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scottfam125

great online sources for dahlias?

Hi everyone, I'm sure theres a thread on here with some great online vendors but i'm toooooo lazy to look for old threads because I would much rather look at everyones beautiful pics they are posting. So if you don't mind let me know a few good places you order from. I have ordered from Swan Island before so I know about them. Thanks, Judy

Comments (8)

  • Poochella
    14 years ago

    The Garden Watchdog is one of the easiest way to get 'the scoop' on peoples' experience with vendors.

    Nothing wrong with Swan Island for variety, quality, and standing behind their product.

    You can also put search terms into the box on the bottom of this forum page and look for "where to buy" "vendors" etc to pull up past threads.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Garden Watchdog watching dahlias.

  • Prettypetals_GA_7-8
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Thanks pooch, I pulled up a list earlier but was hoping ya'll could tell me maybe three or four great places to order a few from. Thanks for the link you sent. Judy

  • Poochella
    14 years ago

    For breadth of variety and reliability: Swan Island, Connell's, Accent, Dan's Dahlias. I've hear Arrowhead is good too, but haven't used them. Yet.

    If you have a dahlia society or association in your area, check their website for tuber sales- another good way to find a wide variety of tubers at great prices.

    See the link below- great website full of info for the Southern grower.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Dahlia Society of Georgia

  • Prettypetals_GA_7-8
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Thanks a bunch Poochella!! I will definitely check them out. I have been checking out Accent from your last post and they have some real pretty ones. I didn't notice the heights listed on their site though. I am really looking for shorter growing varieties because they are such a pain to stake and keep upright when they get soooo tall but some of the prettiest ones are tall. arrgh!! Do you have a good suggestion for staking the taller ones and I might get a few more of them. I don't really want to cage them but would prefer to stake them instead. Thanks again, Judy

  • Poochella
    14 years ago

    I am certain if you emailed Accent about a certain height, he would answer within 24 hours, if not much sooner.

    Pain of staking- I have many, many dahlias over 5-6 ft and a few in the 7-8' range. I love the "3 foot" ones because they are usually only 4-5' here :) As long as I get quality flowers, I don't care about height.

    If you just grow a few, 1" wood stakes are inexpensive, but will rot and break over time. Rebar lasts forever, 3-4-5' green metal fence posts are super sturdy and also last forever. Thick bamboo poles are durable and sturdy, no matter what height. There are some metal bamboo-look stakes on the market that look good and would last too. What you don't want to use are the flimsy, green colored bamboo bagged and sold as "garden stakes." They will not stand up to a dahlia bush of any substance unless tethered together in a tripod or such.

    I don't mind staking and tying. It gives you a chance to check out the plant and disbud or spot insect enemies. You can move the ties up as the plant grows, if you allow some extra tie when it's short. As ties, old pantyhose or tights last forever,t-shirt strips rot after a season or two in sun, but I've crossed over to the darkside of 1/2" plastic tape tie. I still like to be able to move between plants, so the row thing with twine at different levels doesn't work for me.

    Can't see many stakes here: the one you see lower right is to keep the big dogs from cavorting through the pathway there into the plants. A couple green ties are obviously visible. In front is a little 3 footer, 3.5 footer to the left, tall purples are over 6', and the lighter purple to the far right near the roofline is over 7'. They all stay upright despite wind or wet.
    {{gwi:649332}}

  • suzieq52
    14 years ago

    I've been a fan of Wynne's Dahlias for ages. Good tubers, strong stems, healthy plants & they know a lot about growing dahlias so you can ask them anything. I was there on the northern tour last week & it was FABULOUS!!!

  • Prettypetals_GA_7-8
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Thanks pooch! I don't mind the green showing and I really don't mind staking as long as it stays up and doesn't fall over. I was using the plastic green stakes and thats why I was getting so aggravated but my dad has just cut down alot of his bamboo so I will try to use that next spring. Your picture looks like you just pulled the green tape around the limbs and its not attached to any support. I guess theres a bigger stalk supported in the middle and the ones you have the green tape around are outside shoots. I have used pantyhose before on tomato plants and it does work great but now have depleted my old ones and my sisters so now I need to go get some tape.
    They did answer me quickly at Accent about the height yesterday. They said that since they grow at different heights for people they don't like to put the height on there. Thanks for all your help. Judy

    Thanks Suzie. Lucky you to get to go on the tour. I am going to try to find some local places to go and visit. I will go check out Wynne's Dahlias right now. Thanks a bunch, Judy

  • Poochella
    14 years ago

    You're welcome. When they're short, it's a matter of me tying the stalk to the stake, but once they're up and growing in every direction, it becomes a matter of corraling the laterals so they don't break or flop, not always anchored to the stake itself.

    Gotta bet busy- possible thunderstorms this evening :(