when do you all order tubers and from where ???

Well pack a bag and hit the road Pirl, anytime, but preferably in dahlia bloom season so you get more bang for your travel buck.

Bill at B & D has a fabulous yard full of dahlias south of Seattle. Nice gent, knowledgable, and a keen observer if he remembered you all day long from the throngs of people. You made an impression with either your good looks or those classy floral bags!

The very same things can be said for Chocolatemoose. And thank you again for lunch! I could've stayed another several hours talking garden. I really must work on that 'sweet' image though, as I'm striving to be an old curmudgeon some day soon. I'll practice muttering in low tones and waving a cane more. Already have the limp and groaning joints down pat :)

Next week-end I will give a talk about creating a garden.

As I am not a great fan of dahlias, I have to incorporated few dahlia pictures in my presentation.

Here! Here! I have had the joy of meeting our dear Pooch and I am SO with you CMoosebabe! I'm so greeeeen with envy that you got to go to the PNW show. Oh yes dear Pirl you must come to the west! There really aren't any wicked witches here (as rumoured) but there are sasquatches and they are cool, and oh BIG ROCKS! We have those and they are beautious. They are oft called 'mountains'. ok I'm already so excited I can't stand it thinkin that you will vist ^_^

Pirl...Come on west! I drove from CT, cross country and through Canada when I moved up here...you can do it!
Did the homework for you...DNut is only 2086 miles (3357km) from you, as the crow flies...Just don't get lost coming across in Chicago like I did and you'll be fine.
Then another 434 miles (crow miles) and you'll need a rest so you can spend sometime with Pooch...You've gone that far so you may as well head north to see me...I'll only be about 1520 miles up the road.
Hop on that crow for your Western Dahlia Tour!

No offense intended DNut, but WE'll show you southerners some MOUNTAINS...LOL...On a clear day, I can see McKinley (Denali) on my way into town....

I just KNEW that you were gonna brag about that CMooseBabe :-

Didn't want to disappoint ;-)

I can see Mt. McKinley in my photo album!

Wow-how cool is that? I love mountains, so to be able to see Mt. McKinley nearby is insane!
ChocMoo (wee! I like that abbreviation) can I be ignorant and ask about what/how/when you grow things there? What is your time frame, etc. Neato!

Carrie




P.S. Wow-I'm a nerd

This message was edited Feb 10, 2010 8:28 AM

Queequeg_1...
You are NOT a nerd...I get continual questions and d-mails asking about gardening (and is it always DARK???) in AK.
Here is a post I made previously at some point. I tried to edit the first post and it added it as a whole new post further down in the thread so if you think you are confused, you are not.

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1075147/

I'm a bit torn on if I should spend $23 on one tuber or just get a couple of other ones... Swan Island introduced one this year named "El Sol" which looks spectacular but I'm just not sure if $23 is worth it or not. GAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!

No one ever said it was easy.

"No one ever said it was easy"-that should be the mantra for choosing dahlias!
Edewitt-I stare at their new intros and drool, but then quickly click out of there. Thare are too many I want and I can't bring myself to spend the money. Which is strange, because I have no problem shelling out money for 100 tubers I have no place for...If you really love it-go for it! You'll be the first on your block with it, then you can tell us all about it! And post photos, of course.

Edited to Add-regarding the original thread/post about where to order from early...I have already received my Accent and Frey's orders.

This message was edited Mar 5, 2010 12:31 PM

I just got a few today from ebay. I'm quite interested in the York & Lancaster dahlia, it looks quite entertaining with all the color variations. Also got a "D. Atropurpurea", it'll be nice to have an heirloom tuber like that although I think I'm going to have to get one of those wire tomato containers for it because the stalks are weak.

Did you find the York & Lancaster dahlia tuber on eBay? I've wanted that one for a couple years, but have only found it at Old House. I won't pay what they want to ship to AK...Interested in if you found it elsewhere. Goes by a couple names (War of the Roses is one...)

This message was edited Mar 11, 2010 8:41 AM

I've only seen it on Old House Gardens as well and was kind of surprised to see it on ebay so I snatched it up. I'll keep an eye out for any other suppliers that might have it.

Oh, I'd appreciate it! Was it listed as York & Lancaster on ebay?

Yeah, I've added the seller to my favorites so I'll keep an eye out for another auction of the same. I almost snagged a "Little Beeswings" as well but someone outbid me at the last second. Actually I'll ask the seller for ya if they have anymore tubers of the "York & Lancaster" that they plan on putting up for auction.

Alright, I'm going to highly recommend ordering from Clack's Dahlia Patch. I just received my package from them and Ginger Clack is fantastic with communicating. Unfortunately my Myrtle's Brandy tuber I ordered had a rough winter so she called me this weekend to see what I would like as a substitute or if I would like a refund. She went above and beyond with the tubers and gave me a couple of extra since the Myrtle's Brandy wasn't available.The packaging for the tubers to be shipped in was well insulated and packed so there wasn't much danger of damaged to the tubers if the USPS did any manhandling of the package. The website could use a bit of work but if any of the links to the pictures didn't appear I'd just google the dahlia tuber name and find a picture myself. If you do order I recommend contacting her with a list to see if everything is available and she will hold them for you and then you can mail a check or money order. I'm gonna have to give some positive feedback for Clack's on Garden Watchdog in the near future.

http://www.cruger.com/cdp1.html

Yes, I had great experiences with Clacks, Lobaugh's, Cowlitz, Accent, Frey's and Wynne's. They all shipped very nicely-well insulated, quickly, tubers healthy and nicely marked, etc. Zoinks...I ordered from too many different places...

Last year, I did get some from ebay and had bad luck. There's one seller that has a few I want now, but give me a break-$7.99 for one tuber, plus 4.95 s&h, and you're not an established supplier? No thanks.

Yeah, I can only find "Star's Favorite" on ebay and nowhere else and I think after all is said and done it would be about $15 for a tuber and I'm not willing to spend that much on something I got 3 of last year for $5 at Home Depot. I wish they hadn't rotted and I wish I could find a decent price for it.

How about from Arrowhead? $5
http://www.arrowheaddahlias.com/product_info.php?cPath=3&products_id=303&osCsid=ecc42200165a9a30fba1717eed9e94b2

Star's Favorite, I mean.

This message was edited Mar 12, 2010 12:25 PM

soo okay I'm zone 5 when do I buy and when do I plant and by the way I love all the info and places to buy them from but I'm still confused as to what will grow well for me as I have never grown them before ;0)
Gloria

I would definitely buy now, if you can. A lot of online suppliers are selling out of certain ones already. That is, if you don't mind paying for them, but waiting to receive them. Most will ship them when it is safe to-no danger of freezing. If you're more of a hands on type-by that, I mean you'd rather buy from a brick and mortar store, then start with the ones from Lowe's or Home Depot or Big Lots. However, the quality is usually not quite that of the accredited suppliers/growers. As far as types to grow for you-they are all similar as to which will grow. If you can grow one, you can usually grow another. I shouldn't say that, as I'm not a Zone 5, but that seems to be the trend. It's easier than you think. Good luck.

Glevely, if you want a chance at certain varieties the time to order is November/December/January. The commercial suppliers don't usually ship til April or slightly earlier by request, but in Zone 5 you wouldn't necessarily need that. Dahlias should be a cinch for you with your hot summers. Plant when the lilacs are blooming, or soil is at least 60 degrees. You can pre-pot and transplant when then the soil warms up too.

I'm certain I just saw Star's Favorite at Home Depot or Lowe's the past couple weeks. The trouble I've had with big box stores is that they have names on dahlias that the American Dahlia Society has never recognized, or they're hopelessly mislabeled with no recourse. "Guaranteed to grow" is stated on the package,but grow into what is the question and often the problem with mis-id'd varieties.

Edewitt, good on Clack's for offering such fine service. I hope you do follow through with GWD feedback on them.

thank you I will be off to a few sites to order as soon as I get home from work ;0)
Gloria

"...but grow into what is the question and often the problem with mis-id'd varieties."

OMG-just shot coffee out my nose! How true is that?!

Against my better judgment I clicked on a link queequeg_1 provided me to Arrowhead Dahlias' website and I just ordered 10 tubers from them. I managed to get

HIGH PLAINS MAJESTY
TEMPEST
SEDUCTION
HY PATTI
CABELERO
ALLOWAY CANDY
CANBY CENTENNIAL
EDNA C
CHEYENNE CHIEF
TAIHEIYO

Now off to mail them a money order.

Haha-sorry. I was thinking of doing the same thing...Someone, make it stop!!!