3,226 Garden Web Discussions | Dahlias
Sounds bad, sorry. Perhaps some info at the link will be able to help you. Keep up the slug bait for sure, but perhaps an additional treatment or approach is in order. Slugs usually work from the margins of the leaves here (if they don't get the whole sprout.) I can't imagine them leaving a lacy pattern.
Please report back what you find. Maybe a county extension office can help you if you take in a sample leaf?
Here is a link that might be useful: pests
okie. i recently had something happen... ive got dahlias growing in pots sitting on my balcony ledge... the largest one WAS about 2 1/4 feet tall, and i dont know how but it fell off... 1 story and broke the stalk, cracked right in the middle and i decided i was going to keep it, [mourning because it was my first, and about to bloom] and new growth has started where the stalk broke, mind you i didnt detatch the broken part, ive just been removing the dead vegitation when it appears. SO it is hopeful... :D GL!!!
Hi Keith:
Looks like you're not too far from my house. I used to take my dog to Ward Acres before the ban. My cousin
installed the drip system for me. I have it in my raised beds and in all my pots and boxes. The Harts Brook Preserve is off of Ridge Road in Hartsdale.
Email me @ EBonci@msn.com and we'll arrange a time and
day for you to visit. I'll be planting my dahlias at Harts Brook on Monday and in my yard on Tuesday and Wed.
Dahlia Boy
Jroot,
Excellent link. Wish I had known about the newspaper trick before I potted my undivided clumps. In point of fact, wish I had known it was ok to divide sprouted/leafy tubers.
Jim,
Found your website and put it in my favorite places for next spring. And yes, you are absolutely right, dahlias are not that hard to grow (which is why I love 'em)--just labor intensive.
On your reccomendation I am taking my little plastic dahlia containing packages out from under the grow light.
Thank you to all,
Patricia
Best bet would be to try and see a picture of it online. Most of the online growers have pics on their websites. Here is a link to the biggest dahlia internet site that I know of...the page with what might help you.
Ginny
Here is a link that might be useful: Colorado Dahlia Society
Hey PhyL:
Next time do a search first. I just answered this question and the only reason I answer is that I am a "Tom Edison" fan.
You absolutely do not want any emerging foliage to hit those 30's temperatures. Stick em in pots if your impatient. But wait another week or two for outdoors.
I just found out that "Komen" is the series of plants that Lowes puts out in support of the Susan B. Komen foundation's mission to save lives & end breast cancer. The dahlia itself isn't called Komen- there's pink, lavendar, yellow, orange, etc- all called the Komen Dahlia- & there are geraniums & other plants in the series. So- you not only have a pretty plant for your garden all summer, you have helped a really good cause, too!
Ha - my sprouting dahlias are also under a table -but it has a glass top, and once I see real green growth - I move them to stronger light. My house looks crazy right now - I am starting tons of dahlias - and I have no room! Dividing dahlias means they keep increasing - and I haven't the heart to throw any out! Yes, they are beautiful!
Anna
I'm delighted to report that after moving them to a sunnier spot, they're growing sprouts!
I'm just so excited - this was my first time saving and storing my tubers, and I was sure I'd mucked it all up. But obviously they did okay and my dahlias LIVE! Woo hoo.
I consider Plantlady a guru, Jroot a seasoned professor and many other considerate posters experienced research assistants. Not a guru here, just one who tries to share what works for me year to year. I have learned much, appreciate the education, and will continue to do so. I hope others learn as well- there's always something new to try, different ways of doing things. You should see my cuttings, Plantlady' and I'm a regular whiz at paperpots thanks to Jroot's tutelage LOL!
On the wilting, as Plantlady says, here they almost all take a midday wilt when the sun is at its hottest. A very few varieties seem to wilt more, but yes, when it cools down, they bounce right back. When one wilts and stays wilted for a couple days, you've might have trouble. Disease or rotting tuber most likely.
See: Another lesson- I wouldn't have known about the tepid water vs cold shocking the roots. Plantlady you are wonderful with all that you share so kindly. And I simply cannot wait to see those dahlias from the north blooming here.
Back to paper pots.... I'm way behind.
Oh hello - I found you over on this thread! I'm re-posting this from a couple days ago since nobody has been on that other thread. Poochella are you out there? I can't believe I'm admitting this but I stayed up last night till after midnight putting my tubers into baggies with a cup or 2 of soil. Some of the White Perfection tubers were so gigantic I don't know what I would have done if I wasn't using the baggie method you told us about last yr. Anyway 30 or 40 bags later they are in. I wanted to ask you when to plant them out, or how to hold them till the temp is reliable. A lot of my tubers were already eyeing up - except of course the infamous Otto's Thrill which all looked like little shriveled rocks.
I was really tough on the spare tubers in the packaging and tossed a few of each type into a spare bag but most went to the compost pile. Last year I wasted so much time on tubers with no eyes.
I have always grown dahlias in containers but this year first time I made some space to plant out some of the really big dahlias like Thomas Edison, White Perfection and my buddy Otto. Now I finally have to pay attention to all the discussion about staking. What have you all decided - which is best? Last I paid attention you were on painted rebar - is that still the favorite?
Last question - will deer browse the dahlias? Are there any other critters that will bother them? I have every creature available in the Midwest but raccoons, squirrels and all the moles, voles and shrews are the worst. In fact last night while I was weeding after dark - the coyotes were howling down along the river. I have finally almost completely cleared out my old vegetable garden of perennials and shrubs and plan to set out some veggies and most of the dahlias. They will need staking, but the deer could definitely get in since the electric fence is now down. I need to spare them so I can be the only one knocking them down..
Looking forward to the season!
linnea56, I take mine in when the temperature gets to about 5C or above freezing (38 - 40F). However, I just take them into the garage, and out the next day. A day or so in semi darkness won't hurt them that much. I know it is a lot of lugging. 5 trays is not too much work. I did it tonight with all my brugmansai ( 40 plants) and canna, and hibiscus, and geraniums ( 120), .... as we are expected to go to 4C every night this week. What does one do though, if one wants flowers most of the season? - a little extra work.
I haven't noticed any mold around the inside of the pot, but then again, once planted, I have not taken them out to see if there was mold inside. I use the newspaper to line a regular pot so that it is easier to transplant to the soil without bothering the roots. The newspaper pot gets buried into the soil eventually, and becomes compost. So I don't see any problem with that.
I have not had mold with mine. I check them everyday and only water lightly when they look dry. They have shoots but not too many leaves, so I figure they don't need too much water right now. The sun gets really hot in that window: I would find it hard to think that mold could grow there.
I think maybe you are watering too much.
When you dig & divide spray the cuts with Lysol Spray & let them heal & dry for a day before replanting. They really should do as well as ones that have been divided in the fall. Give them a bit of fertilizer when you replant- we use 10-20-20 from the feed store.
florafauna,
I would plant them in potting soil in pots ( because we still expect frost here for another few weeks). Then I would take them outside into the garden area, but because they are in pots I can bring them into the garage for protection in case of frost. If you do not expect any more frost, then you could plant directly into the ground.
I would plant them with just the tip of the shoots above the ground. They will form nice roots down below, and the plant will start to open its leaves above ground level for you. When it gets taller, the lowest leaves should be pinched off so that the lowest leaves are at least 4 inches off the ground.
I don't think that I would add too much manure now, until the leaves start to open. Then they would appreciate it. At this point, it is important to establish roots. Later, you will want to establish the upper plant, and then the FLOWERS, which is what it is all about.
Thanks so much jroot! I read so many posts that I became confused with all the information. The reason I was going to add the manure is because the bed I'm putting them in doesn't have the best dirt (silty) so I usually just add manure when I add a new plant since I can't amend the whole bed. I'll try it without adding the manure.
Thanks again!