3,226 Garden Web Discussions | Dahlias
Good advise re seed collection. Personally, I prefer to multiply with the tubers. ...get good strong plants quickly. I actually cut off the flowers so they don't drain the energy to be stored in the tuber. However, for a lot of plants you could try the seed method. But, as the plantlady says, don't expect the seedlings to look like the parent. Cross pollination may create some interesting forms.
Very pretty. Hissy Fitz, an interesting name. Like the Lavender Perfection. Hmmm Gorgeous.
I can't see the last three, though.
All my Beverly F rotted so did many others so I don't know what they would look like.
Thank you for sharing. :-)
Jroot- my garden isn't even near big enough to hold that many blooms let alone my table. How many blooms do you guess, to fill a 360 degree bouquet 3-4 feet x 3-4 feet?
How do you think they anchored them all? A king size block of oasis? Individual volunteers holding individual vases and hiding inside the flowers? LOL
I had alot of cut flowers with heavy rains setting in over the weekend: I heard wind/water in the early a.m. and bolted outside to begin the harvest before the breakage began. Almost too many cut ones to deal with, but I managed.
You could probably leave them in the ground in your zone, but read up on other posts/links about digging and dividing if you want to expand your number of plants.
You could get a stake of some kind and place it a foot away from the base of the plant, firmly into the ground. Then use some pantyhose, tights, T shirt strips or some other flexible tie that won't cut the stalks/stems, to wrap around and keep the plant branches more upright, secured to the stake.
If you cut off the dead flowers where the stems emerged from the plant, it should stimulate more growth and you could get more blooms. Look for new little green growth on either side of the stem you're cutting off and avoid damaging them. Or look for them at the next junction down the stem. They can go on to produce two new flowers, at least. Some dahlias will just fatigue and start to fade away, lose leaves as they shut down for the season. I don't know how they behave in Texas.
Good luck and congratulations on your blooms so far.
dpinker, If you want low maintenace plants, I would stay away from roses. You have to spray roses,trim,spray, mulch. I spend a whole lot more time taking care of my roses here in the north than I do my dahlia's. If you want dahlias, don't dig them up just replant them every year. They are really cheap at Lowes or walmart.
Dahlia's are really low maintance if you don't dig them up.Plant them, stake them, and let them grow!
Dahlias take their own sweet time opening- we've tried just about everything to get immature blooms to open for shows & they never co-operate. Hot water won't speed them up- we even tried a heat lamp one year but the darned thing was just a "Wednesday Bloom" & just wouldn't do it! (A Wed. bloom is all the gorgeous ones that are perfect in the middle of the week when all the shows are, of course on the weekend!)
Jroot- a gift card is like a gift certificate shaped like a credit card to those stores mentioned. when the giver purchases it, you denote the value of the card- all electronic. Very popular as gifts so you don't have to do that personal shopping thing. There was a law passed in WA recently that prevents the stores from taking the gift card money back if the recipient doesn't use it in X amount of time. I shudder when I think of how many $$'s we've wasted letting them expire here.
I swear I answered this post, but apparently not.
The link is to a long, all inclusive discussion on digging tubers. Unfortunately it is tough to find specific advice for warm weather climates such as yours. Also unfortunate is that the author doesn't recognize the value of a paragraph for easy reading!
I would do a search for Southern CA dahlia societies and email them directly with your questions on climate-related requirements that would provide additional tips beyond the general practices used by many dahlia growers.
cut and paste this for good info as well:
http://www.dahlias.net/dahwebpg/TuberStor/TuberStor1.htm
Good luck!
Here is a link that might be useful: digging tubers/dividing clumps.
several to choose from in California.
Here is a link that might be useful: Dahlia Associations list
Thank you Dahlia Maniacs from your newest recruit! LOL.
heidic I cut one of the flowers from the last picture four days ago and it looks the same as when I cut it.
Poochella if you check the other thread I've got here it has more info on the little yellow flowers. They're solidaster Lemore and I've got a link in the other thread.
A windmill- I never would have guessed! A wonderful sight to behold. Lovely, lovely. And is that an adorable white goat I spot in the background? You have it all as far as I'm concerned. My husband gave me a marine water spinning reel for my birthday. I have fished in saltwater exactly twice in my life. I returned the favor and got him a sporty green wheelbarrow for his- as if he would use it! All's fair in love and war.
What a cheerful array of blooms you have- enjoy them all.
What a sight to behold. Good thing I'm not there, I would have scissors in hand and making bouquets deluxe !!
Beautiful garden, Glad you shared it with us, Great Job!