Better late than never

Now I need to go online to find the blood and foam so I can alert the police. Thanks for the tip.

An area nearby uses birth control for the deer but our town won't do it.

Hey, a 30.06 is a great birth control method.. Well, maybe not birth control, just growth control. Sounds like you have it worse than us by a mile.

Oh, I do like your idea. It's one of those no-fail methods. Our herd was 17 this past spring but now twins are commonly born so I have to hope they're all sterile.

I offer my services to make deer stew with corn bread for the whole neighborhood. Etelka

Wonderful. I'd be thrilled to have it.

Count me in and I hope the cornbread is made with buttermilk.

Me too!!! We had bison with rice the other day and it was great. Hmmm. I may have to try buttermilk. My step-mom's recipe called for 3/4 canned milk and 3/4 cup water but the buttermilk sounds better. Course using the canned milk I can make it spur of the moment. :)

We have had frost warnings in the area this week. So far, so good. But I don't know how much longer my dahlias will last. I have several that are budded and I would at least like to see what they look like so I'll know whether I want them again next year or not. The first one is Hy Trio. Second one is Mingus Wesley. He is going to be a big boy but the first bloom is hidden down in the foliage. I hope some of the other buds open. Third one is Veritable Novelty. Both of my Hayley Jaynes rotted and VN was the closest I could find so late in the year. Next is Duet, which I've had for several years. Last is another photo of Canby Centennial. I hope the frost holds off for a few more weeks. I was still getting blooms the last few years in early November.

Beautiful photos, Dan.

My AC Rainier (thank you) has a few buds but no blooms yet. I'm anxiously awaiting them. Even a Home Depot dahlia, Star's Favorite, just has a bud and hasn't had a bloom yet.

Generally my dahlias go into mid-November so I'll cover them with sheets, if needed (and if it will help), just to get to see all the dahlias bloom.

I detest the frost warnings on TV weather or radio. I'd bet most of those reporting don't even garden.

We are about a 1/2 mile from Lake Erie. Our frosts are sometimes a couple weeks or more later than areas just a few miles south of here. Arlene, every time I look at this Vancouver, I want to thank you all over again. I had no idea the bloom would be this big. This one is 9". I was thinking they would be 5"-6". I hope it has some good tubers. I wouldn't mind having several of these next year.

We're on a peninsula on Long Island and have water all around us but seldom get frost before 11/6. A few years ago we didn't get the last frost of the year. It waited until the following January, late in the month.

You're quite welcome, Dan. Mine hasn't given me a flower yet! No fair. Vancouver loves you more!

I found three dahlias, two with a lot of blooms, that I left in the porch window boxes over winter since I felt they were nothing special. All are waterlilies, pink - white - yellow. Now I'll save them so the fancy ones can show off next year.

I really like this one - no ID.

That is exactly the way this Aloha looked before it turned 90% orange and had the all-white and all-yellow blooms on other stems. Could it possibly be Aloha?

Gorgeous. I love Alhoa, Hy Trio and Canby Centennial. The multi colors are really eye poppers. Wonder where in the world they get those names.

Now that I know the colors and relative sizes of the plants, I will spend part of the winter figuring out how I want to arrange them in the garden next spring. And what to plant next to them that won't overpower them. Small annuals or taller wispy ones. Plus need to do the same for my lilies. Course I have two holes already dug in front of some lilies waiting til spring for dahlias. Plus the new ones that are coming. I pulled up some stuff that I was tired of to make room for more dahlias. Me? Hooked? Nahhhhh. I got my 7 peonies in the ground and that is the end of peonies for me. Well, meaning I won't be buying any more. I have some that have been in the same spot for over five years but don't think there is any reason to dig them up. I guess people leave them in the ground for decades.

I have a 51 year old peony but it was moved once and dug once to send to people who wanted it. No need to move them unless you have to or want to do it, or if they need more sun due to trees nearby giving them too much shade, etc.

It could be Aloha, Dan. I had that two years ago so maybe the tubers survived the terrible winter of loneliness in the basement. It isn't big - maybe 3.5 to 4" at most. When it stops raining I'll look again for a name.

It has not frozen in my part of the city yet. My dahlias are still going strong. I love it. Here are Mom's Special and Lady Darlene.

This message was edited Oct 13, 2012 10:42 PM

Lady Darlene is gorgeous. Sigh. I have 17 new ones coming in the spring and I would cheerfully add that one to the list. However, I would have to plant it in the neighbor's yard as I don't know where I will plant what I have. lol If I only get one plant per type, it would still be around 60.

Marie - they are lovely. Lady Darlene never disappoints.

Lady Darlene is beautiful. That's one to add to my list for next spring.

Lady Darlene is outstanding!!!

Uh-oh! My tubers are sending out shoots, much less eyes. And some have little fuzzy stuff. The bags are open. I have never had them start to grow now! Help!! What do I do. The garage isn't that warm. Well, 55 probably for right now. Will drop down as winter comes on. Maybe I should move them to the basement or put them in black bags so they don't get any light

Mary , you definitely need to keep them in a dark place. Mine are usually kept in the attic and about the only time there is light in there is when I check them. With the warm temps last winter, I moved ours several times. I even moved them to the tool shed occasionally when I knew the temps wouldn't get cold enough to freeze them. I've never seen them sending shoots this early.

Okay. Into the dark. While I am pleased to have the proof that I didn't destroy my tubers I am NOT happy to have them trying to grow this early. That may be why they are getting 'fuzzy' also. Thanks Dan.

Shoots at this time also sounds untimely to me but it may be due to your digging them while they were still in active growth. I know I read on DG years ago that new shoots could just be cut off and any tuber that makes any shoots will make more of them. It's that "fuzzy" stuff that would concern me. Air it out and see if the fuzzies disappear - then go to total darkness and cooler, if you can.

Yeah, that's what I'm thinking. I cut them down about this time every year. course I wrapped them in saran and buried them in a box in the dark so I don't know if they sent shoots but I don't think so. So into the dark and cold for them. I did dip them in the 1:10 bleach, dried, then shake and baked in fungicide. So much for that precaution. I think I should have added more fungicide as I notice some tubers were not as covered as others. Then I added more to the bag and from there they were really coded.

I have checked half the bags and it appears that the ones sitting toward the front of the container where they would get more exposure to light were the ones with growth, the most being about 1/2". Others have eyes showing. I only had three really iffy tubers that I pitched for being either fuzzy or having a slight greenish tinge. Considering their condition at cutting, I am not surprised. All others are in good shape, some with tiny eyes, some with none. For now I threw a black garbage bag over the bunch. I will check the others tomorrow, get some boxes and make sure they are tucked back further in the dark and where it is cooler. Will make it not as convenient for checking the bags, but then I would like to have something to check come spring, and of course during winter's interim check outs. But I am really pleased at those that are showing eyes.

I would be pleased as well!

I have seen so many beautiful dahlia's here, then I walk through my garden and don't see how anything could be much prettier. I do need to have a few more though, just very special, very big ones.

Good luck Mary, I am finding such good information on storing the tubers. Mine are at least 3 weeks to digging time, but the rest of the garden needs to be trimmed, tilled and bulbs planted. Hope to find time.

It is 38F, lightly sleeting here. Glad we worked so hard yesterday getting the last tough stuff done for winter prep. I do need to get those last dahlias checked out, boxed up and moved down to a cooler spot, but at least that is indoors.

The winds have been relentless recently. I was away for a few days and found a lot of broken stems when I returned. On the positive side, I had several more plants that have bloomed or are ready to bloom. 1.) That is a CG Coral on the left and Salmon Rays on the right. Very little difference in color, form or size. They look identical to me. 2.) Kari Fruit Salad. Where do they get these names? 3.) Clifton Tyler. 4.) Pablo. This one always seems prettier in the cooler weather. 5.) My #1 nemesis. At least they are cleaning up the crabapples and acorns that I would otherwise have to rake up. This is, of course, after destroying 80-something feet of my late green beans. Total wipeout. The temps have been in the 70's all week but are supposed to drop into the 40's and 50's for the next week or more starting Saturday with lows in the mid-30's. I have at least 6 or 8 more dahlias that I would like to see bloom. I think Mr. Jack Frost is right around the corner.

Sorry about the winds, Dan, and even sorrier about the rotten deer.

I agree about the first and second (in the first photo) looking so much alike. Kari Fruit Salad is nice - I love two colors in a blossom.

This photo was taken 10/21 when AC Rainier was just opening. The drizzle we had earlier has ended so maybe I can remember to take another photo of it today. It's lovely - thanks, Dan. I felt I had waited SO long that it might never bloom so I gave it a huge drink of Bloom Buster. Looks like it worked for this one and another I have potted.

Arlene, I'm glad AC Rainier is opening for you. I sent a tuber to my uncle in Virginia and he says his granddaughter is in love with it. This has been a freakish year and back in August I was beginning to think I wouldn't have a single bloom this year. Now everything is blooming, although most of the blooms are smaller. I had a Bonaventure that was over a foot wide a couple of weeks ago. Now the new blooms are only 4"- 5". The colors of some are more intense. I should have a few more plants blooming in the next few days. My biggest regret this year is only having been able to enjoy my dahlias for a few weeks rather than a few months. I have been doing quite a bit of bow hunting in and out of the state and I hope my friends who do the tuber digging have their shovels on stand-by. lol

How I wish your bow hunting were done here, right down the block where 17 of the monsters dwell.

I had early blooms on the dahlias I never dug because I didn't like them! How disappointing. The others did finally bloom but I can't find Vancouver or Goshen Calico at all - and I don't have that many. Another one I left in place is a neon yellow (no ID) and now I like it is pictured below.

Let's hope your tuber digging friends are ready to move upon your notice: ready, set, dig!

Dan and Arlene your dahlias are beautiful. I have a Tahiti Sunrise that is the shape of your CG Coral but the color of the Pablo. Mine are still blooming away. It has been a fantastic year of color. It is forcasted to drop below freezing tonight so I will be digging in a couple of weeks. It snowed on the mountains and the valleys all around us got some. We just got rain.
It is much colder and it is coming your way Dan. Good luch digging. I have my shovel ready. Wish I could come help.

I see all the beautiful colors and forms here that I want to buy so many more. I am going to forfeit the vegetable garden and plant dahlias. (Actually, I am going to do just that in a few areas next year). I am trying to decide which few I must purchase. I like the B's to A's best. Suggestions of 'Must Have'?



This message was edited Oct 24, 2012 9:34 AM

Marie, I wish you could come and help dig, too. I even have an extra shovel that I'm sure would fit your hands perfectly. lol My friends do almost all the digging every year in exchange for 90% of the tubers. They plant my daffs and tulips back in the same beds while I'm out loafing in my treestands. I like mostly different dahlias every year so it's a pretty good trade-off for all involved. What they don't know is I have about 500 daffs waiting for them to plant.

Marie - my own personal top ten would include these five:

1. American Dream - huge, splashed with a bit of purple.
2. Dixie Winedot - 5' tall, 8" blooms
3. Lady Darlene, big, bold, beautiful.
4. Blown Dry. The color changes by late fall to yellows and oranges but it remains beautiful.
5. Bodacious (different sites spell it with an S instead of a C in the middle)

Dan - do your friends get a map of where to plant the daffodils? I hope so!

Marie, I mostly like the cactus type but love the bright colors of any dahlia. I've never seen an ugly dahlia. It's just a matter of personal preference, I suppose. My favorite this year was probably Bonaventure. These photos are from 2009-11. The first picture is a Witteman's Best. Hard to believe this many blooms on one plant and as you can see there are several buds not opened yet. I ordered this one from two companies the following year and each sent a small dark red dahlia which I think was Arabian Nights. I couldn't find it this year. The second picture is Firepot from last year. The white one is a late bloomer (late Oct. again this year) named Earl. It was over 10" wide but I won't waste space next year for a plant that only blooms a couple weeks. Sorry Earl, you will miss the cut next year. Last was one of my favorites from last year reputed to be Match. This spring the seller told me he was mistaken and believes it is actually Hayley Jane. I grow a lot of new ones each year and love the excitement of seeing one open that I haven't had before.

Arlene, the daffs can pretty much go anywhere. I was a little more particular when I had tulips since certain colors seem to go together better. The long legged rats won't allow me to have tulips any more so I no longer have to worry about where to put them. Such a shame since after a long, cold, drab winter,I really needed the bright colored tulips in the spring. I just wish the daffs came in brighter colors.

Beautiful dahlias, Arlene. My dad used to have a few dahlias every year. I assumed there was a red one, a yellow one, purple one, etc. I was absolutely amazed when I read of the thousands of different ones. I wonder if I started right now, how many I could ....... nah, forget it. lol

;) I love all the dahlia's. I will plant my favorites next year from what I have this year and order a few, maybe more than a few, of ones I don't think I can do without.
It is supose to get below freezing tonight and for the next 5 nights also. Is it ok to leave them in the ground? I would like to for the next 2 weeks to get the eyes more pronounced--- or should I dig Saturday?
Arlene, I think Lady Darlene is my favorite this year. It blooms like mad and is so colorful.

LOL long-legged rats! I tried a few pastel tulips last year, and they bloomed, despite my fair share of the critters. I'm not planting any more b/c it was luck. Once they're found, it's hopeless. At least the deer have taught me not to waste my $! BTW, some Mass. towns are allowing cross-bow hunting to "thin the herds". Yikes! Can't they put out birth-control pills?? The thought of guys w/ crossbows in the woods (where I like to walk) scares me! A lady out walking her dogs was shot by a deer hunter last season- she was almost killed.