3,226 Garden Web Discussions | Dahlias
When you take plants outside that have been inside, you want to move them gradually into full sun. Taking them directly from inside to your full-sun spot will severely damage, if not outright kill them. I always move them to my front porch, where they get only east sun, for 7-10 days. Or I put them under a tree in dappled shade for that amount of time.
Have you sprayed with any kind of bug spray? I thought of you this afternoon. Yesterday I found 1 dahlia out of all of them that was absolutely covered with little black aphids. I sprayed with an insectidical soap which appears to have killed them. However it also burned the plant and a lot of the leaf area is brown and curling in just 1 day.
If you got any kind of drift of a spray onto the plants that could have had something to do with the leaves. But, - I wish I could send you this privately because I don't want you to feel bad - looking at the gorgeous dahlia in your above photo - look how dark green your leaves are - I think that one is also getting a bit too much nitrogen. Some people think that too much nitrogen will cause the tuber to rot over the winter, so if you intended to keep them you might just drop back to bone meal or something very low N, that also feeds roots and flowers.
You might just use iron phosphate - Sluggo is a brand or Garden Supply has their own - which will kill slugs. Maybe it will even give the extra nutrients you need. All of my dahlias are green and pretty good looking, except 2 that were planted together looking chlorotic. I just fertilized with Mighty Plant and Messenger tonight and will see if that helps.
Thanks again poochella! I'm so glad you know the variety I have! I'll take your advice and plant them where they get early sun and afternoon shade. They're definitely getting too big for the container they're in, so I guess it's time to plant them outdoors, maybe tonight.
I appreciate all your help :)
Dee
Papaya232,
How long ago did you transplant your dahlias? 3 feet high is a little large, but I've done it before and they nearly always come out of it and within a few weeks look the same as the ones I didn't transplant. Because I grow so many, I have a row of ones I can transplant in case something doesn't grow right in the main garden. My sister transplanted blooming dahlias a few years ago in the heat of summer because of her daughter's wedding.
Teresa
oh yes! a definite problem, these buggers will inject a hormone to make the plant grow the way they want it, that means dwarfism!
I had this problem and now at any sign of the winged white ones I will spray the underside of the leaves of the entire plant with malathion. I have done this twice so far this year, kills them right away. Don't know if this is a restricted chemical, now...... but I have some from years ago.
good luck
I once read that it is worthwile spraying with a fungicide, it hold off the inevitable "dieback" of the flowers, especially with rain and humidity.
Some times I will just pick off the browning pettals on the large dahlias that continue to grow.
another way to look at it is that, if you cut the blossom off it will encourage more!
good gardening.
Me too! first time with Dinner plate ones, these are flowering here in connecticut, probably around 9 inches also, no dinner plate for sure but soooooooo nice!
Nice picts, I also have the dark bronze red ones, very nice.
Cheers from an avid lifelonger Dahlia fan
I second the vote for every one Huey named- all top quality and beautiful colors. They are all tall and will need staking. Pam Howden is/are among the tallest in my garden again this year- 5+ feet last year and heading that way soon in 07. Cameo is more 3.5-4 ft. Taratahi Ruby is one of the most vibrant dahlias I've ever grown. Get them all!
Dahlias need some nitrogen and that should cure the problem. You want to cut the nitrogen out in the fall unless you don't receive any rain then some nitrogen would be appropriate.
Growing in pots and watering everyday will deplete the nutrients faster then in the ground so they require more fertilizer.
I wonder if Liquid Fence would deter squirrels? I don't have a problem with them (yet). No really big trees in the area (newly developed). Liquid Fence does work well to keep the rabbits out of my roses.
I use to have a big problem with animals big and small using my garden as a buffet. The Liquid Fence has helped amazingly. It actually does keep the squirrels out because I still see them chillin' in my neighbors' yards but they NEVER come in to mine anymore. I spray it about every other day and that seems to work well. I know it smells like "rear end" but it works wonders.