Starting dahlia seeds

calico20hill · 2023-03-05T22:07:16+00:00

I am excited to see plants growing form Rock Run Ashley seeds I collected last year. I don't think I have tried seedlings from it before. I started quite...

Krista

Bessie “fortified my soil with Calcium, by putting too old milk and yogurt”
Oh this is interesting! I did not know that the calcium in dairy products is in a form that can be absorbed by our garden plants, very cool this works for you. I’ve admittedly tried the raw milk dilution for combatting powdery mildew, I can’t lie. 😅

DarcyD

I hoped to start my seeds this week, but we are going to Arizona for my son's soccer tournament on the 23rd and extended it into a little vacation to see Sedona and the Grand Canyon. The new plan is to start them when we get home.

I also start on slightly damp paper towels in a baggie. When I'm too slow and the roots go into the paper towel, I tear a bit of the paper towel with the seed using tweezers & plant it with it. Grows just fine, just takes a wee bit more time.

Seed sprouting time can't come soon enough...my favorite.

Bessie

Today marks 8 weeks from seed starting time. These Dahlia seedlings went in the ground two days ago. I should have moved them farther away from the wall! DarcyD Going on vacation, and figuring out how all my "babies" will survive is a big challenge!

calico20hill

That should make masses of color! What fun!

MissyWeitzel

This is my first year starting seeds I saved where I:
*planted like forms together and in color order
*kept track of seed parent
*culled all open center dahlias long before each one saved had been pollinated.

Next year I'll work on actually setting a goal. For now though I'm excited to see what I get!

Darce

MissyWeitzel
You are so ahead of the game! I still am roughly dividing my saved seeds into 3 divisions of : smaller all sorts /larger all sorts and singles
I did save out in particular Waltzing Matilda and Rae-Ann’s Teacher and Veronne’s Obsidian - I really like those forms and Mathilda had the black foliage I love!

This year I also bought seed and I decided on an approach I am calling “standing on the shoulders of giants (with the help of bees)”. I bought seeds from Lobaughs,Rivers, Bloomquist and Swan’s. (I also bought seed from Floret and Plant world). I will plant all those seedlings in a patch and see what genetic marvels comes up from all those fine dahlia hybridisers!

Teddahlia

"I bought seeds. " Many years ago, Margaret bought some seeds from Sea Tac Dahlias(Lou Eckoff) and Hollyhill Lou was the only seedling in that 30 or so seedlings that was any good. It went on to score well in the trial gardens and even won some blue ribbons in the shows. We decided not to continue to grow it as we had not really bred it.

Darce

Teddahlia
Oh wow it was a super pretty orange- well I hope my dahlia superstar hybridisers seedling patch will erupt in such glorious colors as your HH Lou- I should be so lucky!

DarcyD

I read that someone was using an anti-fungal spray for roses on the their paper towels along with a spritz of water when seed starting. Has anyone tried that? I always get some mold & funky smells going on. Some of mine turn to mush if you push on them gently, although that probably would just be a dud I suppose. Wondering if it would help that?

DarcyD

Hmmm...Not sure why my post is showing as I'm deleted? 🙂 I did from my phone on an airplane, maybe that's why. Any how...it was me wondering about the fungal spray & if anyone had tried it. 😊

Teddahlia

Nothing, one or two, a few, 40, five, nothing. This is how seed sprouting works. You want everything really good to sprout. However, hard to get seeds from these varieties often fail to sprout and part of the reason they do not make seeds is that if they do make seeds , they are crap(nonsensical statement). But the 40 seedlings are from a really good one.

Darce

I have a seedling that has popped up that is completely white - will it green up eventually or is the seedling just weird and doomed?

Teddahlia

White is a death sentence for a seedling. It will not thrive and will die.

Teddahlia

Keep good records of the seedlings you keep. Typical conversation between Ted and Margaret: Ted: That seedling 21 -33 was really nice wasn't it? I am taking extra cuttings. because you liked it so much. Margaret; Tell me which one is 21-33 and I do not memorize the numbers of the seedlings. Ted: You know, the watermelon red one that is almost a waterlily. Margaret: I still don't remember, show me a picture. Ted: OK, I will try to find the picture.

Margaret: Oh, why didn't you just say the coral red almost waterlily?

AndreaB

Teddahlia Oooh, that’s pretty!

NCDahlia

Teddahlia I know you and Margret hand pollinate and I assume then organza bag the bloom so bees to not mess with said pollen? That is a pretty WL. Very nice

Teddahlia

Margaret always covers up with an organza bag (or tulle cloth, the poor man's organza bag) the recipient of the pollen a week before it is ripe. The pollen flowers are harvested and kept indoors. About 50% of our waterlily seedlings were hand pollinated. This one is an open pollinated seedling of HH Wicked Witch and the bee had the audacity to cross it with something other than a waterlily and it has too many rows of florets.

DarcyD

Off to the races. Started 35 varieties 4 days ago. Yesterday they started popping roots so I started potting them up. Next year will follow Teds advice and stagger them. Drew are you here? Look at Netherton Zalah showing off as a quick sprouter. And, HH Cotton Candy every single seed sprouted at day 3 except 2. I need to finish potting them up today. 🥳🌸

Teddahlia

We are potting up mostly waterlily seedlings. Margaret gets a bit focused on what she wants to breed and many of the other types are not on her agenda.

calico20hill

What numbering system do you use to ID your seedlings? I have over 300 seedlings coming along and I do need to give them ID's. I assume you use the year but what comes after that? Do you have a code for the seed mother? Do you assign a number when you set them out or only when you decide to keep one?

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