3,226 Garden Web Discussions | Dahlias
I grew Curly Que a few years back. It was pretty enough the first year, scraggly the second, and I didn't try it again. The flowers aren't that great after the first flush, and, if I recall correcly, the stems are only average if you like to cut flowers.
If you have to have that swirling petal of an incurved cactus I have no recommendations, but if you want a wonderful, prolific, and reliable pale pink cutflower go for Miss Rose Fletcher.
I'd just like to add a word of encouragement to anybody planning to hybridise dahlias (or just to grow them from collected seed, hybridised by the bees!) You might end up with some duds, but you are also likely to get some garden-worthy plants. It's really exciting waiting for the first flowers to open. Rewarding too, because they will flower in their first year and will continue to improve in successive ones. I have a bed of dahlia grown from saved seed and will post pictures once they start flowering.
The bees do a much better job of pollinating dahlias than people. As with any subject there is the short answer and long answer. Short answer: Let the bees do it and limit the dahlia pollen they can use by cutting off flowers and planting the ones you want crossed close to each other. Long answer: Hand cross two flowers that have been covered by an old nylon stocking. Since bees pollinate several times per day over the course of a week or more, you must pollinate numerous times. Lot more to it, but if you do this and get some seeds that sprout from covered flowers, you know both the parents of your seedlings.
Could be a rabbit, they have found mine this year. Can't eat from a nice lettuce patch, have to eat dahlias, must be dessert for them. Also all my cucumbers and beets. My pellet gun is loaded and waiting by the back door. A couple of years ago, I shot 13, and I live in town.
Well well! Here is South GA I was happy to start some lovely dahlias. and the plants grew sturdy and all had two or more huge buds. When they should have opened, the dogs (Irish Setter and Golden Recliner) and I had been away for a week. Instead of flowers the plants had been eaten off from the top down, just stalks and a few leaves at the bottom. Today before writing I looked again and found deer tracks! First time they have come this close to the house. Maybe that is also where my beans went. Drought must have brought them.
More plant when you plant the whole clump. But I got single tubers from Cory this year and it is as big and prolific as the clump of another dahlia I planted side by side. My clumps put out more stems than my single tubers. I hope I answered your question and not confused you.
Pdshop, this is my first time also with Bodacious. Did yours come up yet? Mine came up 3 days ago. I planted the tuber in the beginning of June. I got the tuber from Royaldutch. Oh yes, I am excited to see it come up. I hope yours will soon come up, too.
Wynne's Dahlias in Washington state has gift certificates. They specialize in big ones but have some smaller ones, too. Or-- you can order tubers in spring & have them shipped to your sister-in-law. They're really nice folks & very knowledgable & helpful-- also have some of the best dahlias in the dahlia world! (I met them about --oh, 30 years ago or more through growing dahlias & they've become good friends-- that's the kind of people they are!!)
If you look on Dave's Garden Watchdog reviews you'll see good reviews-- I think you'd probably get good reviews on them from this forum, too.
Here is a link that might be useful: Wynne's Dahlias
Jroot, every year you astound me with your early flowers from way up there in Canada. Kudos to you and your paper pot technology :) I have buds on quite a few but am still a way from blooms. A warm sunny week underway now will go far and I hope I have a couple as pretty as yours. What is that last peach colored one?
bklyn, I forgot about the dreaded kb limit in the gallery. Didn't used to have that restriction. You can always post them right here in a thread too.
Pd, ankle high would be very discouraging. We've had our share of years like your 2009 so far, but it should change for you as summer gets into swing.
Forsythia, Miss Rose Fletcher is available from several dahlia vendors on the Colorado Dahlia Society "Big List." Or you could check with a local Dahlia Society sale in your area next year to see if someone offers it there.
From the Big List:
MISS ROSE FLETCHER BettyÂs Amazing Dahlias
MISS ROSE FLETCHER Endless Summer Flowers
MISS ROSE FLETCHER Frey's Dahlias
MISS ROSE FLETCHER Homestead Dahlias
MISS ROSE FLETCHER Old House Gardens
MISS ROSE FLETCHER Red Hawk Dahlias
MISS ROSE FLETCHER Swan Island Dahlias
MISS ROSE FLETCHER The Dahlia Guy
Here is a link that might be useful: Big List
It's been awhile so I guess I forgot what it looks like before it blooms. I hadn't even thought of it being a weed!
Now I feel like a dork for watering it. I had no idea a random weed could grow that tall though!
I'm not a total gardening failure though. I have a giant potted jasmine all twined up a small trellis. And I've had that for I think 3 years now and it's blooming well so far.
No need to feel like a dork. Even the weed appreciates a little TLC once in a while! If you can grow a jasmine there is complete hope! Here is the foliage of what I think is your plant
A little further away with blossom beginning middle left of center against the horrible backdrop of phlox,spent geranium, crocosmia, a lone foxglove, and sweet woodruff run amok. Not a good photo, sorry. The little pink blooms go on to produce fluffy white tufts of seeds that float away to other portions of the garden if left unpulled, as I recall. The weed is the one with maroonish stem beginning at the bottom of the photo.
And another closer up of fresher foliage. Nice of me to include it inside the ribbed cage for the asters wasn't it? Even weeds need support:)
Mine are tall. I started them inside in February-March and planted many outside when they were already 1'-3' tall and very well established. My Ace Summer Sunset is 5' tall, a little higher than required. Given our variable NE weather, this seems to be the way to go if we want strong dahlias year after year.
Sorry you are having trouble.
What do you all suggest about cutting the huge leaves the dahlias have made this year. They look like platters sideways. I wish I could start the plants inside but have never had trouble before/.