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Post by binnylou on Sept 2, 2018 0:57:49 GMT -5
Groovy from Swan Island. This one has smaller blooms but had a good first flush. The bloom is described as being a 4 inch bloom, but it's closer to a 3 inch bloom. This bloom may be a day past prime, but still pretty. And I like it next to the Blue Salvia. DSCF0266 by BLou, on Flickr
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Post by binnylou on Oct 7, 2018 15:41:17 GMT -5
Photos taken today... Snowbound, again. this one makes my heart go "pitty pat". DSCF0311 by BLou, on Flickr Sonic Bloom...growing in the raised bed, it's tall enough that it's hard to get a show from above.
DSCF0311 by BLou, on Flickr
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Post by binnylou on Oct 14, 2018 11:35:07 GMT -5
Since we have overnight lows coming, I've been agonizing about if I should try to protect my dahlias. They are head high and it would take a lot of blanket to protect them. I may just pick a nice bouquet for the table and kiss them goodbye...until next summer....when I will take better care of them. Dahlias are probably second in line for giving me gardening joy. Tomatoes are first, of course.
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Post by binnylou on Oct 19, 2018 13:47:34 GMT -5
I had purchased seven new tubers from Swan Island Dahlias for this year's blooms. Of the seven, two did not grow/bloom as I expected. I sent them a note two days ago and I just received an email from them that I would be getting replacements at spring shipping...just as I expected. Good customer service.
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Post by binnylou on Jan 27, 2019 14:10:26 GMT -5
Most of my Dahlia tubers are stored in the garage in pots mix. Others are stored under the foyer in a closet. I was hoping that the garage babies could stay in the garage but with the predicted cold weather coming, I fear the garage temps may drop below 32 degrees.
So today, I'm going to be dragging those big black nursery pots down the stairs and put them into the unheated bedroom. I've got too many dollars invested to let them freeze. If I'd get more comfortable in dividing them for storage in the fall, life would be easier.
I get so much pleasure from seeing the blooms...I guess the extra effort is justified.
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Post by SpringRain🕊️ on Jan 27, 2019 17:54:23 GMT -5
binnylou, please let us know how the basement storage works out. I've never had success in overwintering tubers b/c my basement has such high humidity, but I'm still hopeful that I'll find a way to do so. Do you have them in peat moss or something else? With the frigid weather coming, I think it's a good time to think ahead and order the catalogues I forgot to order last year.
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Post by binnylou on Feb 1, 2019 10:55:13 GMT -5
please let us know how the basement storage works out This worked for me last winter. I've stored them in a mix of peat/compost/cedar pet shavings/vermiculite. I follow the FB page of a grower in Michigan. This young guy grows beautiful dahlias, selling cut flowers in the summer and then selling tubers. And the family also has a Christmas tree farm. Both last year and this year, I tried to buy some tubers from him, but the ones I was interested in sold out too fast. Well, after dividing more tubers, he added stock to his online store. I finally got the one that I was lusting for. Actually, I got two of those and a couple of others. If you are a fan of dahlias, check out Summer Dreams Farm on FB. Even if you just want to look at his flower photos.
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Post by SpringRain🕊️ on Feb 1, 2019 15:33:19 GMT -5
binnylou, that's an interesting blend, especially the cedar pet shavings. Were these shavings from cedar blocks used in pet bedding? Was the mixture more or less even parts of each? I'll try that; I do hope to buy some dahlias this year; I love their beauty, especially the large ones.
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Post by binnylou on Feb 1, 2019 16:01:17 GMT -5
SpringRain🕊️ , No measuring, just estimated to be about equal. The cedar shavings have been sitting around for a few years...can't even remember why I bought them.
warning: if you should grow Dahlias, they can be very addicting. and then when you have bloom, you just gotta take their picture!
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Post by heirloomfan on Feb 4, 2019 11:13:39 GMT -5
I am going to try to grow some Unwin's Dahlia mix from seed this year, has anyone grown them? It's been a while since I grew Dahlias from seed but remember that overall they did pretty well. In reading I did see people commented that growing them from seed for the first year is basically to help develop the tuber and then you can dig and plant them the following years to better plants and flowers.
If any of you have grown the Unwin's, would like to hear your comments. I got the seed from Baker Creek, love their seeds but often their packets or website don't provide much information.
Thanks!
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Post by binnylou on Mar 4, 2019 10:39:55 GMT -5
heirloomfan, have you started your dahlia seeds? If so, how are they doing? I thought lisaann would chime in on this...I think she grew unwins several years ago.
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Post by lisaann on Mar 4, 2019 18:36:32 GMT -5
I am going to try to grow some Unwin's Dahlia mix from seed this year Yes, I have grown them. They are easy, get them started now. They bloom the first year. Dig an save. My favorite color is an orange one. I saved seed and have 2 sprouted as we speak. They really don't need any extra care that I can think of at this moment. Can you do pictures? That will help with the questions you may have in the near future.
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Post by lisaann on Mar 9, 2019 17:55:16 GMT -5
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Post by binnylou on Mar 10, 2019 14:50:31 GMT -5
I went into the downstairs guest bedroom today...that’s where I have my dahlia tubers stored...and I see that one of them is growing a sprout already. I hadn’t anticipated them needing attention already.
My real delimma is my bale of pro mix is frozen solid. We have an old extension ladder parked horizontally against the back side of the garden shed, elevated so it’s not on the ground. That is where I keep unopened bales of garden stuff. It’s nice and shady...so it’s never gonna thaw. Not only is it frozen solid, the bale of pro mix is frozen to the ladder. I could take the hair dryer out and see if I could thaw it. Or maybe pour hot water over it.
Next trip to town is going to require a purchase of some potting mix to plant those dahlias.
If you are storing dahlia tubers, better take a look at them. They may be growing.
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Post by binnylou on Mar 18, 2019 13:32:41 GMT -5
I ordered Unwin’s Dahlia mix from Baker Creek. I planted 12 . Some of them sprouted in two days, using gentle bottom heat and a plastic drape to keep them warm.
I was expecting a challenge to get them to sprout. I had purchased some a few years ago from a different supplier and had horrible germination.
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