Tod's 2009 Dahlias part 2

Here's an old favorite, Bloomquist Glow:

Elma Elizabeth:

A mostly whiteish Fern Ridge Pride (it is quite variable and better checkered with yellow):

Flap Jack:

Grand Prix:

I ordered Narnia, I don't know what this is, its always blotchy in color, but its a nice plant anyway:

Penhill Deon Maritz:

Ryn Fou:

Skipley Grande:

Tried to grow this 4 years, I finally see a bloom, Tioga Lovesong:

nice assortment

The variegated Akita I had last year, not variegated here, but the form is neat:

An unfortunately mini Walter Hardisty, I like how blindingly white this one is:

Xenon (the camera can't catch the neon glow, this really pops):

Zorro:

I like the Narnia imposter too!

All are beautiful, Tod.

Beautiful dahlias, Tod. How early in the spring did you put most of your tubers into the ground? Your bloom time is way ahead of mine.

I put them in 2nd week of May. Its never early enough for me! :)

I'll mark my calendar! I've been waiting until the last few days of May but the sooner I can plant them the better it is for me. Thanks, Tod.

Very nice array there Tod. You have such a knack for finding different dahlias. I like your stakes equally well as your flowers! Penhill Deon Maritz catches my eye here. Would you call it pale orange or peach?

I think you should tip your gardening hat to getting any of those to bloom with your wet, wild east coast weather this year.

pirl, its kind of play it by ear in our new environment here, I don't want the multi-decade drought back though. 2008 we got socked pretty good in May, and I delayed planting til end of May then, but June was more rain anyway. Its funny because this has been the driest tamest September I can remember, I guess there is some compensation (knock on wood)!

The Penhill Deon Maritz is really a pinkish peach, as it ages it gets a bit more pink, a really interesting color and form I think.

We do have the market for some business person who wants to invent mini umbrellas for our dahlias, Tod.

It rained last night. I looked out this morning and the entire front of the property is dry - the courtyard is the tell tale sign along with the driveway. In the back the brick terrace was wet. Hard to figure out weather patterns and this must be the 100th time it's happened here.

These are all beautiful, Tod. I especially love the Penhill Deon Maritz. Is it heavy bloomer? When you put your dahlias in the ground, have you started them ahead in pots or do you just put the unsprouted tubers in? I started mine way too soon last spring (a good 6 weeks before they could go outside first week in June) and they were just too big to transplant. I got a lot of shock and had to cut them back. Fortunately I had tubers left I hadn't started ahead and put those right in the ground. They were a lot healthier but of course took longer to bloom. I'm wondering if there is some middle ground, maybe just 2 weeks before frost free. This zone is sort of like the North Pole because we are up in the hills (5a).

The Penhill is actually a little shrimp, probably all the rain. Its doing a good job considering, but these are the first 3 blooms I've had so far. I didn't put them in pots first, though I put plenty of backups later in pots when I realized how many failed in ground. It really worked out last year doing that, but not so much this time. The main success I've had with pots was holding cuttings indoors for 4-5 weeks, they grew very well when transplanted. I wouldn't chance putting them in ground if its going to be below 45F, that's the rule of thumb I learned early on. Don't know how much more you can push it, but if there's no real heat, they usually won't grow, and are more subject to rot if it rains a lot.

Back for more - here is one that is very unique and hard to photograph accurately (dark red and magenta sort of), its Art Act:

Cafe au Lait:

A biggie, Debra Ann Craven:

Another biggie with a very unique color, F E Mae:

Kea Magic:

A Christmas ornament of sorts, Kenora Jubilee:

Another biggie I've been trying to get going for years, Lupin Peltier:

Mick's Peppermint:

A giant day glo puff ball, Ms Megan:

A huge variable color bloom, Prime Minister:

Sylvia Craig Hunter:

And today's shot of Wyn's Sundazzler trying to finish opening in the cold weather, its very big!

Forgot one, its a giant white Arther's Delight, what a hulk of a plant, I like dahlia plants so big they could clobber me if they chose too! :) Lots of big buds that will hopefully get time to open.

I can't believe you have so many dahlias still blooming. All are wonderful - that sundazzler is quite the dazzler - very aptly named! Also especially like Kea Magic.

Tod - they're great. That Art Act is more beautiful for you than for Accent Dahlias! Love F E Mae and Ms Megan, too.