The Flower Show

[ninnymary]

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]

I went out to do some clean up in the flower bed and find the Stella Odoras (sp?) reblooming Almost November!

 

[LocoYokel]

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]

@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']

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

 

[Nyboy]

I bought clearance roots planted late spring maybe early summer still got plenty of blooms

 

[catjac1975]

I bought clearance roots planted late spring maybe early summer still got plenty of blooms

Maybe the new varieties have been bred for earlier bloom.

 

[LocoYokel]

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']

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]

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.