Dahlias

Steinway in Bramwell

| Flower Roberts

It’s an amazing life when you go to West Virginia to trail ride

and end up in a mansion listening to a famous pianist serenade on a Steinway.

It’s all because of Thomas Edison, the dahlia that is.

We were strolling around the charming town of Bramwell, West Virginia

after enjoying a milkshake at the Corner Cafe’

when I spied my friend Thomas Edison over a fence.

Of course I had no choice but to intrude into the lovely garden to speak with the owner.

He turned out to be the world renowned pianist, Harold Brown.

After introducing me to his dahlias ( later post), he invited us in for a quick concert

He gifted us a signed CD which we listened to on our ride home.

The magic is back.

Thanks to Harold Brown, Thomas Edison and Mr. Flower.

Stay tuned folks. There is much more to come!

FLOW

Cool Dahlias

| Flower Roberts

Dahlias need four things to thrive.

First, they need rich soil. I enrich mine with homemade compost and mushroom compost.

Second, they need a lot of water to grow. Mine are at the bottom of a hill with a berm.

Third, they must be supported. I have been negligent in this so excuse the messy stake job.

The fourth thing that MUST happen is cool weather. Dahlias struggle until it cools down.

Then they show off with giant, heavy blooms.

These are my three favorites, Thomas A Edison, Snow Country and Firepot.

Thomas A. Edison Dahlia
Snow Country Dahlia
Firepot Dahlia

I love the cool weather, also.  I have wilted and withered all summer. Hooray fall!

FLOW

Worth the Water

| Flower Roberts

I have had to water these dahlias during the drought.

I knew if I could just get them through to cooler weather

they would return to their glorious blooming condition.

I have been rewarded for my efforts.

They have pulled through and prospered.

Definitely worth the water.

Flow

Dahlia Row

| Flower Roberts

I usually do not plant in rows.

But I envisioned a bed of tall dahlias along this walkway through a hill.

I thought it would be great to look down on the blooms.

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Snow Country Dahlia

Last fall I amended the soil with all the ingredients dahlias love…

compost from the kitchen, bunny poop and mushroom compost.

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Firepot dahlia

I even topped them off with a special stinky concoction that included fish emulsion and Epsom salts.

They have grown wonderfully.

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Thomas Edison dahlia

They were so beefy they needed extra staking.

I think my dahlias are happy in a row.

Don’t you?

FLOW

 

The Four D’s for Dahlias

| Flower Roberts

Dahlias cannot survive our winters here in North Carolina,

so they must be stored inside over the winter.

There is a process to doing this.  I call the steps of the process the “Dahlia Four D’s.”

The first D is to let them die.  Okay not really, but they must be killed back by frost to know to go dormant.

The second D is for dig.  I chop off the dead stems to about three inches height.  Then I dig around then down. That way I do not chop the tubers with my shovel.

The third D is for dry.  They need to spend a few days drying before the soil is removed.

The forth D is for divide.  Once the tubers have dried a bit, they shrink a little. This makes it easier to untangle the separate stems.

Store these in peat and/or vermiculite. I use boxes that I can stack on shelves.

Leave room for air.  I shake these boxes periodically and open them every few weeks to make sure none are rotting or shriveling.

So if you have dahlias, it’s time for the four D’s.

Die, dig, dry and divide.

FLOW in the Know

My Three Favorite Dahlias

| Flower Roberts

I have many dahlias.  It may not surprise you that most of them are purple.

I have three favorites.  Only one of which is purple.

These three are the most trouble, because they are dinner plate dahlias.

The blooms are so large that plant must be supported by stakes and fences.

These three need more water that the smaller dahlias. They need more nutrients.

It takes a lot of work on my part and the plant’s part to produce those big beautiful blooms.

I have decided to let some of my dahlias go.   I can’t bring them all in.

There is not enough space… or energy… or time to save them all.

So which three will be dug up, stored and treasured?

Firepot Dahlia

The three big, needy ones will.

Thomas A. Edison dahlia

Snowy Country dahlia

Because when we work together, we make something beautiful.

Synergy in the garden.

FLOW

The Heat is Gone

| Flower Roberts

I hope this cool Monday morning is a sign of things to come.

There seems to be a collective sigh from the garden.

IMG_2468
Water hyacinth blooming among parrot feather and water lettuce in the pond

This summer has been a struggle.

I have constantly pruned and watered in an effort keep things alive.

The stress has shown in yellowed  leaves,  fragile stems and smaller and fewer flowers.

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‘Picotee Blue ‘morning glory single bloom

The tide seems to have turned this morning.

A light rain has plumped up the plants and made them glisten.

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Pink Muhly Grass/ Muhlenbergia capillaris

My favorite dahlia, Thomas A. Edison has decided to stand up and bloom at last.

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Thomas A Edison dinnerplate dahlia

Let’s hope that we all can thrive for a bit in this cool.

Except for the weeds. They will be killed as usual.

FLOW