Starting To Love Dahlias

[Nyboy]

Last spring I picked up some dahlia roots on clearance. They grew with no problems and flowered nicely. I dug up roots in fall. This spring I replanted roots plus more clearance plants. Other then needing to stake a few tall ones they have been no work. Loving how much they flower !!!Next spring will buy more, not even going to wait for clearance sale!!!!!!

 

[Smart Red]

They are a favorite for sure! If they have a problem, it is needing to be dug up and stored, but that is a small price to pay for such beauty.

Alas, all my dahlias lost out to the geothermal installation last year. I am hoping to develop another dahlia-dedicated bed for the coming spring. Just need a bit of Deere power and a spot of land.

 

[thistlebloom]

Wow Nyboy, they must have made an impression if you're not going to wait for clearance!

I've been tempted, but the fall digging is holding me back. I know me...by fall I'm tired, and tired of gardening. I'm afraid I'd leave them to rot.

 

[Nyboy]

Thistle Know just what your saying, there new to me. Once novelty wears off or I get many I might not get around to digging up.

 

[Smart Red]

Digging up is the only reason I restrict my dahlia growing to one bed. I can dig the bed up in the spring before planting and dig the roots up in the fall without disturbing anything else. Easy-peasy even for little ole me.

Then, there are all the colors, shapes, and varieties dahlias come in. I really like the tiny border dahlias, but who could resist those dinner plate-types? Not me! I overwintered all the roots I dug, and every spring I had plenty of new roots for sharing.

My only problem -- besides an ever expanding array of varieties -- was properly labeling them by name when they were dug. Gonna have to make that a priority.

 

[catjac1975]

Last spring I picked up some dahlia roots on clearance. They grew with no problems and flowered nicely. I dug up roots in fall. This spring I replanted roots plus more clearance plants. Other then needing to stake a few tall ones they have been no work. Loving how much they flower !!!Next spring will buy more, not even going to wait for clearance sale!!!!!!

check out some of the bulb catalogs-you will lose your mind. Dinner palate dahlias are out of this world. Great for cut flowers.

 

[Larisa]

I love dahlias! (But in the gardens of others).
I'm glad you rejoice!

 

[Smart Red]

Get thee gone, Satan!

We are such enablers here. Yes, catjac, I've gotten many catalogs -- a couple just dedicated to dahlias -- over the years. A mind is a terrible thing to lose. Knowing the only cure is to buy more dahlia varieties isn't a big help, alternative-wise, you know, catjac.

 

[digitS']

I'm all for annuals. I find DW's collection of perennials a monumental chore to maintain.

Dahlias are perennials you can treat as annuals. They are large plants that grow quickly and can shade the ground - few weeds came compete with them. Right now, they are blooming profusely.

You don't need to buy flat after flat of plants each year. You don't need a greenhouse to start dahlias, altho the roots of dwarf types don't fair well in my basement storage room. Those, you can start from seed in your new greenhouse, NyBoy (link) .

You do need that basement room and to develop a little skill at selecting roots. Sometimes, it's still a complete mystery why some grow and others don't.

I push them together too close altho I'm trying a different growing technique of not doing that, in part of my gardens! It remains to be seen whether I have less problems with spider mites in these hot, dry weeks of summer. Earwigs love them. I blame my neighbors ... earwigs travel ... maybe I should set a line of bait just outside the garden ...

Steve

 

[Nyboy]

I never have luck with seeds