3,226 Garden Web Discussions | Dahlias
My limited experience has been that plant health/size above ground doens't necessarily mean nice tubers. Conventional wisdom is cut back on Nitrogen late in the season for healthy tubers, and Potash promotes healthy root/tuber/bulb growth in general. Wood ash, sulfate of potash, etc. will build stronger tubers.
I had some in a dry crawlspace in a gallon size zip-loc bag and never got them planted last summer. They had long, white sprouts about 12" long. I assumed they were dried out but when I was cleaning in June the sprouts were still tender. I plopped them in the ground and away they went, so they will store for at least 21 months because I dig in October. Cool and dark with good and careful moisture control is the key. Pack in sawdust, peatmoss, paper bags, or anything that will allow a little airflow but helps retain moisture.
You can plant dahlias in beds w/ other flowers but we don't because our garden surounding the house is in the woods & dahlias need a lot more sun than our yard gets. So they pretty much get stuck out in the big garden in the field- which has to get plowed & disked every year so permanent stuff can't get planted out there. What to do??? Cutting down trees isn't in the cards- the husband has cut down all he's going to & topping was supposed to be done a few years ago but is still waiting to be done- so, the inner gardens have the shady stuff in them & the outer gardens have the sun-loving dahlias in them
Sometimes they can surprise you, too & a plant that was 3' tall one year so you put it mid-bed can end up 6' the next year & tower over the plants behind it. The whole bush does look good & they do well in the mixed gardens of friends of ours.
Hi Poochella,
I got distracted by making a living. I had to teach some classes in August and preparing and traveling used up the month. Fortunately, in the meantime, my dahlias kept on growing. Even the ones I stupidly planted on the NE side of the garage.
None are the "towering giants" but doing well enough to give me some lovely blooms and make me want to buy more next spring.
Where are you in WA? How close is your climate to Vernonia? We had some very cold days that included about 6" of snow in early December. I have a water garden in a tub and there was at least 4" of solid ice on top of it. I'm told it was a fairly typical winter.
Hi, well work certainly puts a crimp on gardening doesn't it? If you've got blooms then you are a success, no matter the height. 4 ft is average for the taller varieties, I guess.
I am east of suburban Seattle and we are also prone to freeze, snow, or prolonged cold spells due to elevation. Lots and lots of winter rain as well. I don't know Veronia specifically, or much else about OR climates, but if your water froze 4 inches thick, it sounds like you would be wise to plan to dig up your dahlias after a freeze. Store them (see any number of threads here on 'how to') and enjoy them all over next year perhaps aiming for a southern exposure or as much sun as possible.
How to dig link below and other great info at that website.
Here is a link that might be useful: dahlias.net
I'm in Michigan, zone 5. My dahlias are fantastic this year. Even the small annual ones I planted are doing great. The are the size of bushel baskets. Many of my dahlias were planted in a new bed this year, which I enriched with peat moss and manure. I always use bone meal when I plant the tuber. It sure worked well this year.
Did you use Saran Wrap to store your tubers last year? If so, how did it work? Oddly enough, I've been able to overwinter my dahlias by just tossing them, clean and dry, into a box in our basement. No vermiculite or any other covering. I've had to make sure they stand upright, otherwise the new growth in spring is all wonky before I even notice. Mother Nature should not reward my laziness like that...it only encourages me!
The Picture Trail account you saw last year could have been cancelled or changed. (?) I found the method for you on a web page, but I could not link directly to it because of problems GW has been having with spam.
If you Google: "No Fuss: Store Your Tubers in Plastic Wrap", you should be able to find the page you want.
Sad to lose a plant despite your efforts at staking. I came home to find the first 'tipper' lying on the ground yesterday too. The large blooms tend to be heavy and, if wet from rain, even heavier. Add a gust of wind and it can be disaster. There are plenty of larger bushes or tall ones that get two stakes here- heavy duty metal posts to which I anchor the whole plant as it grows bigger. It also helps to encircle the plant with ties as high as you can to support the plant as it grows. This can be unsightly, but better looking than a prostrate plant.
There are plenty of posts on digging and storing- check back in about September/October from any year and you will find them. Or check the link for great information and photos.
Here is a link that might be useful: Digging dahlias
Well, no matter what the new owners SAYS....she may have different feelings if you were to just remove the plants without consulting her. OK, she says go ahead...
Then do the lifting when she has taken possession of the house....after all, its her plants now...not yours...no matter what feelings you have for them.
Get it on paper...."xxxx, hereby agrees to allow yyyy to remove said plants on....date...06....
This then gives you some protection against what maybe another member of the household might think about the idea.
If you have such permission, she sounds like a reasonable person...then ask permission to come back AFTER a killing frost and remove the plants at that time.
You are then protecting the plants ability to be removed at the proper time.
Then take them home and store them properly.
Destiny
Did you ever find that lime green Dahlia
Sounds interesting