3,226 Garden Web Discussions | Dahlias
Turns out the plant sale was a madhouse and the lady buying me the plants couldn't even get near them. Which is fine. I'm trying some Karma dahlias for the first time, just split an order w/ a friend, and have my transplants in the ground.
Can't wait to see how they do!
Susi.
'Ralph's Rainbow' was actually a one time fault of nature which was exhibited at a dahlia show. The photo is real with no alteration.
The explanation was a cell division failure EARLY on in the development of the bloom. During this cell division one of the two split cells lost its color gene for yellow.
The back part of the picture shows the natural color of the bloom which is a Light Orange and Yellow blend. The front part of the bloom lacks this yellow gene and Light Orange minus Yellow equals Pink while Yellow minus Yellow equals White.
I suppose it's practice, practice, practice which you would get in a day if you worked for a dahlia grower. Jroot's pictures are still available,but it's still a challenge. I finally potted up my new babies and chopped into several old clumps. Surprisingly I still have a few pieces of each to plant, but like the dumb-dumb that I am___ had the names all written on the newspaper around the roots__and after stirring through the cooler several times over winter, most of the papers are in the bottom of the cooler and which is which, __I haven't a clue. Garden club exchange is today!!! Alas, all is not lost___ these ladies will take anything__well, almost anything.
Yes, what Plantlady said. I had about two glad blooms last year out of 50 or more. Total infestation with thrips and I spent a good deal of time hovering over the nearby dahlias waiting for the little suckers to show up. thankfully they never did.
That was my first experience with thrips and I hope the last.
Pinch off the lower leaves & plant deeper & you will get more tubers in the fall from where all the leaves were pinched off. When we plant the new seedling babies out in the field Walt always takes off at least 2 sets of leaves & plants deep- just like tomatoes.
BTW-- 189 new "seedling babies" as of yesterday!! Love SPRING!!
Deep Breathe and relax- OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHMMMMMMMM.
You can't hurt it, much. I bet if you ran a mower over the whole growth, it would revisit you in a few weeks and go on to produce beautiful flowers. I could be wrong, but my hope springs eternal.
The plant will find a way to get around whatever you have done to it. Pretend you're a big juicy slug, just for moment, that slithered up and chewed off the part you pinched... The plant will try its best to survive the assault, and I bet it will.
I usually wait til they're about 12-18 inches tall and pinch out the center growth because I don't have time to count leaf pairs and don't have good enough vision to see cotyledons. Cotyledons, Schmotyledons is my motto. Although I reserve the right to change my mind about them....
Just don't worry. I bet you'll get some good laterals showing up in a few days' or weeks' time and they will go on to produce a decent plant.
I bought similar bag from Wal-mart, the lady in garden center told me, they are about the same height and size, just follow instruction on the bag (smaller variety in one bag, larger ones in one bage, they don't mix them together). She showed me a bag of lily (35 bulbs), they will be differnt in size, nothing to worry about that either, instruction gives mimnum distance between bulbs; some do not need so much space, plant it like it says anyway. How did your tulip come out? I'd assume although some tall, some short, they should be fine.
I am in Zone 5 and start all my dahlias in pots and I have good sized plants to put out in the garden at planting time.They bloom earlier, that way you can enjoy them in bloom longer.
The assorted varieties meaning,dinnerplates,decorative,cactus etc.They all grow the same height,just the flower size is different.
If you are positive your frost is over, then go for planting it in the bed. If there is a chance of frost, I'd put it in a pot, and then plant outdoors when there will be no frost. Alternately, you may be able to tarp the plant if a frost does come. You know your area better than most of us, weatherwise. We only use pots because we get frost so late. Here, sometimes in early June. Oh, how we envy you at this time of year.
Oh you're fine if you want to plant them in beds now. I've left mine in the ground over winter here and they were fine. One advantage to starting in the pots though, is that if there are multiple sprouts from one tuber, you can cut it making two plants instead of one big one. Probably will grow better too...
No, no! It's "off with it's tail!" I just inquired again today (at another tuber sale LOL) that extra long or fat potato-like tubers can be slow or sap energy otherwise directed to shooting that plant skyward. Twice now I've been told it's A-OK to cut off up to half of the tuber, let it callous over, treat with antifungal if you wish and plant it.
As long as it has an eye, and some tuber to support that eye growth, it should survive and thrive. Last year I lost more than a few to rot but saved two half rotted ones by chopping the rotted end of the tuber off and replanting. They went on to grow and flower with only 1-2 inches of tuber stump supporting them. And made more tubers.
I was just stunned to see 'Mazama' tubers at the sale in the more usual one-half to one inch thick x 3-4 inch long size. The ones I harvested are all like sweet potatoes! Nubby fat, tubby, huge sweet potatoes. What does anyone think made mine so chunky? Too much chips and dip?
I have not been able to find that particular dahlia anywhere for you. I have looked and looked. I did see a birthday card with it on it, but no live plant. It is really pretty. Good luck in your search. If you find it, let us know where, thanks.
Landrover, cut off the spent/rained off flower heads back to the nearest branch or stem. They should continue to produce buds/blooms for you "all summer" like the ads say. You don't want to let a plant go to seed though, or it will think it's done it's reproducing job and be done.
If you keep cutting flowers (or shearing off the old blooms) it will have to bud some more to try to keep itself or it's offspring on Earth.
Here you go.
I've never grown from seed. I lost the seeds I received last winter : ( Maybe they'll turn up yet...
Here is a link that might be useful: Dahlia care- including from seed
You can sow them directly in the garden esp. if they are the little ones. The bigger ones should be started earlier indoors & planted out when the weather warms up.
You don't have to treat them with anything.
Tubers will form & can be divided for more next year.
Not I, sorry. Have you tried Garden Watchdog?
Here is a link that might be useful: Garden Watchdog
Hi: I just received my dahlia order from Art's two days ago. Very nice tubers all with visible sprouts. Nicely packaged in small ziploc bags and a small amount of vermiculite. Great labelling with good picture of tuber enclosed. My order arrived right on schedule, order filled correctly. I would highly recommend. I am pleased. SusanM
Great choices. They look really good.
By the way on that link I see 'snow country' is on it. I had great satisfaction and success with those last summer. They produce a great 'dinner plate' sized double bloom flowers that thrived in sun and part shade. Lots of cut flowers proveided and what I found was that when the blooms began to fade, the plant very obligingly allowed you to pull out the outer layer of petals so that each flower looked perfect for ages. The double blooms had so many layers you couldn't tell that anything had been removed. I've set a tuber up a while ago which is sprouting cuttings for me right now for this summer.
What a great tip to remove some of the outer fading petals...it might even work on some of the smaller types. Your mention of dinner-plate sizes reminded me of another British writer, Margery Fish, and her hilarious tales of her husband's love for huge dahlias (they weren't her favorites). Guess you can tell I love garden books...and those I read back in the 60'-70's when I first started gardening are still favorites. I'm still working through my long lists of plants I first met then and said "I must try that someday." Finally got arond to Dahlias (to end on-topic). josh
P.S. I didn't move from GA to AL overnight..just finally updated my Member Page. josh