All of my Dahlias are taller than advertised due to only getting about 6 hrs of sun. Thomas Edison was new for me last year. It was shorter than most of mine, but probably still 5 ft. I suspect in a sunnier spot it would be 3-4.

Who knows? I planted 2 Thomas Edison tubers last year. One grew about 5 feet and tall and other was lucky if it was 3 feet. They were in the same garden with the same amount of sun and water. Also my flowers never got bigger than 4 or 5 inches, so maybe I don't have the real Tom Edison. Years ago I had a different tuber and as I recall it had bigger flowers and was a shorter plant.

Last year I bought some tubers from a local store (Kelvin Floodlight and Lilac Time) and neither of them grew true to what I expected them to be. The Lilac Time flowers didn't even have the same form as the pictures I have seen on line. The Kelvin Floodlight had inferior flowers and grew much shorter compared to my other Kelvin that I received from a reliable tuber grower. It makes me wonder if the tubers you purchase from the big boxes stores are really what they advertise them to be.

Linda

Great insight - thanks.

I rarely get more than 6 hours of sun so that should not have much impact for me but it is good to know. I also never have (or have had) 2 of the same dahlia so I am not able to compare same varieties/names year over year.

Linda - I think you are right about big box stores (which is why I said MY BAD) and I asked this question because of the Kelvin Floodlight thread further down, where it didn't look anything like a KF (the pic of KF was of a semi cactus dahlia and not an ID or FD that KF is supposed to be) and I wonder if I will really get a TE once all is said and done or if they packaged the wrong tuber in the wrong package.

Most growers say the blooms are supposed to be small dinnerplate size - 8 inches at least so indeed it doesn't sound to me like you have/had a TE. But we all know how fickle these dahlias are and how rain / sun conditions change from year to year.

David

I figured it was worth a risk since SI wants $9 plus shipping for a TE and again, this one was $3.38. My problem is IF it is only 3 1/2 ft, I want it IN FRONT. If it is 5 ft, I need it BEHIND other plants. Now I don't know what to do

David,

I would bet it turns out to be a taller plant, but its pretty much a crap shoot :)

My garden gets full sun all day long and here in Utah most of the days are sunny and hot. That being said there are still differences in the growth rates. I also planted several Sonic Bloom in the same garden and 1 of them grew really tall and the others stayed shorter. All tubers came from the same source. Fire Magic never gets over 3 feet tall and Swan Island says it should be 4 1/2 feet tall. And I did purchase that one from them.

It seems every year I have something planted where it shouldn't be, either too tall or too short.

I have purchased tubers from the big box stores and had some of them turn out really nice. I think I will check out the dahlia society tuber sale this spring and see what they have. I hear they sell them pretty cheap.

Good luck with your Tom Edison!

Linda

I bought two Thomas Edison tubers form the dollar store last year. The tubers were the sickest looking tubers I have ever grown. The plants were great as good as the tubers from the big growers I have have grown. And for a dollar I think that was a big win.

I am always amazed that anyone would grow Thomas Edison. It was originated in 1928 and at that time was the cutting edge of dahlia breeding. A lot has happened since then. Modern dahlias are easier to grow and are much more productive. I will say one good thing about it: it has a vibrant purple color that is very rare in dahlias.

The color is the reason I grow Thomas Edison. Is there another dahlia that you would recommend that is the same color?

Linda

I enjoy growing some of the heirlooms, I try to have a few in the garden every year. I grew Thomas Edison last year and liked it quite a bit.

I chose it because I seem to have trouble with purple dahlias and I do love my purple ones! My Midnight Dancer was a bust last year and my Imperial Wine gave just a few small blooms.

My favorite is Purplicious. But like MD, it never grew the first year and the 2nd year it was mediocre. Last year though, it came through with dozens of the purplest blooms I've ever seen and they were gorgeous.

I knew TE was an old time favorite but I had no idea it was THAT old. Hopefully it will anchor my 'purples and blues'
plot with years to come.