ninnymary

Garden Master
Joined
Dec 7, 2009
Messages
12,626
Reaction score
12,622
Points
437
Location
San Francisco East Bay
Thistle, I love those also. Years ago I bought a bag at costco but now only have a few left. I'm going to see if they'll have them in the spring to buy more. They look good in my shade garden and very natural there.

Mary
 

Carol Dee

Garden Master
Joined
Apr 28, 2011
Messages
13,166
Reaction score
21,359
Points
437
Location
Long Grove, IA
I went out to do some clean up in the flower bed and find the Stella Odoras (sp?) reblooming :) Almost November!
005.JPG
 

LocoYokel

Deeply Rooted
Joined
Jun 11, 2017
Messages
252
Reaction score
557
Points
187
Location
North Idaho
If you sprout them a little earlier than planting time they will bloom earlier. They are always so late for me, but, no better cut flower.
@catjac1975 how do you go about doing that? My season is short too and I just hate it when there are only a few flowers but gobs of buds that get frosted, that is why I quit growing dahlias years ago. Now I have been gifted with some and want to do the best with them that I can.
 

catjac1975

Garden Master
Joined
Jul 22, 2010
Messages
9,028
Reaction score
9,168
Points
397
Location
Mattapoisett, Massachusetts
@catjac1975 how do you go about doing that? My season is short too and I just hate it when there are only a few flowers but gobs of buds that get frosted, that is why I quit growing dahlias years ago. Now I have been gifted with some and want to do the best with them that I can.
I had a great collection until one year I simply forgot to plant them and I found the little mummies too late. I would use a 12 X 18 tray. It did not even have holes, I just made sure I watered it lightly. They were not actually planted, just placed in the trays and covered with potting mix. I don't remember when I did this maybe march or april to be put our in May. They will break dormancy and sprout rooting and shoots. I think the most difficult part foe them is breaking dormancy in a chilly spring.. Now if you just have a few or a lot of room you can pot them up more respectfully. Mine were not a pretty site as I did not have room for pampering them.I do have a greenhouse but any sunny window will do. They definite bloomed earlier and I got more of the buds to bloom.
 

digitS'

Garden Master
Joined
Dec 13, 2007
Messages
26,833
Reaction score
32,929
Points
457
Location
border, ID/WA(!)
Not long after I began growing dahlias in the yard, I learned that Kalispell Montana was something of a local, dahlia-growing hotspot.

Kalispell is in a western Montana mountain valley. It's on the west side of the Continental Divide. The city is near a large lake. I thought that if gardeners could enjoy dahlias in Kalispell, I could, too! So, I made more of a commitment ...

Some years and with some varieties, there is only a single bloom. That doesn't happen too often. Even summer conditions here are not perfect and may also suppress growth. Yes, the plants are always covered with buds when the first frosts arrive.

Steve
 

LocoYokel

Deeply Rooted
Joined
Jun 11, 2017
Messages
252
Reaction score
557
Points
187
Location
North Idaho
Got to looking at my dahlia that I just got and it still has two green stems, about 8" long. Huge "root ball" that I can split into two plants come spring. Should I take it out of the peatmoss box and pop it in a pot or ground until it frosts? That forces the rhizome into dormancy, I believe, so they winter over better. Any thoughts on this would be super appreciated!
 

digitS'

Garden Master
Joined
Dec 13, 2007
Messages
26,833
Reaction score
32,929
Points
457
Location
border, ID/WA(!)
My thought is ..

. I really don't know. It might depend on the winter storage conditions from here on out or setting it out would be pointless because the roots have little of the plant from which to draw nutrients.

Additionally, I just might forget it outdoors and those roots absolutely cannot freeze. I wrecked a whole bunch of dahlia roots by leaving them overnight in the back of the pickup once. Canopy didn't help enuf while they were lying on the metal bed.

Steve
 

catjac1975

Garden Master
Joined
Jul 22, 2010
Messages
9,028
Reaction score
9,168
Points
397
Location
Mattapoisett, Massachusetts
Got to looking at my dahlia that I just got and it still has two green stems, about 8" long. Huge "root ball" that I can split into two plants come spring. Should I take it out of the peatmoss box and pop it in a pot or ground until it frosts? That forces the rhizome into dormancy, I believe, so they winter over better. Any thoughts on this would be super appreciated!
Just don't let it freeze.
 
Top