My Dahlias

BRAG ALERT!!!
I've killed myself with my dahlias this year!
But I'm so proud of my results. I think I'm going to enter some in the Topsfield Fair's dahlia show at the end of the month.
Here's today's bucketfull:

I LOVE Camano Sitka!

Ferncliff Copper, Crazy Love, Sky Angel

Why did they upload in the wrong order??? Crazy Love, Ferncliff Copper, Sky Angel is correct.

Tropical, Lucky Number w/friend, Janice

Strawberry Ice, Firepot, Croydon Masterpiece

and let's not forget Helper Kitty!!!

Another two mistakes!!! A Strawberry Ice w/o the Strawberry, and a red NO ID (it was supposed to be Glory Daze)!
This adds to my "whopper" mistakes (on the supplier's part) such as the big 'Nick Sr.' plus one labeled 'Chilson's Pride' but turned out to be a purple/white one.
The suppliers for the wrong tubers were Lynch Creek and Red Hawk, FYO. Not for Strawberry Ice; I guess it just reverted. I'm interested to see if the others on that plant are white, too; I have 2 other 'Strawberry Ice's that are Strawberry.

Here's my Xalted garden, from the top and bottom. It's rented land outside my TEENSY in-law apt. That's a field below... yes, I've thought of growing there, too, but it is all rock w/ a thin film of what passes for soil here in MA. That's why all the farmers moved West! You can't grow much in a pile of rocks! On the plus side, I've put rocks on top of some tubers that were being pulled up by the weight of the dahlia plant. It works!

More of my buckets of blooms... plus a katydid (love 'em!) and two 'Strawberry Ice'.

Come to think of it, I did nearly kill myself in this garden. In mid-May, I was tipping over the last wheel barrow full of compost when I tripped and landed on the right wheel-barrow handle. The left edge of the metal barrow smacked me in the face, knocking me flat on the ground (w/ the wheel barrow on top of me!!)! My teeth went through the flesh under my nose, I smashed my nose, forehead & teeth. I called 911 b/c I had so much blood coming from everywhere! They cleaned me up & I never went to the Dr. I had the most awful black eyes & swollen face. I have a picture, but I don't want anyone to pass out! Gross! I think I'm going to need plastic surgery b/c the space under my nose is still messed up.

Holy cow!! To both your gorgeous dahlias and to your terrible accident.

Strawberry Ice is heavenly.

Sorry to hear of your fall and the ensuing bloody mess and black eyes!

I agree. The petals are different from any that I have. Guess I need to order some.

Melissa

So sorry to read about your horrible accident - the things we do for our flowers.

I just wanted to tell you how gorgeous your pictures are. I love your dahilas. I have had Crazy Love probably longer than all of my other dahilas and it is one of my favorites.

'Crazy Love' is incredibly floriferous.. the only dahlia that has lots of big blooms on one stem. I have to remember that it's a space-taker when planing future plantings.
My white 'Strawberry Ice' is still white! It's pretty, but what do you label such a tuber? I wonder if all the tubers from it will be white, too. A science experiment!

Melissa

I don't know about others, but I don't label my tubers. I label the bags that I overwinter them and typically I will put a label with the plant when I plant it. This year, I did not put the labels into the dirt when I was planting them, so if they don't flower this year, I won't know which is which. I stilll have time though -

We had our first frost and I still have many that haven't bloomed. Only a few that I am not sure about yet. I have pruned the plants way back to try to encourage the opening of blooms so they don't waste energy on foliage.

Mary

Do you normally have a first frost at this time or year or later?

To be totally honest I have never made note before. It is just a fact of life. And it might not frost again for a while. It was around 35F this morning but is a nice crisp 49 now. Good weather for heavy work in the garden. Still have so much to do. I'll ask Damien about frost dates

I just googled and it said we had a bout a 10% chance of frost this early. I couldn't get it to format right but you can walk across the dates and % and get the idea. So I guess the answer is that it's a bit early but not unheard of.

First Frost Last Frost
10% 50% 90% 10% 50% 90%
SEP 10 SEP 23 OCT 07 APR 28 MAY 08 MAY 19

49 degrees? Ugh! I can wait for that.

It's okay. It is a clear day now, sun shining and a whopping 68 in the sun on the front porch. I am sweating like all get out digging up stuff and planting new stuff, moving it around, sieving roots. D has agreed we need a chipper for me to chip up fine the stuff from the garden for my composters. Yeah. Now maybe it will breakdown in something under a year. I still have chunks in my compost bins that I put in this spring. The other stuff looks yukky but good or bad I am dumping it on the garden later this fall. Glad I don't have to smell it all winter. Oh but come spring....whew!

Mary

I can tell when it hits 68 degrees. That is the point where I start to get cold. I have always been like that, except when I have hot flash of course....

Hey, 68 is our normal summer high for the most part. I have gotten used to it and find anything over 72 too warm, at least in the sun without a breeze. I made it through without hot flashes or cyring jags-- just a little problem with temper. But that was quite a while ago. My temper is now back to it's normal low. lol. But for a while my Mom was begging me to take premerin. lol

I'm moving to Alaska, Mary. It gets hotter here each year. Tonight it's going to be in the hi 40's, finally!

Oh, Helper Kitty Jax just got skunked. My sinuses are burned out! We just had a fun bath with baking soda and baby shampoo. I hope my scratches heal. Sinuses, too. I just LOVE CATS.

You must to go through that. I thought at first you meant 'skunked' as in going fishing and not getting any. Not the real thing. My sympathy -- to YOU not the cat

Mary, I've never heard that expression! (Then again, I don't fish- everyone else around here, does- the ocean being handy) No, this was a literal, full-blast skunk attack. Like being teargassed, I imagine. I thought cats were smarter than to engage a skunk. On the plus side, he his being HUMBLE and is ashamed of himself!!!! Very unlike Jax, or any other cat, for that matter. It's pretty funny to see how he's behaving- sitting at my feet and purring, not asking for anything, saying "prrrt!" whenever he sees me- LOL!

This message was edited Sep 12, 2012 3:05 PM

Melissa

what strikes me odd about that is too often I have seen one of my cats sitting on the hood of the car - watching, while a skunk trots by. I thought that cats were smarter than that as well.

I have given enough cats baths over the years - so I do know....... Nothing like trying to give the Tazmanian Devil himself a bath... Now, dogs on the other hand, they seem to get skunked, run into porcupines - the whole gamet. The problem with giving a dog a bath is we always had larger dogs and once they figured out they were on their way to a bath - they became lead weight. Have you ever tried to move a Great Dane when they become lead? It's impossible.

Glad little Woody only weighs 9"3oz. And about 'skunked.' It applied to any endevour where you come out with nothing. Hunting moose, fishing, playing Gin Rummy. If you net zero results, you got 'skunked.'

9# - my kitties are bigger than that!

Snif. I'll have you know that Woody is a manly little dog despite his diminutive size. lol. Or he tries to be when his ears aren't laid back and his tail isn't between his legs. poor guy had to go to the vet and wear 'the collar of shame' to keep him from licking the meds off a sore. I took it off as he wouldn't eat or drink and would hardly lay down to sleep he was so miserable. He's my baby.

'Collar of Shame' that makes me laugh. I don't have an issue with his diminutive size - I always thought it was cute the way some of these puppies fit into handbags and such. I do love animals and even feel badly for the mice when the cat catches them.

Amen.

My husband corrected me. It is "The Cone of Shame" not collar. sounds even funnier

This message was edited Sep 13, 2012 8:15 AM

Well, I couldn't resist posting some of my 'posed' dahlias. If nothing else, they are really pretty to look at. Obviously I am not anything put a point and shoot photographer, but still

Mary


They are gorgeous. What is the one in the last photo, tthat is on the left - the white one with the pink blush? Did you send me one of those? I have one that is very similar.

Carolyn

Mary..beautiful collection you have there.

My photo's today are
Mixed Bouquet. Evening winds for the past few days have made cutting blooms a necessity to lighten the bush and keep the bushes upright. Many vases all around the deck & inside the house.
Iceberg
Gay Princess
A really huge red one...about 8" wide and 4" thick ..Must find the name on this one!!
Marry Me


This message was edited Sep 13, 2012 8:21 PM

All beautiful but I really like Gay Princess.
Carolyn, I just got that one so couldn't have sent you one. It is Chilson's Pride. the others are JJs Izzy, (the big lacinated one), Blue Star (two on lower left), Ferncliff Inspiration Top right, and Sweet Dreams is in the middle.

I love the sweet face of helper kitty....LOL

the flowers are beautiful.

Jan

Okay. I couldn't stand it. I went to Swan Island and ordered some dahlias for next spring. I'm hooked and can't stop!!!!!! They are all so lovely.