3,226 Garden Web Discussions | Dahlias
It's possible that you could make the plant more attractive by pruning it. E.g. you're supposed to snip the growing tip when it's still small; and I've read that the more flowers you cut, the more you get.
Another idea might be to place 3 of the same variety of dahlia in close proximity, to get a fuller look - the same as what people do with roses.
A third idea is to look at plants with smaller flowers, 3-4 inches. In my own experience, those have been more prolific and nicer looking plants.
I love shopping online for dahlias for the better selection. I've bought mine from Swan Island and had great luck. You could call up and ask their advice, too.
You can get a list off the Dahlia Society of Georgia website that will tell you which dahlias do best in georgia. Here is the link
www.dahliasocietyofgeorgia.com
Make sure and read the newsletters
Here is a link that might be useful: Check out the Barry Gardens
I would be interested if somebody has tried this as well.
I have done this for cannas for a few years without a problem.
I have a bunch of dinnerplates, some of which I am going to leave in the pots. I use bark based mix which drains very well.
For over 20 winters, we have had some in pots, and just put the pots with soil and tubers, foliage cut off, in our drywell of the basement windows. Hubby has the drywell or window well, whatever you want to call them, covered with wood. Keeps it dark, and the window well is made of concrete block, which seems to keep them from freezing. In all these yrs. only lost a few tubers. Some we have in a patch, we leave in the ground, zone 7. We remove the stems, and cover the patch with that blue plastic stuff. They come back every year, but protecting them from water going down the hollow stems seems to be the answer, besides keeping them from freezing.
Darlene
Pitt,
The eyes show 10-14 days after a hard frost and then retreat. Since it's about 4 weeks after a hard frost you probably won't be able to locate them. Last year I stored the whole clumps, brought them out in Feb. and was able to locate the eyes after a period of time (week?).
This year, I washed them and left them on a table outside to dry. After just a couple of days they were beginning to lose their firmness. I'd get them into storage asap.
Gail
I have never heard of baking soda being used as a fungicide. I have heard of Cinnamon being used.
FWIW, most growers do not use peat moss for storing tubers. It tends to pull out the moisture. You could search the forum other techniques. They have been fully discussed.
Gail
Thanks everyone!
Bad news: I never did get around to digging out the dahlias - too cold and even snow, and I was at work.
Good news: DH (amazingly) offered to do the deed. I would normally never expect him to do this, but he saw how sad I was to lose all my plants - so he did it!
Anna,
If there was more of a chance of saving some with DH's help, then I would do it. All you need is an eye and out of all the tubers you probably have, he can't ruin them all - can he?? Just show him how to get one out of the ground and he can do the rest. Maybe he can even clean them off?
Yep, I'd go for hubby's help! :O)
I learned from Swan Island to choose the low growing varieties for those of us in the colder climates. They told me that all the low growing varieties were early bloomers. I had quite a few dahlias that did not bloom as well as they should have this year because they were later bloomers and I ran out of summer! Fall came quickly here in upstate NY. They also told me they're going to incorporate this type of information on their website at some point. From now on I'll avoid anything over 4 feet. For me, they get ridiculously tall and I plant them in as much sun as I possibly can.
Usually I can leave mine in the ground. We had a pretty harsh winter here in WNC last winter. I Lost ALL of my tubers!
Tonight, I'm listening to the rain pouring down on my roof, and know that it's seeping into the ground where my tubers lay up until just a few days ago. The tubers still looked good when I dug them up, and hopefully, I'll keep a lot more than last year (when I lost most.) At least come early next year, with a review of my boxes, I will know what "garden must haves" that I "don't have." In prior rainy springs, there was no opportunity for a casual inventory. And by the time I got all my tubers dug in the spring, either my favorite varieties were sold out, or growers that carried my favorites had closed down for the year. I'm feeling pretty good about the storing decision this year, even though it's a lot of work. Now, I just have to keep an eye on them . . .