General Dahlia Chat 2023

blown_dry · 2023-02-04T23:41:17+00:00

Continuing from https://cubits.org/Dahlias/thread/view/91587/?offset=560#end_of_thread

BarryO

"Florescent" for sure. Apparently wonderful depth and substance too!

Bessie

It's in the 90's today and tomorrow here in Sonoma County, and the Dahlia seed pods are ripening nicely. The past few days I found a really interesting discovery. In two separate Dahlia seed pods, on different plants, there was a single small sunflower seed. I guess a bird(s) thought the Dahlia seed pods were a safe storage place. However, my thought is birds might eat the Dahlia seed 😳.
Today I found seed pods that have been compromised by a small caterpillar(likely tobacco budworm). I'm now giving an extra tight squeeze when I feel seed pods to hopefully squish any budworms. Thought... Could the liquid that develops in the seed pod be a protective mechanism against pests eating seed?

MIDahlias

I just read about this on fb. A farm is auctioning off KA tubers. I love charity jelly jars and auctions, so I checked it out. This appears to be for profit not a charity auction. 30 min left for 2 KA Coral Sea tubers and 2 KA Apricot Jam tubers, shipped in the fall, no storage guarantee current high bid is $1,100.

blown_dry

MIDahlias It's possible those high bids won't pan out. I saw this in charity auctions. Charities do this partly because people can be impulsive and they exploit this for a good cause. That said! I think a lot of tubers are not going for the market price and getting closer to that might be the solution to store opening mania and unicorn cravings.

MIDahlias

MIDahlias Winning bid was $1400. However, the winner has zero posts, so is it legit? (although I don't have any instagram posts either)

AndreaB

MIDahlias Wowza. That’s a lot of $$$.

Cosey

MIDahlias I saw the winner make a comment on a related FB post. So most likely a legitimate sale.

NCDahlia

I will pay a max of $40 for a new intro tuber such as 2024 intro. And even then I always try to take a few cuttings off it because of rot / voles etc and grow that cutting as a pot tuber. I could not imagine paying $1400 for 4 KA tubers. If it ever got that expensive I would just give up dahlia growing entirely cuz in this economy I don't really have the money to fritter away like that

Cosey

NCDahlia You only need two people who want something for an auction to be successful. Out of everyone growing dahlias on her platform there stands a chance for a select few to have the means to go big.

Auctions aren't the best indicator for what a market can bear, but they certainly give us all something to talk about. 😆

Ted- care to auction some HH Wicked Witch? 😉 I'll take a 10% commission.

MIDahlias

NCDahlia

NCDahlia I'm not sure what my max is. I believe I have spent around $35 including shipping. However, in a society auction or charity auction I would go "slightly" higher. If it's an auction that involving teens for a mission trip or something I feel every kid should have the opportunity to participate in, I would justify a higher bid in my head that I'm making a donation.

Cosey

I participated Sunflower Steve's first seed sale. I think it was $100 for a packet of 25 seeds. He also sent another packet the following season (they followed through.) It was a fundraiser for a camp he maintains but also was a great introduction to the type of enthusiasm people would have for his unique flowers.

MIDahlias

Cosey Yes! I love this.

blown_dry

Cosey I participated Sunflower Steve's first seed sale.

I did too. And had the same experience. Got both packets. 🙂

AndreaB

blown_dry Cosey
How did you like Sunflower Steve’s sunflowers?
Did either of you take pictures you can share? I’d love to see them.

Juliarugula

Um, I just can’t even fathom this. For a charity I cared about and a tuber I really wanted, I guess I could imagine bidding $100? Like it Habitat for Humanity was auctioning off Aggie White or something?

Teddahlia

Margaret and I marked several HH Wicked Witch plants that will be dug later. It grows well for us.

Cosey

AndreaB I liked them a lot. I'll try to post photos in the general "other plants" thread soon. Unfortunately, I didn't get around to harvesting seeds from them this year. The birds got to them first.

Juliarugula

I’m not really sure how to categorize this question, so, general dahlia chat?

Does anybody know if there are any shared pests/diseases between dahlias and glads? I’m starting to cut back foliage, including my glads, and I’m wondering if I can just bury the leaves in my dahlia garden to rot? Or leave them in my path areas to be covered next year with straw?

I like to add greens directly to the soil to compost in place, but I try to be mindful of any common diseases/pests that can encourage.

Bessie

Juliarugula , glads are very susceptible to thrips, as can be dahlias. I'd be very cautious of keeping the glad foliage around.

Teddahlia

We do not leave the dahlia stalks in our garden and haul them away to be burned.

Juliarugula

Teddahlia I trash all my dahlias foliage. Same with any tomatoes, cucumbers, squash.

But if know a foliage is unlikely to harbor pests or disease I’ll compost in place. Herbs, for example. So I’m wondering if anyone knows of any problems with glad foliage, specifically.

SteveM

Juliarugula Glads and dahlias are susceptible to some of the same virus (e.g., CMV). I would probably plant a cover crop and trash the glad leaves.

Juliarugula

SteveM thanks! 👍

« Previous Page Next Page »