3,226 Garden Web Discussions | Dahlias
Libby, I am in zone 6 and I started mine at the beginning of April in baggies, in the house (Poochella gives a good description either here or over on cubits.org/dahlias). I have taken cuttings of quite a few already and will start putting them in pots on my deck next week to harden off. They'll remain there till it's safe to put them in the ground. I am keeping most in pots this year, as my soil is so awful- but will sink the pots and mulch around them to retain as much moisture as possible. I did this on a smaller scale last year with good results, and it made digging the tubers a whole lot easier after the frost got them. A couple of late bloomers got moved to the garage when frost threatened, and were able to be enjoyed for a couple of extra weeks.
The thing about not watering them applies more to those of us with boggy soil. THey do not like to sit in constantly damp soil, but they do survive our rainy climate here just fine, as long as they have good drainiage. I find mine do just fine unless they freeze. NOw that you know they do not want to be constantly wet you will change how you water them and they should thrive. As long as you do not have little slugs or snails eating on them as they sprout, they just reliably sprout and come up and grow. Terribly hot weather may delay their flowers but they usually recover from that. I enjoy mine in mixed flower beds too. After I plant my hundred and 20 or so, I plant left over tubers of my favorites in among my roses and lilies where they put on quite a show of continuous color. Have fun with them!
Which ones are you trying out?
Thank you for the help! I planted them this afternoon. I am very excited, & know I will be hooked if they grow well. It was hard enough making the decision on which 4 to get, then Jan's Country Garden sent an extra.
I picked Carl Chilson, Chilson's Pride, Fuzzy Wuzzy, & Touch of Class, & they sent Sweet Dreams as the bonus. I wanted smaller blooms for bouquets.
Thank you both for the input. I appreciate it!
Mine have been growing for a couple of weeks under lights. I've rooted some cuttings and will put the larger plants in pots on the deck soon. It's easy to cover or bring them in if frost threatens. When I set them out permanently they'll have a nice head start!
Hello all. I have been doing what you all are describing for several years with fairly good results. The flowers have seemed fine if I plopped them in the ground on April 30th, but I wonder if they would be all right if you just stuck them in now. There are lots of climatic variations in this region, so you have to be careful.
This year, I am starting the flowers later because I got sick of all the pots and have bought a very sturdy $99 greenhouse from Home Depot, which I hope will get the flowers growing more quickly. I noticed that the tubers started at greenhouses matured much more quickly than the ones that I planted in the ground in late April/early May.
Good luck.
Highlander, I too would be interested in trading with you for one tuber each of the seven you listed.
Here's what I have to trade:
Maarn
Touche
L'ancresse
Taboo
Bliss
Victoria Ann
Mystique
Onesta
Arabian Night
Peaches 'n Cream
Email me direct through my member page,
Thanks!
- Steve
I can't imagine any dahlias prefering my "garden". We moved to a new development a few years back (before I discovered dahlias) and the soil is hard clay mixed with any rocks and gravel that were left over when they backfilled. The shrubs look sick and it's almost impossible to dig deeper than a few inches. I do use larger pots and partially bury them to increase stability. I like being able to move them if size becomes an issue or if I need a filler. I start them indoors, move them to the deck where they can be covered if frost threatens and place them in the beds about the time I would normally put the tubers in the ground. They seem happy. I've had good results so far, and plan to continue.
We live in a great area for farming. Problem is it is out on the north fork. Where I live is a giant ant hill full of sand. This island was created my the glaciers. So whatever got pushed here is what you got. If you go through old issues of National Geographic, where ever in the past there was a volcano the soil is great for farming. So if soil is the only factor you are considering for your dahlias potting soil is the only choice for me at this place.
I cut off close to a third of some of mine last year and they did just fine. It was my first time cutting them down, so I was nervous about it. I wouldnt worry about centering them in the pot, you are going to be taking them out of it anyway to plant them.
I just nestled them into the soil for the first few days after cutting them , and then buried them deeper after the ends had a chance to dry out a bit.
Hilltop Gardens is owned by Buddy and Kelly Dean. They are top notch dahlia growers well recognized in the Southern States and Eastern seaboard dahlia community of the American Dahlia Society. If you ordered from them you will receive quality dahlias, on time.
In addition to their private business Buddy manages the Great Smokey Mountains Trial Garden as a volunteer service for the members of the American Dahlia Society to test their new dahlia varieties prior to introduction.
You have linked up with a top quality supplier of dahlias!
^Well thats good to hear. I wasnt extremely worried yet, it's just that a few years ago I ordered from Dan's dahlias, and was supposed to receive about 7-8 tubers, and there was no mention on the ordering page that any of the tubers I'd ordered from them were not in stock. It was also early in the season, like late march, early April. I also received an email receipt from them which had no mention of any problem with my order, but when I actually received the order,literally half of the tubers were NOT what I'd ordered.
It wasnt until then that they set a note with the order saying they were out of stock of 1/2 the tubers I ordered. Whats worse, was that they replaced the ones I ordered with cheaper, less desirable tubers, without ever asking me to choose other tubers. What was worse yet, was that when I planted them in late April(warm outside), only 3 actually came up! Plus, 2 of the 3 that did come up weren't the ones I'd ordered......
I shouldve sent them back, but it wasnt worth digging them up, then paying for shipping and everything(maybe thats the plan!)
I bought from Swan Island last year, and aside from 1 tuber being weak and dying early on(Tutti Frutti), the other 85% of the order was fantastic. I'd expect maybe 1 bad tuber. I didnt bother sending it back either, and I'll pay for another Tutti Frutti this year. No Biggy......
The answer relates directly to your other post about roots - no eyes.
By starting them inside in trays and waiting for them to get started, you dont plant any in the ground that are duds. If you have limited space thats a big plus.
Many people move them from the trays to pots for a few weeks. For those of us in cold areas it allows a month head-start. The ground here in WI isnt usually warm enough for dahlias until the beginning of June. For the last couple of years I have planted them out with 10-18 " of growth on them already.
They are designed to reach for the sky.
haha good answer!