3,226 Garden Web Discussions | Dahlias

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.

These photos are really small and I retract my warning of caution for dial uppers. THey should load pretty fast.

Chimcaum Julia- Rich yellow, stout bloom and stem. I like it!

Hi Mctavish:

That's some mighty clever planting you've done. You've turned that slope into a lush patchwork quilt of color. Thanks for posting the picture.

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.

He is a really nice cat. His sister is also. She looks just like him only in black. Same look to the face.

I love cats. Tell Oscar he has a very nice garden. McTavish

Glad you found one. The Florida climate should make a very happy dahlia imperialis. Make sure you give the trunk/s strong support or protect it from wind. They are hollow and snap easily just like their lesser cousins. Good luck!

I just planted my first one this year. It took a while to get leaves on it, but it's about 12" tall now. Can't wait to see it bloom. Next year, I'm sure I'll have tubers to give away.

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've used a ring of shredded leaves and leaf mold. But next year I intend to use "Sweet Peat" as it really improves the soil.

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.

Bad experience from this idiot, too!

I just found out that sluggo now makes sluggo plus that kills earwigs too. I have laid it down in my garden so hopefully I won't have a problem with those unless that was what I found under one of my leaves.

Thanks for the link, it's a great resource! It doesn't have the particular bug that's eating my blossoms, but it's still a useful page, LOL. :)

Does cement leach something into adjacent soil so that it might alter the pH? Just a fleeting thought that I'm too tired to research.

Newer cement tends to increase the pH. If compost is added, it could aid in keeping the pH lower, as well as watering with coffee. That helps immensely with dahlias by repelling slugs (their number one enemy in my yard). Of course a soil test could also be done, or the OP could easily just plant them to see if they work, if there's no success she could always test the soil to determine if the failure was caused by the location or the soil.

I recently moved from Everett, WA to San Diego, CA. Can I grow Dahlias here? What type would be suggested and when and where to plant them. We don't get frost here...

Everett might as well BE San Diego given our heatwave in WA this week. It hit 102 an hour ago, cooling off nicely to 100 now :(

Here is the contact info listed at www.dahlias.net for the San Diego Dahlia Society. I bet either one of them would give you sound advice for your local conditions.

Gerald Lohmann
6616 Rockglen Ave
San Diego, CA 92111
(858) 279-5135
~ GLLohmann2@aol.com

Alt Contact: David J. Tooley
~ djsj21643@aol.com