Specialty Gardening: Any Interest in a CG 2007 Fresh Seed Swap?, 1 by Illoquin

Illoquin wrote:
Oh, yes they bloom the same year. They bloom in 8 weeks, maybe 9!

Once they germinate in 7-21 days, they grow faster than either Zinnias or marigolds. It's hard to keep them under lights they grow so fast and up into the bulbs. It's the time it takes them to germinate that is so much longer than other flowers. I think Zinnias and marigolds are 3-4 days, right?

This is for single Dahlias and little bedders like Figaro. Not sure about the gigantic cactus dahlias and dinner plates. I assume those would take an extra few weeks to bloom from seed.

For the dahlias you absolutely adore, you dig the tubers up and store them over winter. That way you have the exact plant, color and all. The storage is tricky, tho. They have to have certain temperatures and certain moisture. Not too much and they rot, but too little.and they dry up.

Dahlias cannot take any frost at all, but I don't really dig them until 2 weeks after my first frost in October. (The ground doesn't freeze that far down to freeze out the tubers until much later, but I'm not sure about Colorado.)

This photo is my yellow butterfly bush with Shasta Becky and I have seeds of both of these. I also have a butter-yellow Lantana that matches the butterfly bush exactly and is a favorite with the Swallowtails and also the sulphurs, clouded sulphurs and orange sulphurs. And Monarchs, too, but to a lesser degree. Monarchs prefer the Dahilas!

Suzy