# Dahlia's 2020



## Mdos

Split and potted the dahlias from last year.. first year over wintering them... 80% or so success rate...

Very happy with the turn out new batch should be delivered this week... very excited... love these stupid things!


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## McDiddles

Looking good. Just put my first few in the ground last weekend. It's warm here... hoping for bountiful blooms come summer for the both of us.


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## Mdos

I still have another 3 weeks or so before these go in the ground here in Massachusetts


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## weed_wizard

I planted mine March 1 (way too early). I covered them to protect against frost and surprisingly they bounced back despite heavy frost damage. The biggest one (pictured) is 18 inches tall now. I am excited to see the flowers. This is my first attempt growing dahlias.


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## Blackshirtproud

Looking good! Just put my new ones in the ground a week ago. Unfortunately the tubers I saved from last year were all desiccated when I took them out from storage. Stored them in peat in a Wal-Mart sack in the garage. This year I will need to read more on overwintering.


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## Mdos

My uncle just stores his in a cardboard box in his garage- no peat. No anything. I tried it this year, tubers got a bit dry and shriveled but soaked them in a bowl of water for a few hours bounces right back if day with about an 80% success rate I was happy


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## Ecubed

Bought my first dahlias online from Brecks and a few from a local nursery. Started in pots to make sure they are going to grow. I have 25 and I'm only waiting on 4 more to pop. I'm excited for big fat blooms and vases for the wife.


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## testwerke

My white fawn tubers were the only ones to survive in a paper sack over the winter. Only produced one flower last year. Shooting up a lot of green now!


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## uts

Anyone has a good recommendation to order online?


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## Ecubed

uts said:


> Anyone has a good recommendation to order online?


Not sure when they would be delivered(this year or next)but I ordered 20 dahlias from Brecks in December and started them in pots. 17 of 20 have started growing thus far.


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## NJ-lawn

I have a silly question.... I'm new to dahlias and I just planted the tubers in the ground today. Watered them, and placed stakes in ground.

My question is..... do they need water when they emerge or do the tubers need supplemental water before they sprout?


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## Mdos

Be careful on over watering.. tubers can rot.. they say no water until you see the leaves... unless super dry.

Highly recommend swan island ... go to there website, order there "menu" you will be amazed. Had 2 tubers not produce eyes this year quick email to them, I had 2 replacements within 3 days.

Super impressed with there service and flowers


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## NJ-lawn

Good info thanks.....


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## Mdos

Planted 16 Dahlias in this area 7 or so 4-6 footers the others are more bush like... About another 10 throughout the rear garden which is in to much of shambles to share a photo of now.. fingers crossed in a month I'll have some beautiful flowers!


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## Mdos

Got a nice mow in today.. Dahilas are coming in nicely.. little bit of brown crispy tips on some leafs.. not sure what it is but overall looking healthy.

Lawn cleaned up fairly well as well. Think I'm going to deal with a lot of die off this year in the back The POA took over this spring going to try to thicken up this summer and get down a preventative.

Hope y'all doing well!


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## dmouw

anyone ever have there leaves die back like this? any ideas?


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## Mdos

I have some of that same "burnt tips" I have been doing a bit of reading on it and I think the plant is missing something.. I just don't know what.

I have been fertilizing with the fertilome blue powered that @wardconnor uses on his annuals and I have used on my annuals since seeing that- Thanks Pal!-

I'm just afraid to put something else on them.. I am open for suggestions here too- I don't think it's bugs or fungus


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## Mdos

I did a bit of reading on this... I think it's an iron deficiency... I just hit it with some foral green from NXT.. 6 oz per gallon sprayed the plant down and gave a soil soak.. let sit for 15 min watered in... we will see hoping I didn't kill them!


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## Mdos

Did not get any response from the spray of foral green.. Not that I was expecting much.

I know is not lack of water we had a lot of rain yesterday and the soils is moist to the touch at the base of the plant.

Now I'm thinking could it be over watering- soil to moist around the tubers...

My leaves look to be starting to wilt too like lack of water.. first year with this many dahlias

Am I in over my head??

Only time will tell


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## nnnnnate

I bought some "hypnotic red" dahlias from lowes over the weekend after seeing this and other threads then looking into them more elsewhere. I'm planning to get some fancier ones for next season but since I'm too late for that now I figured I'd buy a few and see how they do.

These supposedly get only 12-18" tall so am I right to assume that they shouldn't need to be staked?

Also, all of the plants I bought already had flowers in bloom. Is it good practice to pinch off the buds early on to encourage plant growth or is that not the case with dahlias?

Thanks for the introduction and any responses.


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## Mdos

Depends on the size of the bloom about being staled.. I had one 3 years ago.. that would hold its own until a rain.. the weight of the water would bend them right over sometimes breaking the stock...

Keep up on the deadheading.. as soon as you start to wilt chop it.. that will promote more blooms... I don't think you need to chop a head off now


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## Mdos

Dahlia update...

I never realized how much water these took... everywhere I read said to make sure you had a good draining soil... We have been hot and dry here in mass so I have been watering a lot.. but the last 4 days where overcast and rain... get home today and they are wilted from lack of water... next year I will be adding peat moss to the soil for sure to help hold some water... flowers here in the next month hopefully...


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## NJ-lawn

I planted tubers mid May. The plants are about 12-18 " but no sign of flowers. They are the dinner plate variety. When should I expect some flowers? I been watering every other day, it's been very hot and dry, few showers now and then.


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## Mdos

I planted about the same time frame... just starting to see some buds on 4 of 11 so far none of the dinner plate ones


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## Sfurunner13

I also planted mid May. I have a few that are doing great around 18 inches. Just pinched the tops off last week. No blooms or buds yet. I also have several that are lagging behind still around 8-12 inches. Haven't given them any fertilizer yet so I'll probably give them a little liquid 20-20-20 this week.


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## Mdos

10 days laters after a full heavy handfuls of fert.. we have our first blooms of the new tubers- the ones that were not planted inside prior to frost free date.. no signs on the dinner plates yet but some of the smaller varieties are coming in...


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## NJ-lawn

^^^^^ that's great, all of mine are dinner plate. The plant is about 18" but no sign of buds


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## Mdos

@NJ-lawn please share when they do.. that little yellow has about 12 buds from what seems like over night.. very exciting!


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## NJ-lawn

Mdos said:


> @NJ-lawn please share when they do.. that little yellow has about 12 buds from what seems like over night.. very exciting!


Will do.....hopefully in the next week or so


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## NJ-lawn

Took this pic today......


No sign of blooms for dinner plate dahlias. Since this is my first time planting them, is this normal in late July? I been keeping them moist with a soaker hose. Sprayed a few times for insects but as you can see no major damage


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## Mdos

@NJ-lawn

I'll get some photos this weekend but I would guess your lagging behind.. maybe need some fert? I threw a few handfuls of starter fert at the base of my plants about a month ago and some milo last week. Buds are poking through


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## Mdos




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## Sfurunner13

I don't have any flowers yet but just about every plant has buds. The ones I pinched off the tops don't have as many buds yet. I didn't water yet today so they look a little droopy in the photos


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## NJ-lawn

Wow your way ahead of me.....maybe I'll try some fert tomorrow. I think next year I'll start in pots. Hopefully I'll get a bud or two soon.


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## Ecubed

First year growing these, here are a couple of mine.


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## Mdos

@Ecubed looking good my friend!


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## NJ-lawn

Ecubed said:


> First year growing these, here are a couple of mine.


Wow looks great


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## NJ-lawn

Finally got one.........





Have a few other buds so hopefully they start popping soon!


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## Mdos

A few cuts from today- life has been busy had some wind damage due to improper staking... going to try tomato cages next year.

Hope you all had a great summer


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## wking

Some of mine from this year in NC.


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## nnnnnate

When is the right time to dig up the tubers? Do I wait until the frost kills the foliage but before the ground freezes?

I bought five red basic ones from lowes this year that were already growing but have an order in from Swan Island for next year. I'm hoping to practice on these lowes tubers though to figure out how to over winter and then take cuttings from them in the spring for more plants. Thanks.


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## Ecubed




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