3,226 Garden Web Discussions | 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!

The purple giant turned bright white on the tips, magenta on the middle, and deep purple in the center. It looks fantastic and is doing wonderfully. Two of them have perked up. Ive noticed a difference in the structure of the... um.. bush? and foliage. The ones that look wilted tend to be less full and bushy. Much more lengthy, Also I felt the leaves, and they are perfectly healthy, firm. Not wilted at all. But their leaves look as though they are in a state of constant wilt. Because of out heat I try and keep them in shade. Dahlias do much better here when shaded for most of the day. They definitely aren't full sun plants down here. I try to plant them where there is full morning light and dappled shaded light during the afternoon. Some of them get hit by the after noon sun for an hour or so unfortunately. During the day it averages around 87. I say this because one day its 80 and the next its 90. We rarely reach 3 digits. and normally dont go above 95. I live nearish to the coast so it helps keep things cooler. At night I would have to say we reach from 60 - 70.

I live 1 mile from MIssion Bay, My dahlia's get direct sun from 3-sunset and they are throwing out lots of flowers and the leaves are healthy and it has TONS of them! i water about every 4-5 days and i use MG plant food slightly diluted strength, and i add a teaspoon of vinegar and a teaspoon of a witches brew i read about in another forum(take 1/2 cup garden lime, put it into a cottage cheese container and add vinegar, let it sit with out the lid as the reaction causes gas and foam. once the reaction settles take a teaspoon of the liquid off the top(it contains Calcium and MAgnisium) and my dahlias LOVE thsi mixture) good luck!
Eric

I have always used Sluggo as it is safe for pets in my yard and it has done a great job at keeping the snails/slugs away. It is easy to find at Lowe's.
After this post I am terrified of earwigs!

I have also had trouble with the ear wigs. When I purchased my home, there were some very large ear wigs here, the neighbors had large shade bushes that harbored them by the thousands. They have since subsided quite a bit, since i ripped all of the bushes out and destryed them. However, they still continue to eat my Dahlias and roses. I just went out there with the flash light, and sure enough, the ear wigs are out there. I sprayed all of my dahlias and roses with Garden safe brand, houseplant & Garden insect spray. I hope this works, I will report my results in a few days. I have not seen my dahlias bloom in three years because of the ear wigs eating them sooo bad....