3,226 Garden Web Discussions | Dahlias
Two sets of true leaves would be correct but I would let the root system develop pretty well in potted soil before transplanting. Seedlings are vigorous growers so it won't take too long to develop a good root system and it will help it get established when transplanted.
Use a roots type fertilizer at half strength.
So, to be clear, you've started some cuttings now in pots? You'll bring them in before the frost and continue them inside under lights.
Using averages from my "Cutting to Bloom" times, cuttings taken today should be full size and blooming around the end of January. That would mean that by the end of May they'd be the equivalent size of something typical in late September. IOWs, they'll be huge bushes while inside...;-] Now multiply that by 400 and ask yourself where you're going to keep them.
And my numbers are based on not giving my cuttings enough lumens while they were under lights. I figure I should be able to knock at least 30 days off the average 155 days it took to go from cutting to bloom by simply using T5's and having them closer to the cuttings/tuber sprouts.
Perhaps I'm completely misunderstanding...if so, my apologies. If not, this is going to be an extremely interesting experiment.
I've been wondering just how long I could keep a plant blooming. Could I bring it in in the fall and keep it blooming through winter?
Cheers,
Russ
Russ if things get too big I will take cuttings from them and keep the cycle going. I have at presant the ability to use 5 four foot sections with shop lights. If I wanted to I could make more spaces. So we will all see what happens every month. Some one from a very warm climate should tell us how long they can keep a plant in green stage.
You SHOULD be growing it, it has lots of blooms. If I have an extra tuber, I'll save one just for you.
Spike is opening! It is hidden behind this towering 8 ft dahlia- so unpredictable. Last year the towering one was 4 ft...sigh. Spike is a robust plant for sure.
I'm thinking now that they aren't actually asking me what variety I'm entering, only which classes I'm entering. I've sent them an email to confirm. My entry fee covers as many class entries in a division (e.g. Cut Flowers is one division, Displays is another.) I want to enter into 4 cut flowers classes, so that will cost me $5 total. I believe I can just not show up with an entry if that's how it turns out.
I'll take all links you can give me if they'll help me figure out how to meet "Publication 34 Judging Standards," which is what the judges are apparently using. I've no idea what these are and can't find them on the web anywhere. Anyone know?
The Hamilton show is 3 hours from me. I may go, but honestly, at this point all I really want to find is pictures of show winners to get ideas about how to display them.
Any tips on when to disbud? Do you simply disbud the side buds on every main bud on your plants that you're intending on showing? I don't want to strip all of mine off as I'd have nothing to display in the garden until after the show. Maybe that's not such a big deal, but I really love looking at my flowers on the plants. I didn't plant any intending on showing, so I don't have any that are out of sight to strip. Suggestions?
Thanks again everyone!
Cheers,
Russ
Russ- I have never heard of Publication 34 Judging Standards. All our shows are American Dahlia Society shows & go by the judging standards of the ADS. I would imagine that if your blooms are in top shape & well presented they should do well under any rules. If you want to see the ADS judging standards look at the ADS site & look for the Seedling Judging page- you use about the same kind of point system to judge on the Hort. bench as you do for seedlings.
We have an album of shows at this link - there's 9 pages so look around. If you want to see something close-up just click on the picture & it'll come up bigger. You'll get some idea of how the blooms are entered to their best advantage in an ADS show.
Then, in your spare time check out our other albums- there's some nice dahlia arrangements in the wedding album & lots & lots of other dahlias everywhere.
RE- disbudding-- yes, we disbud every bloom -- the side buds are removed down to the length you want the stem to be. Try doing this on around 7,000 plants!! Gives you some idea of what Walt & I have been doing in our "spare" time! We had to dead-head all the plants this week too because we got about 2" of rain the other night & it made "mush" of all the big dahlias.
Here is a link that might be useful: Dahlia Show Pictures
Quite frankly, thegeez, my first year with Dahlias completely sold me on becoming a gardener. I had, for years, believed that any plant I touched died. Dahlias completely changed that for me.
That isn't to say there aren't failures, of the 181 Dahlias I planted this spring, 40 have died. There's lots of reasons for such a high failure rate, not the least of which has been spider mites this season. Last year, I only had 2 of 28 that didn't bloom.
I don't know your region very well, but Dahlias do require significant water, especially once they've started blooming. I read that 2" per week is a good amount. This might be one reason your friend had problems. The other is predators...insects, mammals, virii. They're an extremely succulent plant. People often compare them to tomatoes. If you can have success with tomatoes, you shouldn't have any problems with Dahlias.
As for how long they take, they go from tuber to bloom in ~130-150 days. They'll then bloom until frost, or dormancy due to less sun (they're native to Mexico.) A single sprout can produce 100 blooms or more, depending on the variety. Each will produce a full bushy plant.
Since you likely don't have to lift them in the fall where you are, the bush could be even bigger next year. For myself, I'd rather have individual plants. Some of my larger varieties have 5 or more main stems, each producing sets of blooms. I wouldn't want them any bushier.
If you started tubers today outside in pots, and put them under grow-lights inside when it was too cool or too rainy, you'd likely have blooms in January (perhaps even by Christmas!)
Enjoy!
Cheers,
Russ
Thanks Russ, that is what I was hoping to hear. Maybe next year I can drool over some of my own instead of going to your website to drool. I will have to plant them in the backyard instead of showing them off in front due to deer, which for some reason haven't bothered the roses this year.
Again Thanks
gary
sonora,ca
Nice colour. Good contrast with the tree in the background. Too bad the car drove by.