Tod's Dahlias for 2006 - so far!

I didn't realize it was a family vacation to see your folks! Cherish the time is all I can say, because it's over all too soon.

I was surprised to see you couldn't click on Connell's photos to get a bigger image, too. Bummer. I wonder why they don't use something else as a workaround -- photobucket, MSN, there are a lot of places that host images. Even a link to DG could work.

Tod , they are georgious! Do you want to trade? I have many named, and looks we have similiar taste of dahlias!

Howdy, farmerpickle, didn't know you were into dahlias too. Nice to see another face here!

Hi, farmerpickle! I am a bit nervous about how it will go with the dig-up, I have never done it before. I hope they wait till my vacation to die so I have enough time!. I will let you know. Tell me which ones catch your fancy, so I can do them first, but if you like yellow, hold off - I have a bunch of yellows yet to post that are just blooming lately.

I guess Suzy wanted some as well, so you will have to duke it out! :) :). Do you do this trading in the Fall, or Spring, BTW?

Also, may I take this opportunity to state for the record that I HATE WIND!! Arrrgh! There, I feel a bit better, I was out in the garden last night having to prop up some monster plants with my few remaining stakes for additional support, in the dark, with a tiny flashlight, in the middle of 40mph gusts. I still have to go out there today to see what more damage occured. Next year, two words, green house.

Well, I just did an inspection, and the stalk of Elma Elizabeth was cracked at the joint where the two remaining big stalks start, which is why it couldn't stand up. She is huge, so that must have been quite a gust! I had to remove one of the stalks, I hope the plant will continue on. Poor thing, lost the first stalk to Ernesto, now this. Also half of the Blackberry Ripple complex of 3 shoots was ripped off, a monster as well. At least Hakuyoh is still standing, though having trouble (only had one flower yet and many HUGE buds on it). Should have bought more metal stakes I guess.

Todgor, You have Jennifer's wedding!!!! That is on my wish list. And Millenium, mine rotted last summer and never bloomed. Glad to see them make it for somebody. Kenora Irene also lovely.

Jamlover, Jennifer's wedding was a constant struggle against some foul mold. Also, she is kinda small and not so healthy. Maybe it is just the placement, I put her at the back of my garden, which is at a slight declination all the way back, so many in the back did not do well, waterlogging I guess. Millenium did really well, though. You are welcome to them.

That is really too bad you more or less lost 'Elma Elizabeth.' I really like that one. But yes, the blooms are very large and can break the stalks. So you need to stalk that one early on.

Carol, I am hoping to get one more bloom, if the weather and the plant hold up, we'll see how it goes, though, but the bud has already opened. I had staked it, including many diagonal supports, but it was very top heavy, and hard to secure even with 5 ft. stakes (about 6 1/2 - 7 ft tall).

Oh, I know what you mean. That is why I use rebar for those big guys. But yes, it is so hard to do it in the wind. We had rain last week and I was out in the yard trying to restake up several dahlias and what a pain in the neck it was. Should have just let them be. Didn't help much at all.
So hope you do get more blooms before the big frost/freeze hits.

OK, I think these will be the last, Emory Paul and Camano Messenger are not looking too good today.

This is Almand Surprise, the only bloom. I had to cut it the night of the superwind, it was just too heavy to wait:

And my only Anna Mari, a sad little plant, but at least it bloomed once:

Bonaventure, a big and long-lasting flower:

Gloriosa:

Finally a San Luis Rey that I could get a decent picture of, terrible stems and the bugs love em!

Sunny (yes, there were a lot of yellow blooms of late!):

And lastly, a monarch who would finally sit still for a picture!

Those are gorgeous, Tod -- I can never tell how big the flowers are because I don't really know the flowers by name, but then I see your (or somebody's) hand in the background of a picture, and I realize WOW! those are HUGE! Are those all late blooming?

How is San Luis Rey's stem terrible? I looked it up and it is from 1964 -- I think that's really old in the world of dahlias. Sort of like dog years. LOL!

Suzy

Suzy,

Almand Surprise and Bonaventure are HUGE (and late blooming), Sunny is no slouch either. Gloriosa and Anna Marie are not very big. San Luis Rey is fairly big, though I didn't like the form on most blooms, the petals were often uneven. The stems were very thin and weak, and would buckle at any decent wind or rain (not good for a heavy flower). Was just shopping for new ones, and I found a place that specializes in like 19th century - early 20th century dahlias, now that's OLD!

What I found out this year, unless you completely disbud the dahlia to the one flower on each main branch, you won't likely get the usual quoted sizes. Still, I also learned the flowers actually look much larger than they actually are when you take a ruler to them!

For NJ area, you sure have some nice ones at this time of the year, todgor. I really like that 'Glorisa'. Nice color. That would go nice with 'Wildcat' and 'Crazy Legs' with those colors.

Where did you find a place for the old dahlias??? That sounds very interesting.

Carol, check out this link:

http://www.oldhousegardens.com/bulb.asp?Cat=SD

Especially Union Jack on page 4! I do love red and white stripes! Also, I did not know that Thomas Edison dated to 1929.

Hey, that site is great to look at. If you will notice, a lot of the dahlias are from Oregon. Cool. I really like that 'Hockley Maroon' and 'Winsome.' Yes, that 'Union Jack' is nice looking one to go with 'Santa.'
Hey, I have several 'Thomas Edison' and 'White Fawn.'
Thanks for that site.

So Tod, how will your dahlias change from this year to next? Are you going to go with smaller flowers? Different colors?

Union Jack is one I've liked for a long time. I'd like to see it planted with Skipley Spot. Pooch had a picture of Santa & Skipley Spot I admired a lot -- and they are in the same vein +/-

Suzy

Suzy, mostly I am changing dahlias next year, though I definately want to keep Hakuyoh, Pinelands Pam and Gloriosa. I am working on the list now. I found another Santa-like one I want, its Felida Stars n Stripes:

http://www.aztecdahlias.com/pages/Felida%20Stars%20N%20Stripes.htm

I think I like it even better than Santa Claus!

Poor Hakuyoh, it was largely torn apart by the horrendous wind last night. I only got one decent flower off of it this season.

todgor, you haven't froze off yet!!!! How lucky.

I am going with a lot of giant flowers, along with some really nice lacinated ones, some cactus. Some possible selections:

Hawaii:
http://www.langeveld.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=plants.plantDetail&plant_ID=208

Cheerleader:
http://cgdahlias.com/cheerleader_30.html

Andriana:
http://cgdahlias.com/andriana.html

Jam, there was some damage to many leaves last Thursday, I don't know how many more flowers I will get. Some are still perfectly OK, but its just too cold to allow flowers to get very big. Like last year, there isn't one killing event, just a little at a time. Hope I can hold out til I finish the front garden, its taking longer than I thought.

todgor, I've got lots of Hawaii.

Darn it, Tod! Quit sending me to more websites LOL! Yes, Felida Stars n Stripes is wonderful, it's on my list, but there is something weird about it....the places the Big List 2006 shows should have it, don't.

There is another one in the header at the Corrilitos website where you sent us to see Cheerleader & Andriana. Somebody, anybody! Go to the Corrilitos website (link above under Andriana) and tell me the name, not of the big Coral Cactus right in the middle, but the tri colored one off to its right. I gotta have that! Or at least have its name so I can add it to my ever-changing, ever-expanding wishlist!

Suzy

How about sending them an e-mail and ask them who it is?? Then tell me, 'cause it sure is pretty.

I found Felida SnS at Corralitos Gardens: http://cgdahlias.com/felida_stars_and_stripes.html

Granny, Good idea. I sent the message and will let you know.

Mendy, Thanks!

Suzy

Just doing my part as an enabler! ;o)

Okay you awful enablers === The dahlia in the Corralitos header is a new release named 'Blown Dry'. So I ordered it. Plus Felindre Stars & Stripes, plus 2 more I had to have. It's happening just as I said in one of my very first posts: You find one you have to have at one place, and then you add a couple to the order to make it a decent order. Then you find one you have to have at another place, and add a couple to it to make it a decent order over and over and over. Luckily I am running out of room in the sunny beds, so I can't have dahlias numbering in the100s!

Suzy

Weeeeeelllllll, you cooooooouuuuuld...........do you have grass??? LOL

That silly grass and those wasteful driveways! They just spoil our fun. Why do they get all the sunshine?

LOL! You should see my front yard -- it's like an acre, but all dh's. We have Turf Wars every so often, and I recently acquired a small shady parcel in back, but by and large, the man with the biggest guns, gets his way. His big gun: he has the lawnmower and isn't afraid to use it!

I get the iddy bitty back yard and have to battle English Ivy. But it's miiiiiine, alllll miiiiine.

Suzy

LOL, Suzy!! When I read that, "But it's miiiiiine, alllll miiiiine." It makes me think of the voice of the wicked lady in the Disney movie The Rescuers. LOL

Well, you could accidently spill some roundup on his.............................part........................LOL, Suzy!!!

But good job on ordering. Now we all know where to come to next year for tubers, LOL