NO MORE PROCRASTINATING___ tie to stakes on Friday!!!!

Yikes____noticed several plants leaning away from the stakes and I haven't tied anyone yet. Some are approaching three foot tall and if a good old Iowa storm hits they will topple. Time, time where do you go!! Guess it just takes more of it to do less each year. Or it takes a few more breaks a little more often. And after 11:00 a.m. I crawl into my cacoon in the air until after 4:00. Then after being in the air it seems really warm outside. Luckily we've only been in the 80's and low 90's. But with humidity up around 60% or more it seems really hot.

But save the dahlias is a must. The stakes are in place so Friday morn, the first day I'll be home I must____I repeat MUST do that simple deed.

Well it's Friday___no storm in sight___and dh thinks the county fair would be a good project for the day. How can I resist!! We started dating at the county fair 53 years ago. Went last night and sat near the entry to the grandstand and as young couples entered we could hardly believe our eyes.(and ears) It's a different stage out there than it was 53 years ago!!! I really feel sorry for teens going through it right now. Grandchildren beware!! And the show was so loud. Hardly could catch a word of the (singers?). Dh's birthday(day/year) was the same as Elvis's. Reminded me of the Wadena rock festival we took in many moons ago. Oh, to be young and silly (foolish??) again. Those were the days. But it wasn't anything___except the Rock Festival___like it is today. I commented to dh about all the smoke on the stage at times. The smoke was all over the place at the festival; reeked of drugs. And the intense lights glaring in your face. And the clothes??? some young gals wear around. His comment was 'at least they are mostly covered. Some paraded only painted at the festival. Guess it was just 37 years before it's time!!! But I've see a lot in my time___from no electricity and one room schools to computers. I wouldn't want to trade places with anyone.

Jam, you're turning into a regular hippie LOL! Still working on stakes here... it never ends.

"Hey, we are still waiting", say the dahlias. "One of these days the wind is going to get one of us. What's Jam up to that's so darned important?"

This message was edited Jul 15, 2007 7:49 AM

I can't believe you haven't done yours yet. Mine are all like little Hannibal Lectors ;)

Well I managed to tie 15 to 20 after the rains ended this pm. Never done it this way before. Usually go right down the line and tie all, but picked out the obvious problem children and anchored them properly. Blow wind blow and grow dahlias grow___ I hope we don't have snow as the rhyme continues. Rain will suffice. Another inch could be handled but ended up with about 1 1/2 inches in the last 24 hours.

I managed to develop a stinkin' rash from cutting giant ragweed out of my raspberry patch. Worked on it for 3 days. The first one in short sleeves. The next 2 days I put on the same shirt but added long sleeves over it. and ventured out to continue. Well after 2 weeks I made the Dr's. office
yesterday. Was told after time many weeds could cause an allergic reaction. Never wear the same suit. Wash immediately after coming in, which I didn't do____ you know the routine. Well I guess you never know who the villan can be. So beware gardening friends.

Big bump!

I've had this thread marked as "unread" for over 10 months now to remind me to tie up the dahlias and now is a good time for all of us dahlia lovers to be reminded.

Hey, I'm ahead of time this year___ready to tie a few fellows and it's only the 5th of July. I did however do a really stupid thing. Ran an electric wire around my vegie garden on top of some poultry wire to keep out a ground hog and then planted dahlias along the outside of it. Now the dahlias are reaching the electric wire. Some are staked out and away on purpose ____some have just received a haircut with the scissors to keep the offending leaves from the wire. Now how dumb can one be. I knew they were going to get 4 foot tall!! Where was my thinking!! Last night before a snipping by me, it was grounded out by an offending squash vine and some cosmos and dahlias and he feasted on 3 broccoli. This time he even ate half of the head, not just the leaves. And it was almost ready to harvest!! Darn.

Would it be possible to cover the broccoli with wire cages? I've never had the problem but a bunny is eating the leaves from my daughter's broccoli.

Now I have to remember to mark this one as "mark unread" again...until I tie up the dahlias!

I will tie up the last of the dahlias.... I will.... I will.....

Unfortunately, my new dahlias from Tod are still under a foot tall, so it will be awhile before I have to stake them up. LoL.

I'm enjoying this thread and using it as a reminder to get out there and stake TODAY! At least it isn't raining. My dahlias are about a foot tall, or roundabout, and I've been putting off staking because they line my front garden beds and the stakes look a bit, well, "pointy" as my guests drive up! Oh well.
I am also the person who is growing twenty 4 to 5 foot dahlias in 10 Earth Boxes this year. Haven't figured out the staking-problem yet, since the EBs are too shallow to really support tall stakes. You can purchase a trellis-system but it's very pricey. I'm thinking I'll roll the EBs (one of their advantages) over to a fence and use that as a support.

Good idea, Emily.

My DH calls my new dahlia patch the 'stick garden' because of all the tall stakes sticking up ^_^

Everyone's all staked here! Finished today finally! Well, all the one's in the ground. I still have a few pots to do...

I had one of those doubting Thomases viewing my beds of bare stakes with a little bit of disdain on his face and total disbelief that "95% of them won't be visible in 3 months." Many are halfway or more there. Dahlias are so fast once they get going! Real fast. I just tied growing stalks and laterals 4 days ago when watering, and could retie half of them higher up again today. The game is on for 2009.

I tied more AGAIN on Friday. Growth spurts from Drinks from the Sky in July caused a leapage in growth.

One guess what I still haven't done!

:O perchance 'unwatch' isn't enough dear Pirl. Maybe turn up your smoke detectors to scream when you shower, toast, or just go off at random? I am the biggest procastinator in the WORLD. I have used my smoke detectors to remind me of important stuff before. Just a thought dear Pirl ^_^

You're my kind of girl, dnut! I will procrastinate at my own funeral if given half a chance. Everything always works out though, so why should I change my procrastinating ways now?

We are in the thick of summer now with heat and twice weekly waterings. I swear to you all: I watered Saturday evening and Sunday evening, retied and disbudded as I did so, and I was out in that same bed doing the same this morning on some dahlias. We wait so long for dahlia season, but geez, can't they slow down just a tad?????

O no Pooch. They are wonderfully burstful now ^_^ I have pics. If we could only get finished with the *&$^%patio %*@#@ I will post some pics. O sorry. Did I have a hissy fit? Methinks I might have fudged the bad words in type so I'm sending bad words telepathicly. Sorry if anyone is offended telepathicly. O bother. One should never share thoughts about a patio from hoot.

If the #)(&*%)&# patio involves pouring cement or carrying heavy pavers, then I feel for you telepathically.

I am happy to report Mango Sunset has the most unique color on the bud, just now peeking out. Not red, not orange. She's going to be a real mystery while opening and I'm sure a welcome bloom. Time to charge the camera battery...

I'll write TIE UP DAHLIAS with a Sharpie on my hand. Sure to impress anyone who sees it.

Pirl, I think "TIE UP DAHLIAS" would look very fetching on your hand and anyone who gardens would know exactly why the reminder was there!!

I'm making great progress! Half of one garden is done!


Edited to say:
Hurrah and hurray - that whole garden is now staked and tied.

This message was edited Jul 23, 2009 3:56 PM

YIPPEE! Was it the sharpie?

Boy, just in time, Arlene--last night here on the Cape, it rained heavily and blew hard. Did you have the same weather?

Nooooo. Are your dahlias ok?

Thanks for asking, dahlianut! Yes, they are mostly OK, though I lost a few lateral branches. Thanks to this thread, I had been chided into tying them up over the last week! Of course, they aren't that tall yet either, which helped save them.
(In contrast, several of my tomato cages are now listing dangerously after being blown about, because the 'maters are taller and bushier.)

Fate was surely smiling because we had two cherry tomato trellises knocked over and scapes on daylilies ripped off by the wind. The rain was fierce!

No Sharpie needed, dahlianut, I just forced myself to go out and do it or never face the Dahlia Forum again!

Whoa that's mighty wind!

I'm glad this keeps getting bumped, since it seems like I am needing to tie up (but dragging my feet) every several days now. Everyone is staked, but I keep planting more-did I mention my addiction? If they're growing, and not stalled out from rot/too much rain, I can't complain!!!!

Quee - I have not gotten around to staking mines yet either. Only about three are over two feet tall and I should actually tie them up. The others are only about a foot or less - they are growing sooooooo slow.

Finished today! My best surprise was Pinot Noir from last year that managed to thrive over the winter. Last year it was wimpy (at best) so I changed spots and put it in the rose garden and now it's all it was cracked up to be.

Bump!

As they're growing by leaps and bounds this is just a reminder to keep them tied up or risk a mess.

Just think of the upcoming hurricane season, pirl!

Precisely! I went out to tie up (again) one dahlia and ended up weeding/edging/etc. Too hot for that now.

I have all but two staked up. They are looking good this year. I lost a few due to my improper cutting of them in the past. Bought a ne full grown plant from OSH.Looked great. Hasn't bloomed yet. Should I try to repot it. Thank heavens they have the 100% satisfaction thing.
I shoud get pictures up soon

Happy birthday, jamlover! Let's hope we all remember to tie up the dahlias this year.

Happy B Day jamlover. Hope you have a luvly, luvly day.