Dang, lost my original response to some computer shenanigans! Hit one button and POOF...

I don't know specifically about the Karmas, but I'll tell you that I've moved 3 ft tall dahlias in the absolute worst time: dead of morning in as much blistering heat as western WA can muster (high 80's I think) and they came through unscathed. It was mighty PO'd at me for a few days though LOL, but soon went on its merry way growing and blooming.

Could you get your new location ready and do the transplanting at dusk to reduce the heat and sun stress at least for a few hours? Another thought is to protect the relocated plant/s with an umbrella and gradually introduce the leaves to more full sun of their new spot each day until they're acclimated.

I would surely like to trade places with you for a day: we've still been using our furnace for crying out loud!
I just want a sunny day over 60- is that asking too much?

Thanks, Pooch!

I'd love to trade days with you, too! My car thermometer read 100 late yesterday afternoon, but it may be off. The bank thermometer was "Only" reading 93. Welcome summer! S'posed to be in the real mid 90's today, w/ heat indexes well up to 100 or beyond. Enjoy your cold!

Thanks also about the dahlias. I get these ideas in my head, ask the question, get the answer, and now I have to go dig new places for them! LOL!

I traded work days w/ a co-worker so I'm off today, Tuesday, for a change. I already like it! Got lots to do. Just don't know where to start first!

Susi, "fixin'" to get started on the day!

i moved some about 16 inch dahlias in the middle of the say about a week ago...it was warm and the dahlias bouncecd back rather quickly. Try moving 2 and see what happens and them move the rest. :o)

Lilies can be kept in the ground year-round practically anywhere. Are yours Asiatics or Orientals, or something else? In your climate, Asiatics may be short-lived. They prefer some cold. Orientals might have some of the same effect, but they don't need as much cold as Asiatics. Lilies "set" their flower buds for the coming year over the winter. If they don't get enough cold, the buds aren't set, or fewer are set.

When lilies have multiplied/split, you will usually see a second stalk. If they have made little babies on the stem, you'll see a rather small leaf or two near (but not quite on) the main stem. If you don't see either of those things, you can't divide them except by scaling them. That's not easy. I wouldn't try it unless I were willing to risk losing them altogether. If you scale them now, not only will the plants from those scales not bloom this year, they may not bloom for several years, when they finally get big enough.

You can get more continuous bloom from lilies by doing staggered plantings, if the bulbs have been properly stored and haven't gotten completely dried out in storage. I wouldn't buy lilies from anybody but Ednie's at this point, since they store them properly cooled (refrigerated with exact temperature and humididy control.) In fact, you can get lilies from them any time of year, as they supply commercial year-round greenhouse growers. No doubt there are other such suppliers, I just don't know them. I wouldn't buy lilies from a hobby catalog now, either, except the very most reputable ones. I've gotten burned in the past, getting completely dried-out, papery lily bulbs when ordering late. They grew, just barely, and took three years to reach blooming size. Oddly enough, I WOULD buy late-bargain lilies now from a store, if they are packaged in a way that allowed me to see and evaluate the bulb, and feel how heavy (not dried out) the bulb is, and they passed my inspection.

Lilies can be planted in fall or spring. That's why vendors offer them that way. In cold climates like mine, fall planting is riskier, as they may not have enough time to develop their roots, but it can be done. Actually, lilies can be transplanted at any point in their life cycle if you are careful with the roots. BUT - lilies never go completely dormant and don't like to be out of the ground. They cannot stay full of water that way and slowly dry out. They don't have a papery outer coating like tulips, daffs, and glads corms do, to keep them from drying out. That's why late lilies may not be a good idea. If they haven't been properly stored, they could be very dried out and in very bad shape.

As for the dahlias - I'm just jealous. I haven't transferred mine from pots into the ground because it's so dang cold and wet, I'm afraid the stress will cause them to rot.

Jeanne

I am new to dahlias. I have one plant that is now about 3 1/2 ft tall with one bloom and a bud on either side. The bloom was supposed to be large but it is just average so I decided to investigate on the internet and found that I should have "topped" the plant when it was much smaller. Is it too late to "top" it now?

Here's a link to help you top your dahlias this summer:
http://www.scdahlias.org/howto/topping.html