If ya only had one.......?

Well, I'm sure you dahlia folks know you've never seen me here before. My current addictions are to Daylilies and Tall Bearded Irises and Hosta. The fact is that even thou I have admired the beauty of dahlias for several years I've only ever had a few because I haven't the desire to dig them up every year.
However, I have a spot where I need something a bit taller and to be a real eyecatcher. Naturally I thought of possibly a dahlia. But, I have a couple of questions that I'm hoping one of you can answer for me.

Remembering that I am in zone 6........and I want a sturdy plant (that I hopefully would not need to stake)

1) at what time of the season do they bloom ?
2) how long do they bloom once they start ?

Okay, now I have just been looking at the Swann site. These are a few that I think I would love. I would appreciate any experienced advice on these.

Tyler James
Optic Illusion
Punkin Spice
Swann's Glory
Thomas Edison
Hot Tamale

Thank you Soo much to anyone who replies.
Willit_Grow
Deb

Others who are more experienced than I will add their thoughts but if you want tall and beautiful staking and occasionally tying the plant to the stake will be required. Swan Island is an excellent place to buy dahlias!

They bloom here, zone 7, July or August right until frost. It's true that digging them can be a pain but for the months of beauty they provide I feel they're worth it.

I haven't grown any of those you listed but I'm sure others have and they will respond. Did you check Plant Files for each of them? Some start blooming a bit later than others but it should be noted on Swan Island's site, like..."a late bloomer".

Try them - you'll like them. Just remember to stake before you plant to avoid injuring the tubers.

I love Lady Darlene!

Thanks Pirl, I would not have thought to stake first.

How tall were you looking for and was there a preference on bloom color/size/shape?

Hi Edewitt,
Well, it was your pic posted of Arabian Night (I think) that caught my eye. I loved that style. I really know very little about the style, shape catagories to even express myself well.
Last year I picked up 2 of the same dahlias to plant on each end of a little bench that I have. Of coarse I didn't save the tags to know the names. They were only about 2 feet tall but they were GORGEOUS ! I will be going back to hopefully get the same ones this year and committing to digging them up to save.

Bloom size ....I would like at least 6 inches but, I also want the bush to look full. Not just a tall bush with 3 blooms if you know what I mean.
Height could be 3 1/2 to 5 feet or so. Keep in mind that I have Tall Bearded Irises and Daylilies that will be around it. Probably 4 feet or taller would be the better.

I want an eye grabber color. Like brilliant red , yellow, orange, or even a purple. If you have the time to look up the ones I listed above on the Swanns site it would give you an idea of what I'm looking for. I just need someone who knows the habits of a special one (similar to one of them) that could recommend a couple names of ones that I could look for. I know I am soon needing to get one in the ground so I don't have enough time to do all the researching I need to do.

Thanks so much for you and everyone elses experienced input.

I know that this is nothing like your specification, and that one normally plants dahlias for their giant flowers, but I am a fan of Bishop of Llandaff, which gets 3-5 ft high, has beautiful burgundy foliage, and bright scarlet red flowers. They are only about 2 1/2 inches across, but there are enough of them that the plant looks quite lively for several months. It is also the only dahlia (of perhaps twelve varieties including most types) that I was completely successful with in zone 6, probably because I was planting them in soil that was not rich in humus.

So if you must have giant dahlia flowers, make sure you have a well prepared bed.

All the ones you have listed look great. I think something you might like would be "Canby Centennial" I bought one this year from Arrowhead Dahlias and am looking forward to growing it. Some of the pictures of it can be deceiving it's got a nice "frosted edges" look to it and the bloom is about 7" the bush gets around 4'.

Some others you may want to consider.

All That Jazz - Although it's $12.95, it seems to really stand out quite a bit. The blooms are 5" and the bush is about 4' tall.

Swan's Sunset - I grew that last year and unfortunately I didn't get to plant it until nearly mid-June so I probably only got a handful of blooms off of it until it frosted outside.

I'd write more suggestions but I've got to step away from the computer for now.

Hi Deb,

There should be no rush to get a dahlia in the ground in PA. I'd wait til May- mid-May even, or ask dahlia fans at the NE fourm when to plant. You can always start them early in a pot or flats in warmer conditions though. I've killed many a tuber planting too early :(

Tall, 6" bright colors with plentiful blooms. Thomas Alva Edison would fit that bill. Another one I really like is Hy Lobster- bright red and lovely curving cactus petals. 6" across or a smidge less, but not much. It's a very good bloomer especially if you didn't disbud. Guess I liked it enough to put beaucoup photos in Plantfiles.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/162137/

If you don't mind orange, Neon Splendor is another very fruitful bloomer, though was 3.5 ft here and blooms are 6" or better.

Wildwood Marie 4'tall, is a fairly rich pink/yellow waterlily in that size, 4' tall and a plentiful bloomer too.

Coral Frills is a super bloomer and looks a lot like "Punkin Spice." 4-5 ft tall for me, but that's not unusual.

That's all I can think of for now.
Annie

Wildwood Marie is so gorgeous, as Poochella said, and more blooms than can be counted. It just goes on and on and on.

Wow ! so many to look at. Thanks for all the great suggestions.

Steve812, I really appreciate your input about soil condition. I will have to check into that. And even thou Bishop of Llandaff isn't as big of blooms as I wanted...I do like red and I really like plants with different foliage colors so I would probably like it very much.

Edewitt, all that you mention are what I am looking for. I think I like Swanns Sunset the best but, it is listed as a late bloomer. All That Jazz and Canby Centennial are great too.

Poochella, I love the pic on plant files of Thomas "A" Edison if that is the same as Thomas Alva Edison. I also love Neon Splendor. Coral Frills...not so much. I realize that I don't have to get my dahlias in the ground untill mid May. What I meant was...till I make a decision (hard part) order & recieve it (a few weeks) The time will be here and I won't be ready.

Pirl & Poochella, While Wildwood Marie is probably beautiful it looks too pink for me but, I appreciate the suggestions so I could look them up.

And when do Dahlias usually start to bloom. (zone 6) ?

And where do I find the soil conditions I need to know ?

Thanks again, You folks are great !

How about Swan's Olympic Flame? Delicious! I've never grown it but I already ordered it and have it in the ground and can't wait!
http://www.dahlias.com/swansolympicflame-item045.aspx

Queequeg_1,
I agree that one looks like it would be an eye grabber for sure. Thanks

I used Messenger one year, the dahlia plant I used it on exhibited some major branching, flowers popping out all over. Usually I go for larger blooms though. I had two Ace Summer Dawn plants from Dutch Gardens, they were flower machines and very bushy. Kelvin Floodlight was spilling over with 9-10" blooms, three waves of them too. Mish Mash is a great bright red/yellow and it was also bushy.

Kenora Sunset was very bushy and the flowers are glowing beacons, quite plentiful:

I can't open Tod's photo- DG is a tad slow for me today, at least right now. Looks like a beauty though! I thought of two more: Jax Char and Parkland Glory! both early blooming, glorious and vividly colored. Finally, I'm unpacking tubers so should have more ideas as I go. Whee!

Soil: well draining, with organic matter worked in to help retain moisture and at least 5 hours, but preferably more, sun daily. Plan on slug and snail protection, if you have them. They are hard on little dahlias.

Blooming: varies by variety. Some are nice and early and some barely show up before frost. The trick is to find what you want in terms of bloom time. Once started, all of them will bloom til a heavy frost/freeze takes them out.

Most of the Karma Dahlias are prolific bloomers with an earlier bloom time and might fit your requirements nicely. There are a few colors to choose from, generally all are 3-4,' but many blooms are BB (4-6") sized. Karma Ventura, pure yellow, was 6" as is Karma Sangria, but that's possibly too much pink for you. Take a look at them anyway and see what you think.

Karma Corona

Bishop of Llandaff

Todgor, your pic of Kenora Sunset is very pretty. And Kelvin Floodlight is a beauty...I love yellows but, I couldn't find pics of Ace Summer Dawn or Mish Mash.

Poochella, thanks for the soil tips. My drainage and sunlight should be good in this spot. I need to work on the organic matter. I couldn't find some of the Karmas that you mentioned. I will need to look a bit more.

Steve812, thanks for the pic of Bishop of Llandaff. I really like the colors. You just might convince me that I should give it a try.
Karma Corona looks alittle too pink for me.

I think you folks have given me some great ideas. Of coarse more ideas are always welcomed. I really need to just make a decision now.

Thank you soo much.
Deb

I can see your next addiction will be dahlias....Funny how we move from one plant group to another from year to year and then thats all we want that year......We went from Hostas to Daylilies and then Iris and now dahlias.......Deb...you need a farm....lol
Surely you will want lilies next....!!!!

That is so true, bluepoppy! I went from Roses to Irises to Daylilies (and hybridizing them) to Hostas, Lilies, Dahlias, Coleus and I'm afraid to think of what comes next. It's always good to know we're not alone.

Yes, there are a lot of addicts out there! I went from collecting and trading seeds and growing ever sun perennial available, then every shade perennial. After that I innocently traded unusual perennial seeds for some Coleus cuttings, which is when my Coleus addiction started. I then ordered from Rosy Dawn and traded for more cuttings and they took over our spare room and every window in the house. Now, thanks to Pirl (LOL :) ) I am obsessing over Dahlias and fall in love with every one I see! Is there a cure for Dahliatis???

The cure is more dahlias!

I'm still stuck at roses. I'm discovering dahlias; but expect them to be too thirsty to grow in great masses in this place.

I've come close to addiction with iris; but the beds always start looking unsightly at some point either because of weeds or because it gets blistering hot and dry and the foliage wilts and dies. I absolutely love oriental lilies in bloom. But the other 358 days per year they are invisible or unsightly. I've almost become addicted to peonies, but botrytis got in the way. I've almost fallen for wildflowers, but they don't always work. Once I thought it would be agastache, or lavender, or flax or penstemmon; but each fails if pressed into service in the wrong place or at the wrong time of year. I know that the most practical plants for this place are certain evergreens; and some of those can be really good garden plants. But I still want flowers for their color and fragrance.

As I get older my attachment to individual plants or types seems to wane, even as my interest in the general topic of gardening gets stronger.

I used to have very generalized garden fever, but once I found dahlias, I never went back. I agree with edewitt's cure. Only other option (for me) would be a lobotomy.

I now have a mental image of queequeg_1 wandering around the yard with the lobotomy scars on the forehead picking dandelions and smelling them. haha

LOL!

I love the natural ease with which dahlias create color and beautiful form in their flowers. I also love how easy they can be to grow ( if you start with good conditions...) and the fact that they can bloom for weeks on end. But I would have a hard time gardening without the expectation of fragrance. Is there a dahlia with good fragrance? Or maybe I, too, need to just stop and smell the dandelions?

Bluepoppy, LOL, you know me too well !!! The one thing that will keep me from the dahlia addiction is the having to dig them up. But, I could get hooked on the beauty of them in ....well that part is already done. Thank you for the emails of those 2 dahlias from Dan's. I liked them both but the 2nd one better.

It makes me feel good to hear all of you folks saying the same thing about going through fazes of what you are hooked on. I just thought I really had a problem. Like I was gonna have to sign up for Daylily, Hosta, & Iris Annonymus Clubs. Wasn't sure how I could work in another one for Dahlias too.

Yep-here I am! lol

Steve-funny you mention fragrance. There was debate on another thread about...was it Arabian Night? Some thought it had a slight scent. I grow the occasional rose, lavender, etc. to get my scent fix. For me, dahlias are so visually appealing and diverse they outweigh anything else. Yep-full blown Dahlia Disease. Hence, my lobotomy.

I might try Arabian Night. Thanks for the tip.

I understand the mania for collecting plants. I'm sitting here with a list of roses that are arriving before April, trying to figure out where to squeeze them in. In another thread, I believe we identified ordering more roses than you can plant as a symptom of "rosarian disease." Pretty advanced, too. Possibly beyond treatment. Nice photo.

Somehow that reminds me of the years I hybridized daylilies. All of a sudden we had an extra 1,364 daylilies to plant. Thankfully, I was cured of hybridizing.

I've already got buds on one of my daylilies. Meanwhile the dahlia tubers keep getting mailed in and thrown in the garage or fridge.