Dahlias in Containers

[SuntannedSwede]

Hi Deborah! I'm sorry to have taken so long to give an update. I ended up placing the Walter Hardisty's in the raised bed, and got a lot of blooms considering the shallowness of the bed. I fed regularly with Miracle Gro, I think that's the only reason we had any flowers. I have attached picture of the few large blooms we had, I didn't now the plants would produce several, smaller heads, under 'tougher' conditions but there were a few.

[RJGlew]

Originally Posted by SuntannedSwede

the Walter Hardisty's

Walter H. is a very beautiful white, but typically a later variety. Since it looks like you are Zone 3a like I am, do consider Verda since it flowers earlier.

http://www.sidsdahlias.com/images/Verda.jpg

[SuntannedSwede]

Originally Posted by RJGlew

Walter H. is a very beautiful white, but typically a later variety. Since it looks like you are Zone 3a like I am, do consider Verda since it flowers earlier.

http://www.sidsdahlias.com/images/Verda.jpg

Hey thanks for the heads up- Verda looks like a beautiful dahlia. I definitely like the idea of earlier blooms. Much appreciated!

[PhilaGardener]

Those look great! When is your average frost date? (Written sitting in Philadelphia where it currently is rainy and warm - almost 70F! on October 24th!). My dahlias seem to have wound down for the season after a hot and dry Sept but I am still getting a trickle of blooms.

[SuntannedSwede]

Originally Posted by PhilaGardener

Those look great! When is your average frost date? (Written sitting in Philadelphia where it currently is rainy and warm - almost 70F! on October 24th!). My dahlias seem to have wound down for the season after a hot and dry Sept but I am still getting a trickle of blooms.

Thank you! Sorry I should clarify- these photos were taken a few weeks ago, according to the Ag gov't site our first frost typically occurs during the second week of September, but we were lucky this year. I think the first real freeze we had was in the first week of October, maybe a little later. Wow- sounds like winter is taking its sweet time down in Philadelphia! All my tubers have been tucked away already!

[PhilaGardener]

The new term apparently is "hotumn", although I think that is a recent invention of the media.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/24/n...n-weather.html

We had one cold morning dip in to the upper 30s but so far the cold seems to be staying away. I'll probably lift my dahlias this weekend. Winter will get here eventually, won't it?

[Cole_Robbie]

I have one dahlia left over from my flowers this summer. It wins the persistence award, as it is still blooming months after being planted. It is in a small pot, and only got osmocote, but is really pretty at the moment.

Is taking cuttings the best way to propagate it? Digging up the roots to propagate is for in-ground plants, right? I am thinking it would work with a container plant, but probably not be the best way.

[PhilaGardener]

If you knock that out of the pot and examine, you will find it has formed tubers. Either trim the top, shake the mix off and store the tubers in a paper bag over the winter or set the pot on its side under a bench and let it dry out and go dormant (like one would do with a tuberous begonia).

If you want to increase this clone, you can divide the tuber mass but make sure each tuber retains a bit of the stem base as that is where the new shoots form. You can also take cuttings, but I think you will have the greatest success doing so when the plant starts to regrow at the beginning of the growing season rather than now when it is winding down into dormancy.

[Cole_Robbie]

Thanks for the help. Here's a pic of my plant:

[NewWestGardener]

They sure look great! I bought several of those earlier in the season as well, some with purple edges.

They are so susceptible to mild dew in my area, even in the heat of summer I only have a couple of survivors now, but they haven't been blooming for a while as they most their leaves to the molds. They produce tons of blooms if they don't get diseased.

Originally Posted by Cole_Robbie

Thanks for the help. Here's a pic of my plant:

[Cole_Robbie]

Originally Posted by Cole_Robbie

Thanks for the help. Here's a pic of my plant:

I left that plant outside too late in the fall, and the frost got it. I took it inside and forgot about it. Two months later, green shoots were coming out of the root ball. I re-potted it, took it to the greenhouse, and my 2017 dahlia looks to be doing well.

[Cole_Robbie]

The plant got a little freeze-nipped, but it is blooming again.

[Nan_PA_6b]

Gorgeous! What is the name of that cultivar?

Nan

[Cole_Robbie]

Thanks. It is out of the 'Harlequin Mix,' seeds from Harris.

https://www.harrisseeds.com/products...-harlequin-mix

[MissS]

Lovely flower. I am so glad that you saved this one over. Most people just dispose of these beauties. Next year be sure to divide the roots or you may not be successful in saving it over.