3,226 Garden Web Discussions | Dahlias

Forgot to mention Bodacious. Bodacious, Annette C and Wynns Sensation were all coming out singles. All being composted in the local compostery.

Kenora Wildfire and Islander? Both old favorites? I'm getting rid of my stock and seeking better. I know that both of these varieties are gorgeous, but they are blooming undersized, and with Wildfire, worse, they wilt way too soon. So those Wildfire tubers won't be showing up in the dahlia club sales either.

I've been reading a book written by a Northwest vegetable grower discussing some common soil problems in the maritime northwest ("Growing Vegetables West of the Cascades" by Steve Solomon.) The problem I'm having with bloom size may have a lot to do with soil deficiencies. I've always just fertilized, not paying enough attention to what my soil needs. This year, I'm working to build some better soil. Even though the author is a veggie guy, he's got interesting things to say, and a very successful nearby dahlia grower recommended reading the chapter on building soil. We'll see if what I learn renders any improvements to my AA's that often bloom like B's.

each years harvest of tubers are clones. Like copying machine
copies they tend to fade out over the years and some disappear. You have to look around and try and buy a replacement tuber from a reputable grower who will replace
it if it doesn't grow.

Suitzus Julie is an excellent lower growing waterlily, See later post and google a picture.

Thanks a lot for your advice,
Ted, thanks for the information and recommendation. I read your post about seeds, well, didn`t know, that you can expect only so little good results. I thougt it could be fun to do some experimental raising, like with a litter of barn cats. But then I don`t really have the space for so many surplus plants.
And Carolyn, I looked those short ones up. I think they are gorgeous but not showy enough for my neighbor.

But I browsed some Dahlia grower websites and found some showy short ones like the Gallery series.
Thanks a lot, bye, Lin

When do start the clock? when you put them in the ground? when they first poke out of the ground? What if you start them inside? and when do stop the clock? when you notice a first bud? when it starts to open?
Sorry, I just want to be accurate.

^^ I shouldve mentioned the criteria...

Time to bloom is usually measured from the day you first planted the dormant tubers, til the day that the first flower was completely open.

So if you started your tubers indoors, you'd measure time to bloom from the day you planted the dormant tubers inside, to the day the first flower completely opened up.

Can I start them today? lol

If your goal is just to check for eyes, you can warm them up and check every day. If you see an eye swelling, put that tuber back into cold storage and then plant it later.

Conversely, if you saw an eye when you divided the tubers, you could store them separately from the unknowns. Most people keep tubers with "possible" eyes and many in fact do have eyes.

You can start dahlias any time of the year and many people start them in January in greenhouses or under lights indoors. Their purpose is to take cuttings to increase stock. Some people transplant the cuttings into big pots and when they plant them, they are already blooming.

Hollyhill Spiderwoman is blessed with lots of eyes that you may not see. The tubers are bit small and a bit ugly but save them all and I bet you will find sprouts on many of them in the Spring. Even a small tuber of it will grow well.

Aiming for places where there should be an eye is easy to say to the experienced dahlia grower but is difficult to explain to the beginner. Eyes occur where the tuber attaches to the stalk and if you cut them off of the tuber, the tuber will not sprout no matter how big it is. The eyes are actually in sets of three: a large one in the middle and a small one on each side. Any of the three can sprout but the middle one does so first. If it is lost one of the others takes over.

On tree dahlias the tubers can be three feet long and are difficult to divide. Also,on a tree dahlia there are inter nodes on the stem that can be used in place of tubers. They can be planted and will grow into a full sized plant. This can be done with our dahlias once in a while. For example if you grow a dahlia in a very small pot to make a "pot tuber" the plants will make very small tubers. If you happen to cut off the stem a few inches above the pot, you sometimes leave a leaf node on the stem and it may sprout in the Spring before the eyes on the tubers below it sprout.

Thanks for the insight Ted. You're the expert on that variety.

Why? Why dig them up every year? Why dig in the fall/winter? Or why dig them at all?

In some climates, you don't have to dig every year. I used to not dig every year and dug in the spring instead, chose a tuber that looked good to put back in the hole and gave the rest away, or planted the extras someplace else. More often than not, when I dug in the spring, there was something I could put in the ground. But about 3 springs ago, I went out to my garden of about 150 plants and all except for maybe 8 of my plants were 100% rotted. There had been an early hard frost followed by rain, rain and more rain. It was spendy to try to replace just my favorite varieties. Further, I was trying to replace favorite varieties long after most of the tuber inventories had been well picked over. That's why I dig every fall now. Come spring, I know what I have, and what I really will feel the need to replace because I've been through my storage boxes and I know what I have and don't have.

Why dig at all? Because the tubers multiply and deplete the soil. Because your flowers will get smaller. Because if you ever do decide to dig, and it's been more than 2 years, digging will be a mess.

I just did it because I want them in a different spot next year

But Highlander . . I've had it go the other way too. I've also had plants in shadier spots be short, late, and sickly. So . . . less sun is okay, but next to no sun doesn't work perhaps?

I think it has to do with fungal diseases like white powder mildew. Plant in shade the plant stays wet longer.