3,226 Garden Web Discussions | Dahlias
Annabeth, I like orange (and red and yellow) too. I'd say to persist with the Firepot. I got one this year with a collection of small, mostly cactus tubers. I really like this one. It was the latest to open of the whole collection (all planted in the same conditions at the same time). Here are some pictures. The first one really glows because of the way the light was.
I also got Swan's Olympic Flame this year but it hasn't bloomed at all. That's probably because it got stepped on by a bear.
I'm going to be posting some pictures of other dahlias from this year on the Discussion side of this forum - or - is it better if I put them on the gallery? What is the preference here. I'm visiting from the Hosta Forum. McTavish
I guess my plants aren't paying attention. This collection was called small or short or something. Mary Jo and Bitsy are about the same height, both in the front of this planting area. I was surprised that Park Princess was included as short. I'd had this one in the past and really liked it. It was always pretty tall for me. Of this group, Park Princess, All Triumph and Firepot are the tallest.
viking- I've tried that bloom at every time of day you can name & also fast shutter speed & slow, umbrella & no umbrella inside & out- I just can't get the deep purple to come out- it always comes out pinker or redder than in person. I have a friend who has a camera with a bunch of different filters she can use with it & I'm going to try & see if she still has it & if so if she will take some pictures for us.
What sturgeonguy says about dahlias being bred for certain zones is very true. Any dahlia will grow anywhere if given the right conditions of lots of sunlight, good soil conditions & the right care. We send dahlias to trial gardens all over the country & they do well everywhere. Dahlias that we have bred here in the Pacific NW are growing all over the world-- even Capetown South Africa- talk about different conditions, different zones, different hemisphere & seasons & if that doesn't confuse a dahlia, nothing will!
When I was out at the greenhouse the other day I saw a couple of dahlias growing in the garbage pail- Walt had tossed them in May & they're about 3' tall & have buds on. No water all summer, no fertilizer, no care-- just trying to survive. There's also one that was dropped in bare ground by the driveway- ground as hard as blacktop- & it's growing, too. Dahlias LOVE to grow anywhere!
A lack of buds indicates a lack of phospherous. If the ph in your soil isn't right for dahlias you won't get blooms.
So start your dahlias indoors earlier, make sure they have good soil & lots of light, feed them a well balanced fertilizer (10-20-20 is what we use) a couple of times a season & stand back-- they'll bloom their heads off for you-- & speaking of that- be sure to dead head because you won't get as many blooms if you don't keep the dead heads off.
Chimacum Cathleen pastel waterlily. Lots of early blooms.
Hillcrest Kismet was one I forgot to add on this year. What a classic! Always so perfect.