3,226 Garden Web Discussions | Dahlias
Hey Tracy--
Well, thanks for making me feel like a celebrity! I am a flower arranger and a good one at that, but frankly, even I had no idea that hollow stemmed dahlias could use a few pin pricks up the stems ala "La" Poochella, and it is a great tip. So, in spite of your bend of the hat to me, I say Gratzie to Ms. Pooch!
Oh, BTW, stop fertilizing at least a month before frost. They need to hardy up.
Of interesting note, the weather forecast in my area is forecasting 4C degrees on Saturday and Sunday night. We may be getting frost here soon.
I looked up Islander and it's huge and gorgeous. Congrats on growing it! Was it really an 8"-10" bloom? Any pics?
Sorry about them dang critters. Have you tried the organic slug bait? I think it's iron phosphate and several brands available (I actually found some at Lowes in their new organics section). I used it this year on my organic veggie garden and around my dahlias with success.
Alice_ma6,
1) The bigger the better at least a gallon + - to make room for a good root system and also for tuber development. Some can get really large.
2) As many holes as possible. I take pails and drill holes in the sides near the bottom to plant my brugmansia. That way I can root prune easily and pull them out. Dahlia roots are not as large as brugmansia, so bottom holes will be okay. You still might have to dig deeply to get to the bottom of the pot.
3) Good soil with lots of nutrients. Also with good drainage. They don't like wet feet.
4) If your pot soil is good, you will need less fertilizer. I use Miracle Grow, but any balanced fertilizer is good.
Personally, I don't have the space to do what you are recommending, so I clean well, dry slightly, dust with bulb dust, wrap, and store in cardboard box in my cold cellar which does not freeze. This has worked well for years.
Go to the bottom of this page to where it says search (this forum) and post your search terms there.
Jroot and Poochella have both contributed fabulous postings with detailed photos as to how to overwinter and divide.
Dahliaboy also has an excellent posting.
The gist of it is that you will wait for the first frost or two to blacken your folliage then you will remove the folliage, clean the dirt off the bulb and store it (in plastic wrap, bags, etc. in a cool place in your house with temp hovering around 45 degrees. But read their posts. Have fun with your dahlia. You will get hooked.
Anna, I don't want to burst your sporting bubble, but Seattle has behaved so weirdly over a vast geographic expanse this year that I wouldn't rely on it to be a sport. People here in the NW US have complained it was a "non summer," with cooler and wetter conditions than usual, but others far away have had the same results on this variety.
Either Seattles have been all yellow, or yellow with a hint of a white tip on a couple petals or not blooming at all.
Here is a shot taken today: the best Seattle representative being on the left, and that is the only normal looking one I've had all year. It's just bizarre!
Here is the first bloom off the same plant. Nothing at all like the Seattle I've enjoyed in the past.
If you just got some tubers that have shoots I would put them in pots and hope they will be able to create enough energy to make it through storage soon. The pots would allow you to bring them in on cold nights and prolong their recovery time before they are done for the year.
I would think they'll have the best chance if left on the plant. No buds I cut have ever opened to full glory like 'vine ripened.'