Dahlias - Summer's End/Storage 2014 Part 2

I found a new lily place on ATP but it's in Canada so I'm safe for now.

You don't have any grass that could depart the scene, Mary?

I saw the same lily place in Canada. Boy, what a selection. Their freight and the phyto cert make it pretty spendy though.

I keep looking but the backyard is pretty well crammed. The front yard could stand to lose some grass. I can't put anything like a tree peony or bushes or such in there because of the moose. I even imagined building a cage that was really skookum with rebar to hold it down. The rebar could sit in the bed so I wouldn't kill myself tripping over it. Then I could wire the cage down each fall. I was thinking about the tree peonies. But I could just put in herbaceous things. The other difficulty is that right now Damien does his best to avoid my flower beds out front when he is blowing snow off the driveway. In heavy snow winters the snow piles can get to be 5' tall and it takes quite a while to melt, so the beds don't really get a chance to grow very soon.

What's the lily place in Canada called? I wouldn't mind taking a gander.

I can see what you mean about the snow and moose problems, Mary, and you don't need more pots...or do you? I get bugged by lifting pots, bringing them outside and then inside.

Jeff - Oddly enough I think it's called the Lily Place! I'll check back at ATP and then report but have to find that thread first.

I tried but couldn't find it. Maybe Mary has the answer.

Thanks!

Valley K Lily Ranch is the one.

I raked, mowed and bagged leaves all morning. I took a walk through the sad looking garden. I don't want to go back until digging time. Really pitiful looking. But it's November. We're having mid-60 temps today and some plants still have buds trying to open. I guess this is the last hurrah.

1) Kelvin Floodlight
2) KFL. Another KFL? I told you the darn things were too common! lol
3) Elsie Huston
4) Lilac Time. I received this instead of Otto's Thrill. I love it, so I'm THRILLed.
5) Peach Delight. This plant finally bloomed ONLY two months after the first one.

It's a long time until July, so here's a few more before the snow flies.

1) Shiloh Noelle
2) Show 'n Tell
3) Inland Dynasty
4) One of my re-blooming irises actually re-bloomed.

Almost forgot this one. This is Alpen Parfait. The first photo is a recent bloom. The second photo shows the true colors at the end of August. Complete color change. If I didn't know better, I'd swear the new one was Seattle or Peaches 'n Cream. It's kind of weird to go from a 7"-8" orange bloom to a 3" yellow one. I really like the change.

You're braver than I, Dan. From the window I can see it's nothing like it was even 10 days ago so tomorrow I may begin the cutting back. Jack bought the plastic bags to keep the rain (due Thursday) out of the stems.

Your dahlias are so lovely. I doubt I'd have anything to compare. I will bring in any good buds I find.

KFL too common? How funny! The others are glorious.

In former years I've seen more color change (always towards yellow) than this year. Going from big to small, along with a color change, sounds like plastic surgery for dahlias. It's definitely not Peaches 'n' Cream, nor Peaches and Cream, nor Cream and forget the peaches. I had it last year and won't buy it again. That's the one whose label (at one of the big box stores) said the height would be 18" and it passed 6' tall.

Score one for the iris!

My Show n' Tell did the color change thing this year. It started yellow and ended up looking like yours. Each flower got more orange to it. I have about half of my tubers dug. I don't have many to begin with, will finish up this weekend. So far the tubers have all looked real good.
I confess I have KFL too. I have always liked it. It is always a good performer.

Pitifu looking? You have got to be kidding

My laptop bit the dust so am on my nook

I didn't mean a few like these. I meant the literally hundreds that are hanging upside down and have turned a sickening brown color. I normally deadhead those but it's a little too late for that. I bought sandwich bags and five boxes of gallon size zip-locs. I'm ready to dig. Were supposed to have low 40's for highs this weekend with snow showers. I still don't see any lows in the forecast that would allow a frost.

Same here, Dan. Even the 10 day forecast doesn't show a chance of a frost.

The frost finally got the dahlias here so I dug up tubers yesterday. I have a very large, dense clump of tubers - maybe 40 medium small to medium sizes. After rinsing them off outdoors, I wondered if they'd have any chance of sufficiently drying before storage. I do plan a little bleach water dip before storing. Should I reduce the size of the clump or separate the tubers before storing? This is my second try at storing them and I'm afraid I'll end up with mushy tubers.

Mary or Dan can tell you how. It's the spot where I fail miserably and keep entire clumps.

Good luck!!!

If you don't want to divide the clumps into individual tubers you can try what some friends of mine do. They cut straight down through the stalk and divide the clump into two, three or four sections depending on the size of the clump. They wash the sections and dry for a day or two. Part of that time in front of a fan. You will certainly ruin a few tubers dividing this way but better than losing the entire clump. I think the initial drying is the most important aspect of the process.

Ken, over in ATP, sent this URL to me wondering if we would be hit with it. From what I read you guys may expect some of the effects of it

http://texasstormchasers.com/2014/11/06/monster-storm-developing-bering-sea/

Looks like we better start digging...

That's what I'll be doing for the next few days. It was 45 today but will be near 60 for four days before it's back to 45 again.

I saw forecasts calling for lows just above freezing for two nights next week. Also several days of light snow. I think I will cut down the stalks next week without waiting any longer for a freeze. The snow and really cold weather will probably hit all at once and leave me digging through frozen ground if I wait much longer. It's crazy, but I actually have a few buds trying to open.

Last night wasn't quite cold enough to do a complete foliage kill to the dahlias. They don't look the best but they're still kickin. I was surprised how well they did considering it was 29 last night. Next chance for a killing freeze is Wednesday night.

I have been picking my last flowers, it is kind of sad time, but now I am planing for the next year. This is Jenna and some purple Angelonia, almost the same color. Etelka

Very nice, Etelka. They look lovely together.

Ours are coming to an end as well. Yesterday I dug up about 20 of them and will do more today and tomorrow. The weather has been beautiful and I prefer to do the work in good weather when possible.

I've already been searching out some new ones.

Tubers are all dug as of Friday. No cleaning needed in my sandy/loam soil. I just have to shake them off. Not sure about dividing now or in the spring. It is kind of fun checking out the tubers on those that are dug.

I'm about 80% done. I allowed those that are still flowering to remain but they'll probably be done by the weekend.

Got mine dug this evening but didn't have time to clean them, I will do that tomorrow. It gets dark so early now, not much time after work, so I have to do it in shifts.

You can turn them upside down, so the water drains, as you wait to dig the others. That's what I've done to try to get the weather advantage on outdoor work.

Many years ago I didn't wash them at all and just let the sun bake the soil dry and then shook it off - no damage resulted, so if I'm in a time pinch I just might do it again.

Thanks for that tidbit of info.Good to know. pirl I am always pressed for time. lol

Anything that can cut back on the work is worth knowing.

Amen to that! i am all for anything that can save time and work! It is supposed to be up in the 60s today, and then the rest of the week...Brrrrrrrr. I am getting ready, digging out my thermal underwear,because next week we have highs in the 30s.

It's just not fun working when it's in the 30's. I can handle the 40's but not if there's any wind.

I just cut all my dahlias down yesterday (took a day off work). It's not supposed to rain this week so I think I'm good leaving the stalks uncovered until this weekend when they all get dug. I'm excited to see how the tubers multiplied over the summer.

Good luck! I have my baggies ready and will cover the cut stalks today "just in case".

Thanks, I have all my bags already. The peat is all ready to go. Once I get these guys out, all winter prep will be done and I can focus all my attention on fall bulb planting.

I'm heading out to rake leaves ... again! I only have one flowering crab apple tree but I end up with more leaves than anyone around here. It just ain't fair, I tell you. lol We had 60-something degree temps yesterday and again today. After today the bottom drops out. Mid to high 30's for at least the next week with a few nights dropping a little below freezing. I will go ahead and cut down a few of the worst looking dahlia stalks today. I'm afraid if I wait much longer I'll be digging through snow.

I've been writing the name on larger grocery store bags, one to a plant, and tying them to stakes so when I lift them I'll be ready to bag each one immediately, then turn them upside down to drain them for a few days.

If you can work it out, plant your bulbs while you're in sunny spots. We're due for cold weather and working with cold soil, in the shade, makes the job feel worse. I still have to dig up daffodils to plant them in a better spot and add crocuses so I'll be sure to do it when the sun is shining in that spot.

We cross posted, Dan.

Some neighbors around here really get the brunt of the falling/blowing leaves. We manage to escape and, since I hate raking, I'm thrilled. Hope you made a big pot of soup because you'll be aching from the raking!

Looks like many of us will have cold weather next week.

Yeah well I'm back to work today but I'll be out there in the 40 degree temps this weekend :( Oh well, it needs to be done so as long as the weather is dry, I'm game. I'll just wear an extra layer.