3,226 Garden Web Discussions | Dahlias
I just left another thread the other day here about insects on mine.
I had what I believed to be spider mites, and some other brown bug that was eating the veins running through the leaf centers.
The spider mites were always in patches of many bugs, and some times I noticed ants around them also. I didnt see any webs, but I dont think they spin webs, but I could be wrong.
They were really small though.
I didnt have any insect control, so I sprayed the undersides of all leaves with the hose with a moderate stream, which washed them all off, then I broadcast granular insect control onto the ground all around them to stop them from returning, but I will still spray them eventually.
It seems like it's pretty common to have mis-labled dahlias from the garden centers or big box stores. Swan Island is more reputable and will probably never have that problem.
The size and shape of your dahlias will depend on a lot of factors (weather, soil, and how you are 'grooming' your plant). In terms of grooming - be sure to top and disbud your plant. That means, do not allow the side buds to bloom on a lateral(or branch) - only the center bud. Generally, the lower laterals produce larger blooms than the upper laterals. The upper ones are usually the ones that bloom first; so sometimes I'll get bigger blooms later in the year once the lower laterals start to bloom. I 'disbranch' many laterals in order to focus the plants energy. With the larger AA or A dahliad, I'll only allow 3-4 laterals to grow initially so that the plant's energy is focused on producing those blooms. B's - 4-6 laterals, BB's etc - 8-10 laterals. A much better explanation of some of the grooming can be found in the link below.
Here is a link that might be useful: Topping Dahlias
I guess there are a lot of factors that affects the growth of dahlia flowers like the soil, the variety and, of course, the weather. With good sunshine and enough water, your dahlias should turn out just fine. Don't forget to post some pics if you manage to pull off awesome flowers.
Swan puts a disclaimer in their catalogue about their pics sometimes not matching due to pre-press ink colors etc.
But I have had every experience dealing with names and colors that everyone here posted and I am convinced some dahlias are just hard headed. I had (the equivalent of) Awe Shucks (from Connells?) bloom last year and it was so YELLOW after the first bloom that I moved it from the orange section to the yellow section this year. So what does it do? It's been every bit the orange I thought it was supposed to be originally. I only moved it 8 feet away - same soil, ground, feeding and watering.
I planted a store bought smallish rust orange tuber, planted it in the orange section in the ground and it barely bloomed at all last year. Got perhaps 6-7 small flowers. Color was 'muddy' - not at all what I thought it was supposed to be. So I moved it to a container in the 'graveyard' and this year it has been spectacular. Numerous blooms off a taller plant with rust orange blooms starting out reddish orange.
The bottom line (IMHO)is that like others have said, so many factors can affect size, color and hardiness that I suspect few identical dahlias look and grow the same in any 2 gardens. I've learned to be patient (up to 3 years of no blooms even) as long as the plant looks healthy and simply accept what you get. For a color coordinated gardener like me, this advice drives me nuts but it is reality in a dahlia world. Dahlias just aren't like roses which always look like the box!
DCR
Box stores do make mistakes, and I'm not sure how important box stores regard their labels. Bought a "Peaches and Cream" last year that I've been told is probably "Seattle." But in this case, I bought the plant because I really liked the bloom, not for the name.
I did happen to see Ebony Star for sale earlier this year but didn't jump on buying it right away and it quickly sold out. I didn't know Ginger Clack had hybridized that particular one though. That's pretty cool though, I enjoy buying tubers from her. I'll have to keep an eye peeled for Ebony Star for next year.
I've shared in the wealth of northwest wetness! Hasn't this been about the buggiest year that you've seen? I don't recall ever being kept so busy trying to spread organic pesticides. Once I get the pest stuff where it belongs so it can do it's job . . . multiple days of rain. So the next spell when it doesn't rain, I'm back out baiting, spraying, spreading . . . . Not my favorite year for dahlias. Particularly during the last month of July and I haven't seen my first bloom open. But finally, there's a little color in a few buds.
I've noticed that a dose of fish fertilizer every couple weeks does enhance growth in my garden. But I don't want blooms until my plants are large enough to support them. With the boost given by the fish fertilizer, finally I have a large number of plants that both have buds, and are healthy enough to support a bloom. The downside of the fish fertilizer is the lovely smell I am never quite careful enough so as to not bring it back into the house with me.
Definitely, a bodacious. I always see this variety of dahlia flower in some great selections online. This small dinnerplate dahlia has that rare beauty just like the ones I saw at one site below.
Here is a link that might be useful: Dahlia Tubers
My son moved one pot to my deck (2nd story) and still, more damage last night. I have seen a large mouse or rat in my birdfeeder on the deck. Tonight I am baiting a rat trap and I am putting glue traps at the base of the surviving plant. Whatever it is, it left some buds at the top of one plant by the fence. This is so disappointing. I hope I catch somthing tonight!
Here is a link that might be useful: 
I don't think it's a rat. Where do you live, pbarky? If you live near in a lake or a river, it could be a beaver. They like dahlias as much as I am. You could use some readings below of the common causes of dahlia diseases.
Here is a link that might be useful: Dahlia Diseases
Hi Karen03, is hard to make a diagnosis with out knowing the exact growing conditions ie how much direct sun/day, how often do you water plants, is your plant growing in potting mix or garden soil do you have pets which use that part of garden? etc.,
Your dahlia plants look to me as though they have root damage hence the foliage is dying off as a response to lack of nutrient & water getting to the leaf ?
A similar effect can be the result of magnesium or other element deficiency causing breakdown of green chlorophyll organs with in leaf. Over use of lime etc. can cause this.
I would take plant out of soil (if in pot) & examine roots to see that they are healthy first though if in garden soil, would check drainage in garden first, if ok then cut the top 1/3 of plant foliage off to reduce stress on roots, hopefully new growth will make up for lost foliage soon after. Good luck allan
Hello Karen! Perhaps you could do some reading about some bugs on dahlias & other common diseases of dahlia flowers.
Here is a link that might be useful: Common Diseases of Dahlia Flowers
Bad news! Aside from learning how to properly grow dahlias, I still need to find a suitable area where snails and slugs are nowhere to be found.
Here is a link that might be useful: Dahlia Pests: Let's Talk About Slugs and Snails
I haven't used the bins that you mention, but I imagine that they would work fine. I use milk crates.
I've had great luck with covering the tuber in sulfur and placing them in plastic grocery bags that are loosely sealed. (This method is described at length on the forum.)
Peat is not longer recommended as it tends to dry the tubers.