3,226 Garden Web Discussions | Dahlias
Oh good on the rebounding. I definitely have certain varieties that look like they're at death's doorstep in midday sun. I gave them an umbrella during the hottest part of the day and that spares them from the wild wilting.
Yours might benefit from a little shading, but if they rebound, I'd not worry.
The Michigan Dahlia Assoc. literature says DO NOT use Miracle grow types fertilizers. Avoid Compost,Fish fertilizers and high nitrogen water soluables as they promote weak stems,small blooms or no blooms at all. Use high percentage potassium and phospherous such as 5-10-10 or 10-20-20
Hi, I use a variety of foods...ALL organic...NO MIRACLE GRO on anything...Try Whitney Farms all purpose, Dr. Earth, E.B. Stone, MaxSea...I pick at least 2 bucket fulls of blooms every day, and only 1/3 are in bloom at present! I also use a fertilizer called "Oragnic Advantage" which has humic acid in it...OOHHH and I also use compost tea.
I don't know about oakworms. Maybe check the Pest Forum? or google for oakworm solutions/controls.
Better yet, go to the insect forum with a photo to post. Those people are sheer genius when it comes to insect ID and info.
Slug bait I know about and use regularly. Rainy weather, then heat, will mold it or break it down in several days. I just shake down more (I use the pelleted iron-based kind friendly to pets.) Nothing like a good pruning shears for a revenge on the slug...
I have three separate dahlia plants and one is blooming like crazy, the other one's got two or three blooms but the third one only has one that's blooming very very slowly. It's been a couple of weeks I think and it's just halfway open. I guess these things like to keep us in suspense. Although my plant that's blooming a lot is only producing mid-size blooms. So the longer they take, the better the get I think.
Hi Sylvia
I don't know anything about Southern California, so it might be different, but here, there wouldn't be much doubt as to what destroyed the plants so thoroughly: slugs!
They LOVE dahlias! I've given up planting dahlias into the ground right away. I raise them in pots until they are sturdy and strong.
Slugs might still climb up to the tender young leaves and buds, but they have a harder time getting there, and they can't eat the whole plant, as they will do as soon as they notice the first green stems peeking out.
So, yes, you are having the right hunch, I'd say: keep them somewhere safe until their leaves aren't so tender anymore.
Poochella, loved that dahlia in all it's variations! The 3rd form is My favorite though.
Liza
Geez, now I can only see the first 2 of 4 photos too. When I looked before I could see all four.
I can't get them to show up, even after trying reposting. My personal recommendation for photos: go with Photobucket! Those were stored at Webshots and not nearly as reliable or user friendly.
I can't recall what the 3rd one was like, but numbe 4 was near total magenta with only scant white and was taken very late in October.