THE END

It got down to 27° last night. The 2005 dahlia season is now officially over for me....except for the cleanup, digging, dividing, trading and dreaming of next year's dahlias.

This message was edited Oct 29, 2005 1:27 PM

Of course, the forecast for the next 10 days is wonderful. Temps in the 60's during the day, no frosts.......sigh.

I hate to see it end. The one bright spot is next year I will have at least twice as many dahlias thanks to the generous traders here on DG!

How sad.... yes, I still go out and look at all my "stuff" - the last of my dahlias, bent over with some strong winds recently.... looking sad. I am soooo happy to have found DG last summer. Not a day goes by without my checking in!

I look forward to pics of your dahlias next year - Happy Autumn....

Sanna

Thanks, Sanna. I spent the afternoon cutting them down and putting foil on the cut ends. In about a week I will start digging and dividing. I also cut down and dug up the cannas. Tomorrow I dig up the callas and acidantheras.

One of the pleasures of this winter will be looking at all the dahlias on Dave's.

Will you eventually get a frost to kill your dahlias?

Oh my Candy, how sad to see those blackened stalks!
But all comes around. Hopefully, you will have some new dahlias to grow.
The frost on your lawn sure shows what it looks like tho.
We haven't (at least I am assuming since I am still in Bellingham, WA, with my father) had a frost yet. I hope I get back to some flowers? I probably won't be digging until late Nov. since I have to come back up here to Bellingham again in a week. So hope you don't mind the late time for the tubers.
I see you used the tomato cages for staking the dahlias. I might try that next year.
Carol

candy, why do you put tin foil on the end cuts? my dahlia's were frosted thursday. i'm going to dig tomorrow and next few days. i'm going to try tomato cages next year. belinda

Candy to much grass lol I know you wanted innocence what else I forgot but think after a two year lay off I will dig a few.

I did something wrong the brugs shriveled and rotted oh well . Ernie

Carol, I actually used the big tomato cages for the tomatoes. I didn't have enough of the big ones for dahlias. I don't think the smaller tomato cages would be strong enough or tall enough. Next year I am thinking about using rebar - have you tried that?

Belinda, I am leaving the tubers in the ground for 6 - 8 days after I cut them down so the eyes will start to swell and be easier to see when I divide them. The foil is to keep any water from getting inside the hollow stems and rotting the tubers while they are in the ground. Sometimes there is liquid inside the hollow stem when I cut the stalk off. I tap the stem a few times to get the liquid out before I cover it with foil.

Hey Ernie, how are the puppies doing? I bet you have them trained already. I know there is too much grass here but it is my mother's lawn so I am not free to tear it all up. I am working on her though. LOL The other dahlias were Pineland Princess (but I have already arranged to trade for that on this forum) and another one that Linda didn't know the name of. It looked like one in your picture - the cluster of 3 darkish pink ones in the shade on the right side of the picture. Do you know which one that is? Are you planning on trading with any of the dahlia lovers on this forum? There are a lot of beautiful dahlias available for trade - they would look lovely in your yard. Check out my list too. http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/549992/ I have a few more small brug cuttings left. I can keep them here until they establish roots and then ship them out to you. Do you want them?

Are you all aware of the 2005 DG photo contest coming up? I have seen lots of beautiful dahlia pictures on this forum that should be entered. Here's the link: http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/549693/

Candy, funny that you mention rebar. I just got some at a baragin lumber store. Rebar is dang expensive! So I am going to keep my eye out for some cheap or free rebar. But I know a guy who I had gotten a few tubers from and he has used rebar for years and years. My soil is horrible clay below the good soil and no stake can be pounded into it, so am going to use rebar. Just need to find a few construction sites to pick up some freebies!
Carol

I thought rebar was the cheapest way to go! Phooey! Well, my brother-in-law works in construction so I will ask him to keep his eye out for some. My soil is potters clay. If it is wet I can get a stake in okay but once it dries out it is like cement - that stake is going nowhere. LOL

Home big box stores is not the place to buy rebar you take a skinning because they have you. I buy rebar at a steel supply that only sells steel. But the price of rebar has doubled in the last year. Now I dont even stake them I dig a hole to plant them in a little deeper than normal and when they get growing just fill it in as they grow and for the most part that is good enough. If you fertilize and grow excess foliage then you probably will need to stake them.

Candy you talking about the dark red black one? I seem to remember that, Nice of you to reoffer brug cuttings what a shame I lost those you had them packaged so neatly and they were first class when they got her I guess I should have started them in water I dont think me getting sick helped them out either.Ernie

Gabby ten Andy five months and little Jenny is two months here and allready thinks she is a big dog lol

PUPPIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh so cute.... I love Dave's Garden, not only for the flora, but the fauna as well!

Ernie, I have to figure out where Everson Wa is, north by the Canadian border rings a bell, but I'll look it up. Regardless, you have one beautiful garden there. The view out those windows must be breathtaking all summer long.

I love that puppy too!
Yes, where is Everson?
Rebar is going up in price, I heard that too. But Candy, if you have relatives in the construction bus. that is great then.
Carol

Everson is in Whatcom County, northeast of Bellingham. The town itself is about 8 miles from the Canadian border. Ernie lives outside of town with a view of Mt. Baker to DIE for. My DXH lives in Everson and I visit him (and Ernie LOL) at least once a year. Maybe we could have a mini RU next summer when I visit. You would absolutely be flabbergasted at Ernie's place. Don't know how he and Linda manage it.

Ernie, that picture of Gabby and the puppies is adorable. I hope you will enter it into the DG photo contest.

The dahlia I was thinking of wasn't red....I believe it was more of a hot fuchsia color.

Have you read about using a bubbler for your brug cuttings? It would be really easy for you to fix up and from what I hear the cuttings do great in it. A DG member who lives near me has used it and loves it. If you search the brug forum for bubbler I am sure you will find out everything you need to know. I haven't tried it so I can't say one way or another. Just let me know if you want me to send some more cuttings; it is no problem at all. I am sorry to hear you haven't been feeling well. 2005 just hasn't been your year, has it? I hope things are better now.

Just my luck that rebar has doubled in price. There's a salvage place in Bellingham that Doug goes to. I can't remember the name of it but I wonder if they would have it cheap there? (Not that it would do me any good here in Ohio. LOL)

Has anybody tried this no-stake method used by Swan Island Dahlias? http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/84809/ Combined with Ernie's method of planting deep and filling in it might even work with nitrogen-fertilized dahlias. Poochella, take note!