there with the baking soda water soon. Right before the predicted rain :( Since I've started taking off the bottom foliage of each plant, it's not an issue here. The extra air flow really helps.
Here is a link that might be useful: Powdery mildew.
CORGICORNER HERE AGAIN.
It is my opinion only, but I think most potting mixes are too "heavy". By that I mean they do not drain well, and are very liable to become "muddy". Try a small amount in a pot, and see how it reacts--if it drains well, and doesn't seem muddy----that's your decision. NOW, mix a small batch of 4 parts of your potting mix and 1 part perlite. TAKE YOUR TIME AND MIX IT WELL! See how that reacts. Yes! I know! you will have to decide which you think is best! Remember, you are putting a lot of time and energy into this project, so take your time and try to do it right. (By the way, you can incorporate those experimental batches into what ever you decide to go with.)
Thanks again. The mix I got is very light & has perlite in it. The 6 pots were washed, given a mild bleach dip, & rinsed. One tuber had a sprout which I cut off, dipped in rooting hormone & put into a small pot with a clear plastic cup on top. There were several smaller tubers that I put into a window box type container & covered lightly. If they sprout, I will find more large pots. The sun porch gets rather cold, so I'll move them into the house.
I am feeling like a mad scientist, minus the lab coat.
Oh now your hooked. Tell your boy friend for your birthday,Christmas, Easter,Lent, and a leaf falls you want dahlia tubers. Check out the big list and go through all the growers for tubers. Swan Island and Wynnes are the ones I have bought from so far. The wife has said she would buy be a bunch more for next year.
Congratulations Pony, you are awash in blooms and colors of all types! I loved Otto's Thrill when I had it- goes well with pinking blooms of Autumn Joy Sedum, if you have that.
I absolutely love that white one with the thin lavender/purple petal outline. And the coleus offset by the pink phlox (I think.) Enjoy them all!
If you aim to move them soon, get the new hole/s ready to go, water the hole, dig up a large shovelful of soil with your dahlia and plunk it in the new location. Fill with soil and water again. They have a transplant additive you can put in the water- B 12 I think, but it's not necessary.
The plants will be less stressed if you make the move in the evening so they don't have to fight off heat and get further stressed til the next day, though I've done it on a really hot day and the dahlias will rebound in a week or so.
Word at the ADS show this year is that Connell's is closing. The kids have decided that there's more money in selling the land to developers than there is in growing dahlias. It's too bad- after Les & Viv built the business up all those years to see it go like that.
It is going down to 4C tonight here, so I have a lot of my dahlias covered for the night.
I will likely be digging my dahlias before the end of September this year, as I have some things going on which will require my attention in October. They can be dug and cleaned as per my other posts, with the only difference being that the eyes will not be so readily visible. That never worries me, as I usually start them in late March early April and they eye up quickly enough then.
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/dahlia/msg1016075928014.html
Here is a link that might be useful: Getting ready to store dahlias for winter
I love your dahlias and will be visiting you this year via cataloge I hope. I am making lists of what I want. It is pouring now and the dahlias look like peonies.
Of course I have to have that purple one. My daughter wants the orange yellow one. I will have to wait for your on line photos to show the wife. I may just order from you my self like last year. I have been very happy with farmer john and daper dad. They are out front in the big pots so every one who goes by the house sees them.