3,226 Garden Web Discussions | Dahlias
Pooch--when you say "limited sun" do you mean a spot with shade or is your region just characterized by overcast days? I'd like a deeper color to compliment Innocence (the only dahlia I have that's blooming well this year....and one of the most elegant flowers I've ever seen) but in Z5 I don't want to wait until Sept. for all the complimenting.
...Which raises another question. My innocence is at least 5' now and my Kidd's Climax next to it is 4+' with nary a bloom. Is this b/c of limited sun? The nodes are about 8" apart?
Thanks.
No, no Verzer, we have wonderful moderate, sunny summers. 'Limited sun' means that my garden beds are carved out of an evergreen forest with towering fir trees and hemlocks all around. Some could be dispatched, but I like them for year round greenery, and others are not ours to cut. It makes a huge difference in height of dahlias for sure, and sometimes in their color, for better or worse.
When I had Kidd's Climax it bloomed very late too, but that doesn't mean anything. I try to stick with early to mid-season bloomers, but you don't know how they'll behave until you try them in your own place.
Innocence is very lovely. Reminds me of Bracken Ballerina. I would want a hot pink or dark pink blend to go with it, crowned with the deepest maroons.
Thanks pooch! I don't mind the green showing and I really don't mind staking as long as it stays up and doesn't fall over. I was using the plastic green stakes and thats why I was getting so aggravated but my dad has just cut down alot of his bamboo so I will try to use that next spring. Your picture looks like you just pulled the green tape around the limbs and its not attached to any support. I guess theres a bigger stalk supported in the middle and the ones you have the green tape around are outside shoots. I have used pantyhose before on tomato plants and it does work great but now have depleted my old ones and my sisters so now I need to go get some tape.
They did answer me quickly at Accent about the height yesterday. They said that since they grow at different heights for people they don't like to put the height on there. Thanks for all your help. Judy
Thanks Suzie. Lucky you to get to go on the tour. I am going to try to find some local places to go and visit. I will go check out Wynne's Dahlias right now. Thanks a bunch, Judy
You're welcome. When they're short, it's a matter of me tying the stalk to the stake, but once they're up and growing in every direction, it becomes a matter of corraling the laterals so they don't break or flop, not always anchored to the stake itself.
Gotta bet busy- possible thunderstorms this evening :(
Thanks for the names,Viking. I'll have to look up Hakuyou.
It sounds like you ran into the 'no two responses in a row to the same thread' deal. You can post a second response in a row, you just have to change something in the "SUBJECT OF POSTING" box. Even changing one letter or word will do it.
Hi Max,
There are a variety of ways to store tubers- whole, divided into small clumps, single tubers, washed, unwashed, treated untreated, labelled or unlabelled; in bags, boxes, peat, vermiculite, dirt, woodshavings, sawdust, Saran wrap etc. For fun, I wrapped some in foil a couple years with great results.
I'd start at the link below. You can also go to the main dahlia forum page here and use the search feature at the bottom using "storing tubers" or similar language. You'll get pages of posts on the subject from this forum.
I'm doing a combo of vermiculite or cedar shavings in bags and saran wrap on others. They've all worked fairly well. Having a dry, non-freezing storage spot is also key.
You can also go to www.dahlia.org "local societies" and click on states near you or not, to read how those growers manage end of season tasks.
Here is a link that might be useful: Colorado Dahlia Society Care and Culture
I seem to be much better at storing tubers then I am at growing plants!!
Last year, I had some very questionable tubers, some where very small, others where given to me nearly dried out or rotten, and I had good success with keeping them overwinter and getting them to eye up in the spring... Lost many by leaving them out under freezing temps to early in the year, did not find the right light for others, oh well, always next year! (Luckally, I did get at least "some" to come up, and boy are they beautiful!)
I take my clumps, semi divide them to a few fingers each, (I prefer to keep some stem on mine). Washed them, then let them soak in a mild bleach solution for 1/2 hour to an hour... Then moved them over to an antifunal bath for some more time... Then let them dry up for a day inside. I packed them up in cardboard boxes full of kiln dried pine wood shavings (small animal bedding). And put them in a cool place. (Some even went into my fridge, but you need to be careful it does not dip below freezing or you risk loosing them!). I checked on them every month to six weeks. If they looked like they where starting to dry, I would soak them for a few hours again and then let them dry, and pack them up again...
Did the same for my Cannas, but there is definately not one way to store these tubers... Perhaps you want to try a couple different methods... I would think a plastic container like you suggested filled with shavings would work rather well. You just don't want the humidity in the box to get too high or you risk rot.
Thanks. I didn't realize that Endless Summer flower Farm in Camden did just dahlias. It is a bit far for a day trip at about 4 hours away. 8+ hours in the car in one day with a one year old would not be fun. But maybe one of these years we can go for a end of summer minivacation.
You guys are good! I checked my order on the Swan Island website for the names. From top to bottom...
Raspberry Punch (my freebie)
Vassio Meggos
Canby Centennial
Coral Gypsy
unsure what variety
Spartacus
The 5th photo is actually a variety that I was able to keep over the winter, not one from this year's order. I think it might be Kenora Wow but I'm not positive. I'll have to check my photos on flickr.
Poochella, Raspberry Punch is a very dark magenta. It was really hard to capture the true color of this one. You have to see one of these in person. I LOVE the color of this and will have to grow it again next year.
Maybe they're just slow bloomers PD, or have you had them before and had them bloom before now? Try some Miracle Grow. I've got a few no-shows yet, so those better get blooming or they'll get out of my garden.
It was 48 degrees last night. I need the steamy heat we had two weeks ago. Yes Pooch I have had some of them before. Show and Tell used to be the first one to open. Some of the buds have leaves on one side and the other side of the bud is smooth? Just need it to get hot again.