Dahlia Growers

Hello,
My name is Susan and I am new to Dave's Garden. I am just starting to buy dahlias and want to learn about these wonderful plants. I am looking for folks in NC that grows them to learn about how to care for them in our area.

I live in the Triad area, 40 minutes N of Greesnboro.

Anyone out there?

Thanks,
Susan

Susan: Welcome! I've been tempted to try Dahlias but have always chickened out, so I'll be interested to see if there are any NC folks who have had sucess with them.


Deb

I grow them; actually, I've had one for years, but just bought and planted about 6 more. The only problem I see is that they get a fungus in this humid environment. Other than that, they seem to be pretty easy care. I get plenty of blooms without extra fertilizer or other care.
The one I've had for a while is in the front yard, facing East and I'm about 2 blocks from the ocean. This could be the reason for the fungus. I'm trying the new ones in the back yard, I'm thinking these won't have as much problem.
Barb

Hi Deb & Barb,

I had great success with the three I had last year. I just didnt know you should dig them up so I ran out yesterday and dug them up. They are in a cool room hoping to see eyes soon. I just ordered about 20 tubers from a gal on Ebay that raises them in GA.

My neighbor says she doesn't dig hers up. We are in Stokes county about 35 minutes North of Guilford county(Greensboro) so we are not too humid here. I am on the VA border in the foothills, we are actually about 10 degrees cooler all the time than the Triad area is. I think they will do well here. I am going to join the Carolinas Dahlia Society and maybe the American Dahlia Society.

Maybe we can swap some tubers?
Susan

Hi all!
I grew one of the large plants a few years ago successfully. Can't remember the name of it, sort of a pink lavender flower but not the dinnerplate size. I found out that I probably should have staked it as the height and weight of the flowering plant caused it to flop terribly. I never dug it up and it came back for me for 3 years before I removed them and gave them away here. I still have a couple of the smaller/shorter dahlias from Brent and Becky's fall clearance sale that come back every year too.

The large pink/lavender dahlia I initially had flowered in late summer and the thing kept going right up until it was killed by hard frost and low temps which around here sometimes isn't until November.
Depending on your microclimate you might want to experiment with a tuber or two where you want to grow them...you may find you can leave them planted if the area is protected enough.

Thanks dmac, Glad to get some insight from someone local. I am planning on putting in quite a lot of them this year so I want to know ahead of time about their care. I have read alot but not localized information.

Thanks again,
Susan

You're welcome:) I'm in a fairly "city" area with lots of brick buildings, concrete and full sun. The dahlias were planted close to the apartment building and may have been kept a bit warm from the heat off the bricks. If your garden is more exposed to the elements, I would probably lift most of the dahlias then leave a few to see if they make the winter in the ground.

That is what I was thinking, I will elave some as a test and bring the majority in.

I work at WalMart here in Gboro and just went out and looked at some of the spring tubers/bulbs. They have a slightly more interesting selection than they normally do with the dahlias, cannas and a few other things. I'd have gotten some except I don't want to go with the larger dahlias again and I'm trying to remove canna so I can try some perennials.

I went to Walmart in Mayodan and saw them their. I got 2 peonies, liatris and they had spring bulbs on clearance, so I got some of those.

Susan

The caladiums were some nice ones too. I saw the white peony and almost grabbed it--I have one of the pink Sarah Bernhardt that I got for 25 cents on clearance one year. It took it a good 3 years to establish and flower but each year it looks better and better. Don't know if I have the patience to wait 3+ years again:lol: I think one of the cannas was one I've seen in catalogs, golden w/ red speckles called Picasso. Very surprised to see that one.

I've spent a few $$ this year in co-ops so all I broke down and got today was a bag of 12 Dutch Iris called Miss Saigon. I keep meaning to get Eye of the Tiger and forgetting.

oh if any of you like cannas please go to the co-op forum and see the horn canna co-op!! I just got a bunch of cannas from 75 cents to 1.75.......

although I am not on the coast I too love the look of dahlias...this is one I lucked out and got at a flea market in GA last spring...it did quite well over the summer but I had it potted up so in the fall I just removed it and laid it in some peat...in January I potted it up again and it is now close to two feet tall in the GH....I am too chicken to see if it will over winter because I loved it so much :o)

That is gorgeous! I think I lived dangerously with leaving mine outside since I got them for next to nothing on clearance. Your dahlia really glows!

Thanks for letting us know about the cannas too. I'm in the process of evicting mine but could be convinced to give them another try:)

oh dmac you really gotta go see some of them....I have several types already but once I went to Horn I was like...oh gotta have that one..oh and that one too, and that one and ...well you get the pic...what started out as 5 turned into 30


http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/802050/

Most dahlias will survive the winter just fine in zone 7b/8a in NC. The problem with them is they don't like our hot, humid summers much. You may get a few blooms in May/June, then they will sulk in mid-summer, and you see more blooms once the weather cools off a bit in mid/late September - frost. The key for winter survival is good drainage and some light mulch. If you're in a colder zone you can either grow them in containers and keep them cool/dry/dormant for the winter, or dig them up after frost and store the tubers in peat moss until spring.

Hi, I live in a very hot and humid area and I have done really well with dahlias. I buy them locally wherever I see them and ordered a ton from Swan River Dahlias, online. Dahlias originated in Mexico so the heat and humidity really should not bother them according to the horticulturalist from the above mentioned company. I had great luck with them. They are wonderful for cutting and very hardy. They start blooming for me in June or so and go right to the first frost.

Good luck, they are wonderful to grow and show stoppers to look at.

I've gotten a catalog from Swan River before but hadn't ordered--I think I was faced with too many choices:lol: Were you happy with your plants? I might have to break down and leave a little money with them:)

I was really happy with the plants and I like it that you can order just one and don't have to get multiples like some companies make you do. They were nice people with nice dahlias. Awesome selection, it was hard to make a decision. I think I am going to stick with the showy big ones but they have a ton of smaller bush selections with small flowers.

They have a really nice website.

I just found a catalog I got from Pleasant Valley Glads and Dahlias. I was mainly looking for some interesting glads that you don't bump into everywhere and this place sells show quality glads but the prices start at about 75 cents and up for one medium sized bulb.

Then I got to the dahlia section and found some nice stuff too and the prices are fair. So many plant, so little space:LOL:

Hi Everyone,

Well, my dahlias that I potted up in my greenhouse a couple of weeks ago are starting to leaf out. I am so excited. I also started my Liatris and they are doing great. I am digging up my new Dahlia bed this week and thought I would put some of my Liatris in there for variety.

Once they start leafing,how soon should they go in the ground. We are usually safe with frost here after April 15th.

Susan in NC

Here is my new dahlia bed.

And here are some of my tubers in my GH, they are going into the garden end of this week as the weather report said this will probably be our last cold snap.

Susan: How are your dahlias? I ended up getting some Redskin tubers from a friend. I planted them directy outside in early April and they've bloomed real nicely and are still going strong. They are dwarfs, which is great because I didn't have a sunny place for anything else tall. I didn't even realize there were dwarf varieties until I got these. :) duh.

I'm very happy with them. Now I just need to decide whether to dig them for winter or not. Only reason I'm even considering digging them is that they aren't in particularly well-drained soil. I'll probably leave them in, though.

So? How are yours?
Deb
(Tadaaa!)

Hi Deb,
They are doing sort of great! They would look awesome if the JB's would leave them alone. I am hoping in the Fall they will look gretaer, I will take some pics when the JB's are gone.

Yours look great!

Now that's so strange. The dern JBs ate just about everything else in my yard, but they didn't eat the dahlias. Weird. Hope yours recover for Fall.
Deb

Those are beautiful Deb! I've only got one putting out a few blooms, Roodenschenken or something like that from Brent and Becky's (clearance sale a few years ago). Around here my dahlias don't look like much until very late summer/fall. They are one of the main reasons that I'm always very late cutting back and planting bulbs in the fall. I hate to cut those flowers down:lol:

Love dahlias, never dig mine up, and I have them planted both in Kannapolis and Asheville, NC. They always come back, even though everyone in Asheville told me I'd have to dig them up and store them over the winter. Didn't do it, and they're doing great. They are mulched, so that probably accounts for the difference. Had them for years and love them for dependable bloom all summer long. Love Bishop of Landaf.

I've never dug mine up either:lol: I don't mulch either but I think that the bed that they are in is basking in the residual heat from the brick and paved parking area of my condo/apt. I don't do well with stuff I have to overwinter=)