3,226 Garden Web Discussions | Dahlias
here's a link that might helphttp://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/images/competition/300x193_dahlia.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/competitions/dahlia.shtml&h=193&w=300&sz=10&tbnid=mPKlyZnGD2eomM:&tbnh=71&tbnw=111&hl=en&start=1&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dpicture%2Bof%2Bdahlia%2Bseed%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26sa%3DN
You won't get the same dahlia from seed as you grew from tubers. The only way to get the same dahlia is to keep the tubers. The dahlia has too many gene combinations to come true from seed.
If you want to see what a dahlia seed looks like go to our "Seedlings" Album at this site. It also shows the pods & how we open them to get the seeds.
Here is a link that might be useful: Wynne's Seedling Album
You're in a pretty cold area. I think I've read to pot up 6 weeks before planting time in your garden. Here's a link with some good information closer to your area.
(see the 3rd question, about setting out started dahlias.)
http://www.midislanddahlia.com/Learning/FAQ_pre.html
Below is why there is no FAQ here: it's all very well covered at this website below. AND it looks like they're adding more subjects all the time. Check the "Care and Culture" section for great info and photos.
Here is a link that might be useful: Look Here
Try internet searching for "container dahlias" or "gallery dahlias" Those are usually shorter varieties. Some are visible at the link.
Also in big box stores Lowe's Home Depot etc, look for the "Impression" dahlias. I love my Impression Fantastico, short though it is.
Here is a link that might be useful: Shorter dahlias
Oh you smooth talker..... I take full credit for pushing the camera button and that's all I do, believe me. I think the ability to post multiple photos per post is limited/allowed by the particular forum itself. Here, you can post many in a row. (I don't know the limit.) Elsewhere, it's one and one only, per post. Photobucket is very easy and useful online, in case you want to look at that as a photo storage provider.
When I am limited to one photo per post, I find it easiest to then go on in the same post to include links to more photos for people to view i.e. photobucket URLs. like this:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/poochella/New%20Dahlias%202005/aerialviewbigbed.jpg
That's the easiest way around the one photo limit I've found. What I want to look at is your and others' photos! So please promise to post some when able.
Hope that helps.
Nikki-- My all time fav. is Moonlight Sonata - you can see it in our "Dahlias from all over album" on page 2 or in the "Dahlia Shows" album. But then there's Wyn's King Salmon & Wyn's Farmer John & Spike & Zorro & ... how can you pick a favorite when there's over 10,000 varieties???
(Have you ever grown Nikki K?? Bright red, lacinated & called Nikki- what more could you ask for??
Here is a link that might be useful: Wynne's Dahlia Albums
Ohhhh My! Very nice collection you have there! I could have WAY too much fun there! lol LOVE the Aztec Gold. That one in particular I'm anxious to grow...and Papageno as well.....the rest are gorgeous too....but...oh how to pic a fav!?! I'll have to see at the end of this season and see what mother nature helps to produce lol
Nikki~
(oh and if I could get my hands on a Nikki K would be too sweet! lol)
A lot of the AA's are later to bloom but we get around that by starting them indoors to give them a boost.
If you want the truely BIG blooms, you have to keep the AA plant down to 4-6 blooms so you won't get as long a show as you get with the little ones that you can just keep on cutting & they put out more & more. Some of the AA & A's will put out more blooms if you let them but they won't be as big- on the other hand, we won Best AA & Best Triple AA in 4 shows in a row with some Zorro's - all off of only 2 plants!
Just when you think you've got them figured out they do something to show you who's boss!!
I can't wait to get my Zorro! I'm soo pumped! Then again I'm pretty pumped about ALL my new arrivals in spring lol. I know I want to have all my larger ones in the back row, and really most of my new ones are amongst the B and BB class! So it should be really interesting this year :) I'll for sure be posting pics ;)
Nikki~
Pink Princess is a BB semi-cactus pink. It was originated in 1978 so it's an oldie- quite pretty, too if I remember back to when the husband allowed small dahlias in the gardens! I think it might be lacinated but that might be Park Princess- my brain is failing me - it's late!
Does it always have the large center w/ pollen? If so it's not a waterlily & therefore not Bliss. I think you've probable gotten hold of a mass produced dahlia from somewhere like Home Depot that while pretty in the garden wasn't named other than "Dahlia". It doesn't comform to any of the regular dahlia forms if this is how it looks all the time.
Thanks for the advice guys.
DJeff: Thanks for the heads up on the tuber sales and the growing info. Might try that next year if these bargain basement things can grow in my selected site.
Poochella, thanks for the sun advice. Right now, that's the best place I have. The others are already taken by daffs, iris and tulips, and as well all know, a wet summer does not a happy bulb make. However, my east-side exposure does get almost a full half day of sun, so it would at least be 4-5 hours. My azalea and hydrangea are very happy there, so I am at least hopeful. Also, I look forward to more pix. Wow, but you sure know how to grow 'em. Every time I see one of your shots, it makes me want to dig up the front lawn and make it a Dahlia farm.
Thanks again, and I will keep y'all posted on my success.
My first 2 dahlias I ever grew were from our local hardware store (and I didn't even really know what a Dahlia was! lol) Also, I planted them in the front of our home that gets the morning sun not the full 5-6 hrs straight. I must be doing something right! Last year with the amounts of rain and lack of sun we had I still had a 13" bloom on my Kelvin Floodlight (yellow dinner plate purchaced 3 yrs ago) .....So long as they look healthy when you put them in the ground....I'm sure things will be good :)
Redd~
Anne, here(link)is the closest thing going on Garden Web, only two pages of posts though, so capacity is limitied and posts would be bounced off fairly quickly if there was any volume.
Why don't you just start an official trading post here? That would give people over 100 posts to go back and forth, or email each other.
Here is a link that might be useful: bulb exchange
I'll vote for a Chocolate Dahlia any day! The reason we named it King Salmon was because we couldn't think of a name for it & it was being sent to Whales, UK to a trial garden in 2004. We were at a Federation of NW Dahlia growers workshop & after asking for ideas for names we weren't any closer to naming it. Then Dick Ambrose who is the originator of the "Camano" dahlias (& who knows Walt goes fishing for Kings up in Canada) said "Why not just call it King Salmon?? ...& a name was born!
Now we have to think up 6 new names for 2006 introductions!! Yikes!
i agree.the work is well worth it. it only takes me one afternoon to dig up my dahlias,and put them away for the next spring.last year i had about 30.this year i hope to have about 60.i cut them all summer long.and i also have canna's.i love them also.when i started both these flowers.the neighbors loved them.now i've shared with them and get to see even more beauties. happy gardening backyardmom
You can also grow them in a pot. Just put in a pot to fit size of tuber (root end can be cut off with no problem), put soil in and put the whole thing in the ground. After the frost has knocked them down, cut off the stalk, pop out of the ground and store in an area where they won't freeze. Then in the spring, once they have sprouted, separate, put one in the pot, share the others with friends and start all over again.
Teresa