3,226 Garden Web Discussions | Dahlias
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.
I bought them at Reno Depot - Home Hardware in the rest of Canada I think. They are about $1 each depending on length, but like I said - a good investment as they are stronger than bamboo - although I also use bamboo for the less tall dahlias.
Anna
I have a gardening friend who had HUGE gladolias in early June this year at church. I asked him how on earth he got blooms so early, much less so huge. He says he does not lift them. HUH? I thought that was an absolute in our climate. Not so - you have to bury them 24" deep in leaves (he puts up fencing around his bed in the fall), but they do fine. So I'm going to experiment likewise with a few of my dahlias. If I lose them, no big deal. But just goes to show you that what we thought was the gospel of gardening isn't ALWAYS the case.
I have been pleasantly surprised when 2 different patio dahlias came back 2 springs, with no extra protection. We had some very cold temps, but there was snow cover at the time. Also, they are planted near a south facing brown brick wall.
Sue
We've found that the earwigs really love the white dahlias- that's where we find the most of the little beasts. They also poop in them- little flecks of black stuff that can contribute to the dirty look of lighter blooms - doesn't show up as much in the darker ones. Some really stark whites are -Spike, Arctic Frost, Kenora Jubilee, Kenora Challenger, Kenora Clyde & Klondike. Some of the other whites do have a muddy, grayed color & some are blends of white with some pink or yellow in them.
Take it out of the pot & plant it in the garden- just like you would any annual or perennial-- or you could plant the whole pot in the garden so you don't disturb the roots at this time of the growing cycle-- dead-head it, clean it up & & feed it & it'll come back & bloom for you until frost-- most dahlias are just starting to be at their best at this time of year & put on a spectacular showing in Sept. & on into Oct-- until frost. Then look at the forum again as I'm sure there will be plenty of advice on storing at that time.
It's not a virus if just the lower leaves have the yellow veining. It's actually normal for the lower leaves to yellow. A good rule of thumb is to remove the bottom 12 inches of leaves on the dalia plant. This promotes air circulation around the plant.
Keep misting them in the heat of the afternoon. I do that with mine too. It's normal for the leaves to wilt in the heat. Powdery mildew is only a problem if you mist too late in the day and the water on the leaves doesn't evaporate and stays on the leaves.
PL, often I see my variegated dahlias either revert to solid, or they may have a section of solid color with the rest variegated. Check out Prince Valiant in my photo album...
http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=2103341635
Christine
There's a dahlia listed at High Desert dahlias in Wa state called Wittam- could be what you're looking for - it's white- perhaps the person who helped you didn't know the correct spelling. Have a look-- they're not taking orders now but you can probably order from them sometime in the late winter/early spring.
Here is a link that might be useful: High Desert Dahlias
For me it looks like Nenekazi
i dont know its name but it is very pretty and a good photo shot!!!!!!!!