3,226 Garden Web Discussions | Dahlias
Hi Viking
My Gitts is barely more than a big fat opening bud. Shows what a difference 50 miles makes.
The tripods are an excellent idea. Are they anchored inside the pot and if so how?
I am still in love with those big fat square wooden planters you have off to the right in the first picture. Any interest in building a couple more....(for a pal, hmmmmm)?
My best regards to your spouse,
Lucinda
The tripods are just stuck in the soil. But most of those pots are over 12 inches deep. That gives the tripodos a lot of support. I tryed selling my home build pots to my neighbors for fifty dollars. The wood cost me around $23 at Lowes. They just laughed at me. They are way to heavy to ship at reasonable cost. I will tell the wife you asked about her. Thanks those kind of things make her happy. As well as all the kitties eatig treats out of her lap.
Our DD just graduated from college in OC and studied in Beijing for a semester. Talk about cough. I don't think she saw the sun break through in Beijing the entire time- just haze and brown glow of the new day. Fascinating place though.
How far from the recent BC fires were you Mactavish? Nasty things and the only thing I dread about a dry summer.
Did you fertilize with anything that might be burning your leaves? When I had a couple container type dahlias, I recall that they were the first to go as far as blooming went. Those are the only things I can think of for what you describe.
I'd just take the brown leaves off, they're not coming back to green, I don't think. Maybe your plant is taking a breather and will have a second spurt?
How is your soil in the pot? Does the soil drain well? NEVER use garden dirt only in a planter.
Another thing--being a container plant, be sure your plant is not "dry" before fertilizing--in other words, if in doubt, water the plant at least an hour before fertilizing.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!
Hi Annie- that Windhaven Blush is gorgeous!
As for Aztec Gold- it is ours & all of ours are in the process of having the Wyn's put in front of the name. Some of the growers that put out a catalog every year might not change the name because of production costs? Dunno--- but I'll get in touch w/ Don McAllister to have it changed on the Big List- I thought it had been. Ah, well...can't keep up w/ everything. Just finished deadheading all the gardens & disbudding- although it seems like that needs doing again as soon as we get through it. I keep telling Farmer Walt if he didn't fertilize we wouldn't have that problem >:)
SuzieQ- thanks for giving the heads-up! & for the endorcement on the other thread- I'm glad to hear your dahlias are doing so well.
I've been through Salmon Arm many years ago en route from the midwest US to our NW location. I should have known you were up there in similar heavenly surroundings. It's just gorgeous.
Veryzer, you're too kind. I don't know about red letter gospel; red flag warning might be more like it, but I keep trying and learning from those more in the know.
It's not normal but it gives a chance to see some pretty deformed blooms. Something happened when the bud was forming to cause this abnormality. What, I cannot say.
Genetics? Weather? Chemicals?
What I'd like to know is what causes the *$() hard green centers or elongated centers which ruin otherwise wondrous blooms.
The good thing is chances are high your other Grandma's Lemon Pie flowers will come out just fine.
The hard green centers can be caused by the weather- when the bud forms too fast for it to develop properly-- usually really hot weather when the bud is first forming will cause this. Or sometimes a dahlia will just break down & it's time to get rid of that stock & get new. If the green center stays all season- even into the cooler fall then it's time to let it meet the compost pile.
I bought 30 from Wynne's Dahlias this year (got 5 free ones, too)- first time I ordered from them. You can tell every Wynne dahlia in my garden- they're head & shoulders above all the rest with beautiful healthy bushes & strong straight stems. Loaded with blooms. Wynne's Sensation is the best large dahlia I've ever grown & I've been growing for 40 years. I'm definately ordering from them in the future.
Has anyone ordered from Ablume Gdn. BC. or St. Albert Park Edmonton? I didn't order from them but thought of it and wondered what there tubers were like. I have ordered from Ferncliff in the past and was always happy with their plants. This year I picked up tubers at the NW Garden show in Seattle. I bought from Swans, Dahlia Barn and Dans. All seem to be growning though not all are flowering yet. A couple had to be moved because they were behind something else which was probably my fault.
I use grass clippings all the time, only be sure to dry them out first. My dahlias grow in my vege garden, so I have time to do this, also in 100 degree weather it doesn't take long. Wish I was a wheat farmer where you are, I can't imagine paying $15 for a bale of straw. Straw that is certified weed free is $8 a bale here. My dahlias seem to grow slow this year. They were all planted at the same time, and some are blooming and some are not even 2 ft tall yet. This has been the year of crazy weather here, like other places I guess.
I agree that it isn't a dahlia. I think it is a Rudbeckia. It still looks like the flower is immature in this pic but I bet it is one of those black-eyed susan's with the green eyes. I'm not sure what they call those, something like "Irish Eyes" I think.
Good Luck or I should say: "The luck of the Irish to you!"
Annabeth
My experience is a negative for Bulbmart. I purchased 3 Starship Enterprise irises from them through eBay. They were a little pricey to boot. It took two years for them to finally bloom and they were not Starship Enterprise irises. I wrote to Mr. Hirt twice - once to see if he would replace them with the correct irises.....which I had my doubts about him sending even though I still had my emails to and from him concerning shipping. The second email was just to ask if he could at least identify the iris he sent as I had sent a few photos to him. There was no response to either of my emails. (Maybe that's good after hearing how he responds to most people.) I see he's up and selling more irises on eBay again. Naturally, I would never buy from him a second time and hope nobody else falls victim to him either.
Forget the gallery and its puny size limitation: keep on posting right here til Gardenweb refigures the value of a gallery. That's my vote.
So pretty. Wish I could help you out on that stunning purple but I can't. Love the color though. How is Beaucon White on flower production? I like the draping petals.