3,226 Garden Web Discussions | Dahlias
Hi Jeanette,
Here is a pretty thorough discussion of earwigs, tips and tricks to control them. It would apply to a dahlia garden as well as any other type of plants.
I tried the soy/oil/molasses in a can last year and caught nothing but the stray tongues of visiting neighbor dogs!
Here is a link that might be useful: Earwig FAQ
Bill McClaren is a dahlia expert of the highest echelon. His book is a product of decades of research and practical work into dahlia breeding, growing, and marketing. His introductions are grown world-wide. Bill and Lois started Alpen Gardens, creating hundreds of new dahlia varieties with the prefix Alpen. He was the Chairman of the Research Committee of the American Dahlia Society for many years and continues to write and speak about dahlias on a regular basis. His recent book "The Encyclopedia of Dahlias" is just that, a current, complete reference to all there is known about dahlias.
Kevin Larkin, Chairman
American Dahlia Society Research Committee
Maybe you could try sucessive planting. Start some in pots early and then plant them in the ground. Then stagger your other plantings say a week or two apart and you are bound to catch some in bloom at the right time.
I started some in pots and they were about a foot tall when I put them in the ground and then I planted some at the same time as sprouted tubers and some that just the eyes were started. Maybe this would work for you to stretch out your bloom times. Just a thought
Mine just started to bloom now as well. They usually start about now, and keep on blooming until frost.
ENJOY them for the beauty that they bring. By all means deadhead them as well. Take some inside to enjoy as well, and they will create more blooms for you. If you are feeding them occasionally, the blooming will not harm the tuber at all. You should have seen the blooms on some of mine last year. Amazing! I even had one tuber that was over a foot long. It was the first to bloom here several weeks ago.
I don't think it makes any difference. The first dahlia I had blooming was in a pot; the very next day one in the ground opened. I have more open in pots and more in the ground. "Even Stephen" as they say.
However, your point about the size of the pot is vital. I do use the large pots - at least 20 gallon size. This year, I used the styrofoam pots as well so as to keep the pots from over heating. I think that paid off for me as well.
Boo hoo, Kelvin Floodlight is one of the many yellows I lost to rot. Gorgeous flower Jroot. I bet you can hardly wait to get out and see who's blooming each day.
We have heat and sun forecast for the week, so I am ever hopeful the dahlias will be kickstarted into action. Buds are forming daily.
Keep those photos coming- I for one enjoy them all.
I think that the problem with your tubers growing tubers and roots but no stem is that they didn't have an eye on them. Tubers will continue to grow but they will never sprout a stem if they don't have a piece of old stem with an eye on it. Sorry. Perhaps someone could experiment and find a way to graft a sprout of stem into the eyeless tuber.
I got my beetle traps last night. Mine are made by "Safer" the company that makes all the natural pesticides. But, I think there is another brand out there too. They cost around $5.00 (Although I got mine for 20% off) The replacement bags are about the same price as the trap itself. It comes with the bait, which is good for the season usually. But, they sell the bait separately too, so you can replace it if needed. Definitely worth the cost of the trap, it is amazing how many beetles they catch. Read the package to find out how many you need, depending on the size of your garden. I use 2, one in the front yard and one in the back. They really do help a lot.
JB bait will last the whole season if it doesn't get rained on and while coasting the net, I came across an article to change the trap so you don't have to buy replacement bags. Thank you to the person who made these modifications.
You cut the bag at the point where it begins to narrow. Next purchase a hose clamp , a piece of sink tail piece, and an empty peter pan peanutbutter jar . Cut a 1 1/2 hole in in the top of the jar lid and put the tail piece in the hole and trim it so there's just enough to put the bag over it and clamp the end of the bag down with the hose clamp. Each day all you have to do is unscrew the jar and empty and replace it back on the trap.
JB's will stop going to the trap if there are to many bodies in the trap. I guess the smell overrides the smell of the bait. My traps are 3/4's full everyday. It really cuts down of the cost of replacements.
Thank You again to the person who came up with this idea because it really works and has saved alot of my flowers and veggies and of course my wallet.
Jroot, thanks for the information.... I was impatient though..... so I ripped out all of the dahlias from my front bed and I put in some Easy Wave petunias and purple Super Bells instead. They make the bed look much prettier already.... but never fear! I transplanted all of the dahlias into containers. Now I hope they will survive this shock.....
A low sprinkler sounds like just the ticket Willow. If it were in the 90's, you would find me lodged supine in the dahlia patch to take in the cool water as well! That is just too hot!
Poochella-
I agree with the "soaker hose" idea, and then the dahlia can still be over watered, believe it or not! I've lost tubers from overhead watering, but noticed if you don't stay on them, they can be really soaked! And what if you get rain that you didn't plan on? Yikes!
tc