3,226 Garden Web Discussions | Dahlias
We have had a lot of rain here. The weather has been very warm for us also. The season started a month a head of time, but I think the heat slowed every thing down. I had my first bloom a month before I ever get bblooms. But now I have a few plants that I will be lucky to see any blooms at all. This is Iam a hottie.
The dahlia garden(ers) dig them up because they don't want them stolen more than anything. It's also easier to weed when you aren't worried about stepping on shoots.
I leave all mine in the ground all winter. And while I expect to lose a couple every year,I have found if they are going to rot, they will usually rot in the 1st year.
I have a Kelvin that is JUST starting to open but I planted it later than I should have. Otto's Thrill was planted at the same time and has one huge 10 inch flower and another 6-7 incher opening with other buds opening. But it is in the ground while Kelvin is in a pot. Then again, Barbarrosa is in a pot right next to Kelvin, was planted at the same time as Kelvin and Otto and has already flowered one huge dinnerplate, so go figure.
The only year I have found where fog affected my yard was that summer of 2010(?) where I didn't see the sun for 6-8 weeks and it was DRIPPING wet all summer. This year has been great and my yard is looking its' best in 5 years.
Hi dahlialove
That 'penelope' is a beauty. I don't see the orange you mention but the yellow/lavender combo is fantastic. And of course it is nothing like the catalogs says a real Penelope should be.
My "Penelope" has morphed into a dinner plate - mostly red with dirty yellow gold in the middle but the kicker is all leaves have white tips. It looks a lot like (and actually may be) a Nick Sr, though the pics of Nick are much more red than mine. It is a Semi cactus and I actually cannot make up my mind if I like it or not. I am NOT a fan of Bodacious either - too busy for my taste - which may explain why Nick Sr would not be a favorite. But I moved it away from where I sit in the yard to the back section and it is starting to 'grow' on me. (Maybe out of sight, out of mind?)
I may have taken a pic of it and am getting the photos developed now so I may have a picture soon, which I will post as a "Anybody know this dahlia?" thread later. For now, I know some of you have Nick Sr and I wonder if yours have white rolled tips and if some are more gold than red?
David
In the morning they are in the leaves of a lateral. I take the leaf in my hand and squeeze. I'm 2 for 2 today. Waiting for some Orthene to be mailed too me. Hope that helps. It is so hot here that the leaves droop over in the daytime. I was afraid of putting on an oil that would make them heavier.?
I think a 'clump' of tubers has a more extensive root system that will get your dahlia going faster. I had the same thing with a couple of varities that I purchased as pot roots (which apear the same as the box store clumps that you get). Those shot up much faster than the cuttings that I took.
In the long run, the bloom/plant quality is usually better with the cutting or single tuber; but those with the larger root system tend to develop much faster.