3,226 Garden Web Discussions | 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

If those were in my greenhouse I would think that they got too hot, and also, that they have used up the nutrition in their soil.

Agree Lizalily. Also check for Aphids and treat if necessary. Steve in Stevens County.

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 have Tutti Frutti this year and it is doing really well. Its pink with a golden glow at the base and holds up well to sunshine. This is its 2nd week of blooming and it seems like it will be quite prolific.

I had an "Ebony Star" this year. Unfortunately, it didn't make it . . . Dang.

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.

If you have enough water and sunshine, it might be the soil that is the problem. It would take sometime for your soil to take those fertilizers in before it could nourished plants like your dahlias.

Hi Kate,
I sent you an email. Thanks

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

Now maybe I am having a bad day, but I don't get the drain pipe thing. I know what gutters are? Do you have any pictures?

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

Thank you for your comments Linda & Annabeth. My season has finished for now though will not be long before they start all over again ie September will start the new growth.

here are some other images;
Devon Calypso lovely formal red orange decorative mini;

Inland Dynasty very choice rich yellow cactus medium flower;

The next one is a mini decorative 'Hillier Fire & Ice';

The next one is a new one for me 'Kids Climax'

The next one changes color through out the season though is a terrific flower all the same, 'Breannon';

This last one is just a pretty decorative, "Bracken Sarah";

hope your flowers are out soon? cheers allan

Very beautiful! I just receive a bunch of dahlia tubers I ordered online. Well, I haven't planted them yet. I just hope that I could grow pretty dahlia flowers out from these tubers.

Depends upon whether you used a systemic fungicide or not. A systemic fungicide would have been absorbed by the leaves before the rain. Even a non systemic would probably have some effect in the several hours before the rain.

hope so. Everything is so slow this year!