Dahlias - Summer's End/Storage 2014

Yes, I tried saran-wrap two years. The results were no better than other ways. But since I believe I was starting out wrong (digging them too green) I can't entirely blame any one method. I know I don't have enough room to put them all in pots, even if I didn't divide first. The lady who did that said neither her or her husband's cars had seen the inside of the garage over winter in years. No Way! I suppose it would be interesting to try at least two diff methods. Maybe small pots for small tubers and baggies with vermiculite for the larger ones.

I will give the plants another week in the ground. The dahlia lady was saying it was too early to pull them and some others still have green plants. That is odd since mine have all frozen and I am supposed to be in the warmest area in Anchorage. I think it depends on how well protected by trees and being close to the house your plants are.

I have two Lady Darlene plants. The first blooms were nearly all red. They have really changed in the past month. I can't understand the wide variations. I like the one in the first photo. I don't remember ever seeing the speckling like on the third photo. I've seen this on probably a half dozen different varieties lately. I have no idea what causes that.

I agree. The first one is really a show stopper. It has a blush while the third one has those speckles. Second one is pretty but hasn't the character of the first.

Remember LaLuna sometimes presented solid yellow, sometimes exactly half and half, then sometimes mixed colors of petals yellow and light yellow. Could be weather?? No clue.

Another clear crisp day. Wouldn't mind having these clear through November. Has happened before. Wonderful Octobers. Garage is almost cleaned up. Almost everything potted up that should be to make room to process dahlias. Oh. Have to clean off the counter out there. No matter how hard I try, it is a junk magnet. Partly me and partly Damien. Then he makes clutter in the house too. :)

I liked the video, Mary and really enjoyed the close-up views. I spotted another similar video, also with good pictures, and might actually know what to look for and what to do this time around.

My storage this winter will be to put the tubers in shredded straw, in open bags, which I will spritz once a month just as I used to do. They will go on the basement floor for the winter, where it's around 60 (I'm guessing) but they've survived just fine there in the past and seem to know when to wake up without my encouragement or waste of electricity.

The pots of cuttings I took all look excellent. One of these days I'll check for tubers on one or two of them.

My garage workplace is in a constant state of confusion so you're not alone. It goes from pristine to a mess in what feels like the blink of an eye.

Absolutely agree. And today is Christmas early! I received all the peonies I ordered all in the same day.

A&D sent Cararra and Shimane Cho Juraku
Hidden Springs sent Chocoate Soldier, Green Lotus, and Color Magnet.

The tree peony from A&D is huge and both them are moist with pips everywhere. Like they were just dug up. Pips on all Hidden Springs also. Now to figure out where I am going to plant them.

Guess I should copy this over to the peony forum. :)

Have fun planting them. I'm sure they'll all be glorious and worth the work.

I certainly hope so. I am sitting here drinking a nice fume blanc and aching all over. Woody my faithful hound (chihuahua) sits on the foot rest of the recliner with his head resting on my ankles. Damien is out networking with other engineers so it is a nice quiet evening. I suspect I will be in bed early.

We've had a thunderstorm this morning and it looks like much more is coming. We needed rain since it's been over a week without any. Not a whole lot going on as far as new blooms. A couple of the photos are varieties I've posted before but these are different plants. I don't know why plants of the same variety bloom at such different intervals.

1) Ben Huston. This is my 3rd BH. I believe there is one more yet to open.
2) Otto's Thrill. I think this makes three.
3) ??? A vendor substitute.
4) HH 6-in-1
5) Alpen Parfait

Mary, you mentioned having an Elma Elizabeth dahlia. I have two this year and neither has even had a bud. I had one last year and I can't remember if it budded or not. I do know it never bloomed. So after two years of futility I give up. Next year I hope to have a couple of Vera's Elma. I posted a photo of it a while ago. It appears to be very similar to EE. It's has nice 7"-8" lavender ball shaped blooms. I was never a big fan of the ball types until I grew this Orange Globe this year. I may order a few more of the bigger ones next year. I wouldn't mind having a whole row in different colors.

You know there is a lot to be said for no rain. Our constant rain turned the back of my dahlias to mush as they matured then collapsed many of them as their stems were not terribly strong.

I have to admit I like Vera's Elma better than Elma Elizabeth. There are a lot of purple balls, even huge ones like EE. But I love the color of VE, dark in the center and going lighter as it opens. Nice Combination. This is the time of year I regret where I live. All is dead here now and there you are with those gorgeous flowers.

I had to dig Porcupine Valley as I need the space for a peony. I see what you mean about 'green tubers'. It is very light colored and I bet very tender skinned. I washed the one tuber, clipped the roots and such off and am letting it dry on card board in the garage. May bring it indoors as it is fairly cool and moist in the garage right now. On the other hand, if it is too warm it might start to form mold. It never bloomed and was a pretty pathetic tuber to start with. But this is my second try at one as the flower really is pretty.

They're all lovely but that Hollyhill Six in One is such fun!

Orange Globe is wonderful! When I was reviewing last year's dahlias I spotted Chimacum Luke and now I "need" it for 2015.

The second photo shows (close your eyes, Dan) how the deer have eaten many buds on the dahlia outside protection of deer fencing. I put a white "x" mark to the left of some of the eaten stems, sans buds. The dahlias in this area were all bonuses or extras, thankfully.

Mary, you are drying them upside down to rid the dahlias of excess water, right? Maybe you've divided them already and then it's optional.

I'm praying the deer around here never develop a taste for dahlias. I couldn't put up with that. I just chased four of them out of the back yard about five minutes ago. They're probably back by now. They run a few feet and stop and stare at you. I think they are confused because some morons feed them and they never know whether a person is friend or foe. I'm definitely a foe. Between the front and back yards I counted nine squirrels. The huge acorn crop is providing an Ohio luau. Next spring my flower beds will be full of small oak saplings.

This was a rarity, having the deer attack dahlias, but the Southold friend who moved to Michigan didn't escape their wrath there either. They got her dahlias, just a mile away, as they didn't touch mine a few years ago. If this was a rabbit attack I think they'd have eaten all the buds.

At the neighbor's they got the 6' tall dahlias so I assume it's deer because we don't need any 6' tall rabbits!

Ohio luau sounds so appealing. I'll bring the tiki torches!

I've been told that the only deer that eat dahlias are the young ones. They "supposedly" sample them out of curiosity, don't like the taste and never eat them again. Yeah, right!! It looks like they did more than sample yours. I know it's no consolation at this point. Besides, are we ever going to run out of young deer? I'm guessing "No", since almost every doe has twin fawns every spring. Two years ago they ate my mums and begonias. First time that ever happened. I noticed this morning that they had walked through a bed and trampled a big cushion mum and knocked over a couple garden stakes I had used earlier to prop up some tall lilies. If the darn things aren't eating your plants they'll find a way to destroy something else. I'm getting really sick and tired of this nonsense.

Would a gun with a silencer work? How about a taser gun?

Set up a butchering table in the garage and you'll have no need to go hunting farther than your own property!

One person told me deer won't walk on any kind of pipes lying around gardens so she suggested I lay pipes down everywhere. What an idea! I'd have two broken legs and mowing guys that hate me!

ROTFL. I can never keep up with you two. Hysterical. I guess I am just slow. lol.

Yup, when I first dig the clumps, wash them, then put them to dry upside down. I got this brilliant idea to use the trays I got from nurseries that have sort of grid bottoms. I will turn them upside down to get the bottoms a few inches off the floor of the garage, then put the dahlia clumps on them. Great air circulation. That's my newest theory. and I am going to guy some new clippers to try to emulate what that workshop lady showed in dividing. My old ones need a good sharpening and aren't all that great to begin with. Okay for bushes and such but no for the fine stuff like dahlia dividing. I also have a straight blade and a hawk's hooked sort of little on that really works nicely getting between stuff. My back hurts already.

Mine go upside down on the table or in bins. I have photos of a stem filled with water, hence the need to drain them.

While cleaning my garage bench I found a pair of clippers that has never been used so hopefully that will work to free all those useless tubers without eyes. I need the hawk's hooked type of knife to get into the tight spots.

I'm sure we'll all have achy backs at digging and dividing time, Mary.

You haven't dug your's up yet have you? Seems way early for you. And I have also watched water drain out of a stem when I cut the top foliage off. Weird. Your table makes a great spot to dry them - ventilation top and bottom.

I got two more contractors bags of chips today. Ugh. But I am determined to get the greater part of that garden bed under control before the snow flies. Hopefully I have enough cardboard. I dumped off a bunch of glass at the recycling place and saw a lady dumping large, like mattress sized) bunches of cardboard. If I had my truck rather than my car I would asked if I could have a few pieces.

No! We still have five to six more weeks of bloom here.

The old outdoor table is in the dog's pen and can be utilized for draining tubers as well.

I've found the sturdiest cardboard at Toys R Us, already folded neatly and took it home that way to use along the fence line to put a halt to the weed whacking neighbor's weed seeds. I've never seen him (or her) either dig or pull a weed. He just whacks them and the seeds fly over here. I've been using Preen and will put down the weed barrier cloth, topped with Home Depot's Envirotiles and hope for the best. http://www.homedepot.com/b/Envirotile/N-5yc1vZavi?cm_mmc=SEM|THD|D28O&mid=sw87UJpsS|dc_mtid_8903jx325196_pcrid_55331947648_pkw_%2Benvirotile_pmt_b&gclid=CM_bt87zicECFVEQ7AodFDMAxA

pretty blooms. Some of my dahlias are still green leaved, some I think burned up this summer. Guess I'll wait for a freeze. I just got done harvesting September peaches that were supposed to ripen in JUNE.... drought is a funny thing.

We've been getting the rain, yesterday and today, that we could have used in summer when it was too dry.

The dahlia garden must have more than a thousand blooms right now. Just glorious.

OH, send a picture of the whole garden.. Would love to see a 'field of dahlias'. It's 29F this morning. Got more work done yesterday. Now need to start cleaning up beds and cutting down plants.

When the sun shines again I will take photos.

I finally cut back some of the astilbe (we have hundreds, if not thousands, of them) with shears. That made the job SO much quicker and easier. As I clean each area I put down mulch so I can write off gardens one at a time.

You are sooooo organized. And energetic. I just hack and clean, hack and clean. My balance is getting so bad it is all I can do to stay upright and not fall flat on my face as I tromp through the garden. Cross of bad balance, bifocals, and bumpy ground.

It's just that I like knowing each garden is done when I leave it and then I can cross it off my list.

Speak to your doctor but choline helps with balance problems and many fish contains a lot of it so you can eat cod, shrimp, etc. and see if you notice an improvement.

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=50

Balance becomes more of an issue as we age so it's worth reading about anything that can help.

thank you. I looked up the url and I love shrimp. I have avoided cooking it because many of the dishes also have milk products (shrimp bisque) also feta. Damien can't eat much shrimp. I can't remember if it affects his gout or what. But between his inability to have milk products, shrimp, beer, nuts --- I mean what is left in life?? lol I like scampi as long as I can control the amount of butter or oil in it. My MIL swims everything in butter. Damien won't let her cook when she visits. On the other hand we have salmon coming out our ears and D loves to grill it so I guess I will just have to eat more of that too.

I really should have looked into this issue, imbalance, years ago. I will do so seriously now as it is becoming a very limiting factor. I am afraid of falling because of it.

Salmon is so good. I love it broiled with mustard brushed on top. Nice change of pace.

Falling is a big fear. My former female gyn. (who was young) said she went to the gym daily to keep up with balance as it's such a big cause of breaks and fractures. I'm sure she was right!

I like salmon but I'd feel safer eating it if I had a geiger counter I think (the glass is just half empty these days, sorry). I also have dairy allergy but I can tolerate goat cheese somewhat better, and believe it or not I can tolerate cottage cheese and ice cream. Hard cheeses and nonfat dry milk just kill me..

on what to eat when allergies take away the good stuff: Today's treat, asparagus from my garden lightly simmered in water with salt and pepper then a pat of real butter topped with 3 eggs from my hens (I can never eat grocery store eggs again, no comparison), for dessert a fresh peach from my tree. The taste of REAL food almost makes up for the loss of swiss cheese, which I adore. But my health is doubtless better without the antibiotics in dairy anyway, and goat cheese is a lot like cream cheese - for a real treat try jalapeno sausage from San Antonio (it is a beef hard sausage, not sure of the name but could check) with the tiniest touch of local honey, and goat cheese. If you are a purist for neatness put between crackers that don't contain dairy.

Savory hot and sweet all at once.

My friend is lactose intolerant and takes a pill before she eats any dairy but your case may be different than hers.

We all adapt to foods we can't handle, foods we may miss and those we can enjoy. We have our own 12' x 12' asparagus patch so we eat it every night in May and June. We love it roasted with garlic. Yummy!

I'm sure the salmon Mary gets is pure, untainted and I only wish it was sold here.

Back on track:

A gloomy day with some showers a possibility so no photos until the sun shines, sorry.

We fish the salmon straight from the Copper River which is about a pure as you can get it short of going out in a boat in the ocean and catching it before it hits the river. Those asparagus look wonderful. I am hoping next year mine will be mature enough to harvest at least some. I planted more this summer to one side. Hoping they 'take' and then we will have a nice big bed.

The tuber I had to dig up (which is representative of what I have been doing in the past) is still soft and a little shrively. Most definitely green. I will bag it up but don't have a lot of hope for it. I am so glad I have left the others in the ground. It will be really interesting to see the difference when they come up. We have freezes every night now. A friend was visiting from Fairbanks and said that we are about 10 degrees warmer than they are and they have had some very light snow flurries already.

I still have pots outside but guess I should bring them in. I suppose the tubers, corms, whatever could freeze in the pots. My garage is just about cleaned up, at least the floor. Now to do the annual 'shelf inventory' to see what needs moving and what needs pitching. Especially on the pond shelf and the garden shelf. Plus the counter where I do my 'slicing and dicing.'

This message was edited Oct 2, 2014 9:01 AM

There's seldom a lack of jobs for gardeners.

Having salmon (or any fish) as fresh as you get it has to be heavenly.

I am ashamed to admit that I am not a huge fish eater. Salmon is my favorite if I am eating it, although a well prepared cod comes in maybe ahead depending on how it is prepared.

Mary, how do you cook the salmon? The Division of Wildlife no longer stocks salmon. We used to catch lots of them and most years we caught a ton of steelhead trout. I could never find a way to prepare either that I liked. I've had many days of landing 20-30 steelies but release all but a few to give to several friends who smoke them. One guy I know cuts them into chunks and cans them using a pressure cooker. They taste okay but I'm not a big fan. Some years I released as many as 200 steelhead. They probably averaged 5 lbs each. I hate to see hundreds of pounds of fish swim away. Wish there was some way I could use some of it.

You all are making me hungry talking about Salmon. I like it broiled (or grilled) with a little garlic and lemon juice and terryaki basted. With glazed baby carrots. Yum!

Sounds good Nanny. Damien puts some dry herbs on his (Costco has this Kirkland Organic So-Sale Seasoning) salmon, then lemon juice then grills. I like some garlic and onion on mine. Plus he will sometimes smother it in Dijon. I asked him why he bothers cooking salmon when he can't taste it for all the mustard.

I like to dip it in lemon juice then an ground herbed bread with ground pecans. I broil in the oven and spray the tops with Pam so it is crispy not dry. Sometimes I put a sauce on top composed of Greek yogurt, fresh green onion, and maybe some tarragon or savory leaves. I do like sauces

The only way I really enjoy eating fish is when they're deep fried. I know it's not the healthiest but an occasional meal can't hurt too much. It makes me hungry to think about deep fried walleyes with french fries, cole slaw and maybe hush puppies. I'd have to have a big Mason jar of iced tea to wash it down. Next time I catch a steelhead I'll try baking or broiling it with some garlic and lemon juice. Maybe my tastes have changed.

Maybe I just haven't noticed but when did the month of the posts begin appearing in Spanish? Octubre? Spell check doesn't like it. lol

Oh for gosh sake. How weird. I never noticed it. These people (database managers) are really messing with us.

I didn't spot it either!

Well! It wouldn't accept "send" so I kept hitting it and see what happened?!