3,226 Garden Web Discussions | Dahlias
Grannymarsh's recommendation is "right on". I fertilize every week with a fertilizer with a higher middle number. ( not too high, though ). I continue this until the end of August, and I stop fertilizing completely then. My dahlias this year are amazing. The higher middle number promotes the formation of buds.
One thing else to consider. Do you have your dahlias in a place where they get a lot of sun? They are much less likely to bloom without it.
Perhaps you'll get some yet. The summer is not over for another month, although as I write the temperature outside has dipped to 8 degrees C.
Sometimes I order from VB just for the amusement factor, though this time I really wanted to add Karma Sangria. Mine has the sturdy stems that seem to belong to my Karma Naomi, Karma Fuchiana and Karma Ventura. WOnder if they got our tubers from the trial fields? I love my new Karma Ventura though! My siser says the flowers look like silk flowers when they close up at evening. Sure wish there was a better source for the karmas where we could get them in small numbers!
Your Sangria imposter is lovely! COuld it be one of the other Karma's? I highly doubt if we will see my big bronze on the market ever!
oliver75 - I don't have any answer for you, as I, too, am a complete novice with dahlias. But I have some brown on a bud now and then, as well as some leaves getting brown (quite a bit). I'm replying to your post because I can see that nobody has come forth with any help for you. I thought I'd mention the forum called "Pests and Diseases" on the general list of the garden forums. I posted a question there and got a couple of good answers, so you might give that a try.
Not being able to capture bright or dark purples is one of the greatest frustrations of photographing dahlias. Someone said to adjust the white balance on your camera, if able, but I have yet to find any adjustment that does the flower justice.
It does look parched there, but despite it all, you've got a nice flower for your efforts.
Sometimes as gardeners, we just have to cut our losses. I had several tubers which I planted this spring, and they just did not come up. I purchased a new one, planted it, and it still has not come, but a large week has come up in the same pot.
Some I planted in my hedge were supposed to be 4 foot dahlias but turned out to be barely 1 foot. They look strange next to their 4 foot sisters. LOL They will be planted next year at the front of the house, along with my other midget size dahlias. I also got another new one which my wife HATES, so it will become compost this fall. The soil makes a difference in the colour of the bloom to some extent.
Ah well, the joys of gardening.
If you're having hot summer days, it sounds like a perfectly reasonable and normal dahlia to me. The key is that it rebounds, formed buds and they're almost open. I wouldn't worry too much. Just keep it watered once or twice weekly, fertilize as you see fit and enjoy. When they wilt and stay wilted, that's a real problem.
Someone else asked about this a month or so ago. Yes. JB's eat just about everything--in my garden at least. However, they do not seem to really destroy the dahlia folliage to the extent they have decimated my hardy hybiscus folliage.
Do the rose trick. Every morning or afternoon take your pan of soapy water and knock the JB's into it. Or if your not the timid type, squish the little devils with your fingers.
So when you remove a leaf, will another one grow in that same spot? Also, if you dis-branch will that encourage growth elsewhere? I've recently started disbudding & since this is my first year growing dahlias, it was EXTREMELY painful to remove a growing bud. So just want to know if it's safe just to remove most of the infested leaves and wait for new growth...
The leaves come out of buds just above the old ones. I don't remove them until the leaves are half brown or new leaves are coming out on their own, which they usually do.
I don't mind disbudding - sometimes less is more.