obsessed
Deeply Rooted
Wow I like that one. About how tall is that one? I remember you saying you had a lot of Dahlias but I really dont believe you. You should show me more gorgeous pics! 
ninnyMary & cwhit590 should see these :)
- Thread starter digitS'
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- #22
digitS'
Garden Master
O, I'm trying to show you gorgeous pics! But, the season is just getting started here! (Also, I've discovered that my cell phone takes as good as pictures as my dang camera; which ain't so hot . . . 
)
Right now, that last dahlia is only about 30" tall. It will make it to 60" before the season is over. Unfortunately, that won't be all that far into the future :/. I've sometimes felt that the dahlias just begin blooming real good, then cool weather slows them and finally frost puts an end to season!
It isn't quite that bad 9 years out of 10. The dahlia garden will be a blaze of color in a few weeks and I'm out there 7 days a week with a cell phone in my pocket.
For those folks who think dahlias are finicky, shrinking violet sorts of things - I'll get a shot next of the monster that would crowd out everything else! A friend gave me a root a few years ago and I've been trying to kill it ever since!!
Not really, but I'm not overly fond of the color and 1 plant can easily reproduce itself 10 times, if I allowed it! Several are already about 60" tall!
But just you wait, O! Show 'n' Tell will be blooming before tooooo long!
Steve
)Right now, that last dahlia is only about 30" tall. It will make it to 60" before the season is over. Unfortunately, that won't be all that far into the future :/. I've sometimes felt that the dahlias just begin blooming real good, then cool weather slows them and finally frost puts an end to season!
It isn't quite that bad 9 years out of 10. The dahlia garden will be a blaze of color in a few weeks and I'm out there 7 days a week with a cell phone in my pocket.
For those folks who think dahlias are finicky, shrinking violet sorts of things - I'll get a shot next of the monster that would crowd out everything else! A friend gave me a root a few years ago and I've been trying to kill it ever since!!
Not really, but I'm not overly fond of the color and 1 plant can easily reproduce itself 10 times, if I allowed it! Several are already about 60" tall!
But just you wait, O! Show 'n' Tell will be blooming before tooooo long
!Steve
- Thread starter
- #23
digitS'
Garden Master
I realize that most people don't think of dahlias as "shrinking violets." Many probably think of them as "pretentious" but here's one that might just be "bold!"
Not large, but this thing is dark!
If you cut this flower and bring it into the house - it will disappear! It's so dark that it just appears as a shadow of another flower in a bouquet.
Altho' the bloom isn't large, the plants are HUGE! I have to cut on them hard to keep them from overpowering their neighbors.
This is another vigorous grower. Oddly enuf, it once had very pronounced white tips, like the Duet, but I've selected those plants with less white on the blooms for many years. Usually now, it just has a hint of white.
This selecting for desirable traits seems very odd to me since these are all clones! Why they aren't identical from year to year, I have no idea :/. But, I've been able to select out most of the white . . .
Oh! I did that because those white petal tips would sunburn quickly on a sunny, summer day.
Steve :coolsun
Not large, but this thing is dark!
If you cut this flower and bring it into the house - it will disappear! It's so dark that it just appears as a shadow of another flower in a bouquet.
Altho' the bloom isn't large, the plants are HUGE! I have to cut on them hard to keep them from overpowering their neighbors.
This is another vigorous grower. Oddly enuf, it once had very pronounced white tips, like the Duet, but I've selected those plants with less white on the blooms for many years. Usually now, it just has a hint of white.
This selecting for desirable traits seems very odd to me since these are all clones! Why they aren't identical from year to year, I have no idea :/. But, I've been able to select out most of the white . . .
Oh! I did that because those white petal tips would sunburn quickly on a sunny, summer day.
Steve :coolsun
lesa
Garden Master
I have a few plants that produce that dark maroon. Very pretty. I am disappointed that my blooms aren't nicer this year- the japanese beetles are really wrecking them....Your dahlias are just gorgeous, Steve. When I feel lazy about digging mine up- I'll think of you!
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- #25
digitS'
Garden Master
Don't feel lazy, Lesa, be lazy !!
I don't walk on the beds. A spading fork pops the roots right out of the ground. I've taken ease of cultivation so far as to:
1. spread compost and fertilizer on the surface of the bed in the spring,
2. punch holes with the post hole digger to the required depth,
3. toss in the root, and
4. rake in dirt to refill the hole.
That's it! Pop the root out in the fall and go thru steps #1 thru #4 in the spring.
I used to save the entire root ball thru the winter when I had just a few dahlias. That was a little unnecessary and a little heavy to carry down to the basement. Now I just cut as many of the best roots free as I want and save them in peat moss. The remaining roots are composted.
Steve.
!!I don't walk on the beds. A spading fork pops the roots right out of the ground. I've taken ease of cultivation so far as to:
1. spread compost and fertilizer on the surface of the bed in the spring,
2. punch holes with the post hole digger to the required depth,
3. toss in the root, and
4. rake in dirt to refill the hole.
That's it! Pop the root out in the fall and go thru steps #1 thru #4 in the spring.
I used to save the entire root ball thru the winter when I had just a few dahlias. That was a little unnecessary and a little heavy to carry down to the basement. Now I just cut as many of the best roots free as I want and save them in peat moss. The remaining roots are composted.
Steve.
lesa
Garden Master
I start mine in pots, in early spring and plant when they have leaves...Should I not bother with that step?
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- #27
digitS'
Garden Master
You are putting the tubers in pots, Lesa?
I have started dahlias from seeds then saved roots in the fall. That was kind of fun
.
Having them in pots first before setting out would make for an earlier start, I suppose.
Steve
I have started dahlias from seeds then saved roots in the fall. That was kind of fun
.Having them in pots first before setting out would make for an earlier start, I suppose.
Steve
lesa
Garden Master
Yes, I put the tubers into pots. Maybe an earlier start- but we both seem to have blooms at the same time, so maybe not!
obsessed
Deeply Rooted
awesome steve! I hope my three little dalhia give me some more. So you think I need to pull them? We really don't freeze very much I am in 8B. I was hoping that I could mulch them.
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- #30
digitS'
Garden Master
Most of my dahlia plants haven't bloomed, Lesa.
O, here is what the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service says: "Dahlias are hardy to USDA Zone 8 where they can be cut back and left in the ground to overwinter. In Zone 7b, dahlias sometimes overwinter in the ground depending on soil drainage and severity of the winter. It is recommended the tuberous roots be lifted and stored during the winter."
If your soil drains well, it looks like you wouldn't need to do anything but cut back the foliage.
Steve
O, here is what the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service says: "Dahlias are hardy to USDA Zone 8 where they can be cut back and left in the ground to overwinter. In Zone 7b, dahlias sometimes overwinter in the ground depending on soil drainage and severity of the winter. It is recommended the tuberous roots be lifted and stored during the winter."
If your soil drains well, it looks like you wouldn't need to do anything but cut back the foliage.
Steve
