3,226 Garden Web Discussions | Dahlias
I have photos of a dahlia called 'Wheels' that looks similar to that. The online ADS handbook lists the originator as Swan Island Dahlias-- check the link below to compare.
Here is a link that might be useful: Swan Island Dahlia's page for Wheels
Wood chips only leach out the nitrogen if they are mixed into the soil. They are fine to use as mulch and will definitely help to keep the ground damp and cool. I put several inches of wood chips around my plants and water less and I'm in Mesa, AZ with a full sun garden.
Mulch Away and Happy Gardening,
Pam
try cocoa mulch if you can find it; it is high in phosphate and serves as a good humus source when it breaks down (but in hotter climes does tend to get some mold on it and clump but the mold doesn't seem to do harm and when I use it the dahlias are spectacular! also the roses and hollyhocks and peonies!
PS not a good winter mulch but I take my tubers up in October anyway.Oh and cedar does leach out the Nitrates first but as it degrades it adds potash.
Well, looky what I found. Although it says 'partial list' of toxic plants, there is that San Fran number listed you can call. Or how about checking with your vet, or National Mackaw Association, or whatever.
Here is a link that might be useful: For the birds!
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/poison/Dahlisp.htm
says here only the tuber and leaves are if eaten.
It is hard to say. I had some that appeared to be healthy, with good shoots growing for a month and a half, but when planted turned to mush. Who knows why...they were the most expensive ones I had this year having purchased them from a reliable dealer. It just happens some times. The ones beside these ones are strong and healthy, although I must admit they did have larger tubers initially.
The size of the pot may be a factor. They need root room. The temperatures may be a factor. The watering may be a factor. Sooooo many variables.
I regularly cut off the bottom 6 inches of leaves. This helps with better air circulation. Of course, one has to leave adequate leaves on the plant to sustain itself though, so it depends upon how advanced your plants are. If they have several good strong sets of leaves above where you wish to trim, then it is a good move.
Flowergazer, I meant to ask you what you do with the pulled up plant after you pull it. I am growing in large containers for the first time and I don't like it much. The lower leaves burn when in contact with the hot black plastic, plants dry out too fast, tough to support a stake, the list goes on. Several have been depotted and put in the garden which I find easier to manage.
Alina, thank you for the link. That helped quite a bit, except it looks like my dahlias have a few deficiences!
Poochella, I have tall and short plants. I didn't know if they needed all the foliage on the bottom, they just looked kind of funny when I trimmed it down. I'll have to trim more because the yellow/brown leaves are travelling upwards.
Can anyone suggest what brand of soil supplement to get for a nitrogen and/or potassium deficiency?
wow is that gorgeous! yeah mine look nothing like that-
they're probably weeds..lol I will take a picture later on and post it. I tried some of that 'critter away' spray and it didn't keep anything away. I even tried moth balls, as recommended to me by a friend but then I read something about that being extremely dangerous to your health so I trashed those as well.My well meaning and sweet neighbors (on both sides) feed the squirrels so they have an over abunance of food to bury so the digging never ends. I also tried the netting but after spending a few hours cutting, (and detangling as it got caught on everything) the little pets o' satan figured out how to get the netting off too.
I suppose it could be worse, I could have a deer or mole problems-from what I understand they are far worse so I shouldn't complain too much. It's just annoying. It's also got to be tough for you to have your own darling kitties digging-since you love them and they are your pets, you can't really fantasize about beating them with shovel as I do with the squirrels-i'd never do it, even if I could catch one of these little $@#@#'s but it makes for amusing day dreaming. thanks for the response and the beautiful picture-I love seeing everyone's fruits of their labor!
Katie: I wish I could take credit for that photo - but it was just a random "snatch" off the internet via Google images - a very handy tool, and has helped me identify lots of things.
Yes, my puddies - who love to dig around. It's funny, but before I became a gardener big-time, I couldn't understand why folks would get so upset about a little digging in the flower beds - I sure do now!! Here is something I use a lot, especially around freshly planted stuff and it may help with the squirrels as well: it's called gutter-guard, sold in rolls in hardware stores. I cut it in strips and then "staple" them to the ground with pegs, or "earth staples". This is a black plastic mesh, and harldy shows at all once it is laid down, and it can be cut to any size. It really helps curb the damage incurred by critters, domestic and otherwise, that are simply "doing what comes naturally". I also sometimes make a type of guard around a plant standing it up - see the picture. Give it a try!
Anna
If the tubers have rot, it will just progress and, no, the plant won't do well. As Willow said, it is best to dig it up, try to save the roots that may have formed by keeping the dirt on them, trim off all signs of rot like you would a brown spot on a potato, treat it with antifungal dust, or Lysol spray, let it dry and replant it.
You have nothing to lose by at least trying. If you have rot, you will almost certainly lose the tuber and plant.
I just dug up another one yesterday that was stalled out at 3 inches or so: rot was progressing. I took a cutting of the shoot and cleaned up the smidgeon of tuber remaining and will replant it just because I love a challenge!
I am not sure if you resolved this but you will get more answers if you post in the discussions area rather than the gallery.
Or better yet, you might try the pest and disease forum.
Holes in the leaves suggests something is munching on them. Black spots on the buds could be pest or disease. Do you have a picture?
Here is a link that might be useful: dahlia forum - discussions
I had a slug work over one of mine while I was on vacation. I put more bait out and it seems to be recovering. It has lots of nice green shoots where before it was just two slimy stumps leveled to the ground. The jury is still out on whether this one will make it and bloom, since I am also battling some underground symphylans that have gotten 6 of my dahlia tubers already.
I wish you luck with your dahlias and curses on those rotten slugs, but at least I can give you a little hope that the plant should sprout a little green.. :)
"Topping" the main stem is the way most dahlia growers ensure a bushier plant with more laterals - the slug just did it for you! It's usually done when the plant is about 2' tall & has a couple of rows of leaves. It should come back just fine & bloom for you until frost.
My peonies did that this year, but I got no blooms at all. Nada, kaput.