Wish I had help for the cat problem but I don't. My former next door neighbor (thank God) fed a feral cat that used my 12' x 12' asparagus patch as a bathroom. When I complained and said I could slip and fall, the neighbor laughed. Cat and neighbor gone now!

Favorite color - either of these:

We reached 91 yesterday and the weather pros' guess of a 40% chance of rain overnight vanished without a trace. Forecast for today no longer shows a chance but there's an 80% chance tonight. With my luck any rain we get will be a frog choker that will beat down some of my smaller plants. But as per usual, it's feast or famine.

All but 2 of my plants looked good last evening. I gave everything a good soaking to prep them for today's high of 90. I'll be lucky to come through unscathed. Wish I could have planted a little earlier so the plants could have become better established before the heat arrived. Weekend highs are forecast to be in the mid/upper 60s, though the experts have given me little reason to believe that.

I send the tubers to family and friends in the spring after I'm sure they have eyes/sprouts. No need to pay extra to ship duds. Some of the family are up in years and are finding it harder to dig tubers in the fall. So I tell them not to bother and send them new ones every year. They couldn't care less about variety or color as long as it's a nice bloom. But I do occasionally get comments like, "I'd like to have a couple of those big yellow ones" (Kelvin Floodlight).

As to cats in your garden, I have had the same problem. I trust you wear gloves to guard against the "gifts" they leave behind. Yum, Yum! Last spring they dug up and broke stems on half a dozen plants I had growing in planters. Some were the only one I had of that variety. That doesn't make me happy! Haven't had any problems so far this year. Knock on wood!

Those are beauties, Arlene! Looks like Labyrinth and maybe a version of the unpredictable AC Paint?

Yes to the gloves Dan! I just find it kind of gross. This has been going on since last summer. I don't know if they hope to have kittens from being loose or what. We had been given a trap last year from the police and we managed to capture one but one of my kiddos is like that's so and so's cat so the officer returned it to them. These free roamers have been out since March. City has an ordinance about cats so I contacted them again. Strangely, have not seen the cats this week since I emailed!

Arlene: Such beauties! I hope that mine look so lovely soon enough.

Hiya: I would also suggest if you have a mom/pop coffee shop, stopping in and asking about their grounds. I know down by my mom's they are always looking for people to bring in a 5 gal pail for them to fill. I think w/starbucks it's kind of quick for things to go but I could be wrong. I save my own for my heap daily. When it's winter and I am not adding, I have gallon sized bags in my freezer filled w/coffee and banana and orange peels.

AM: HEAT has broken, deluge dropped about 2.5" near me, haven't seen final totals and we are to have thunderstorms today, it's spritzing right now. I don't need any other rain for a few weeks. High today 67, lows this weekend 45. I think that will be a bit chilly for everybody outside but they'll just have some practice for fall. But the mosquitos!

Can I ask, is it wrong to already be looking at dahlias and other flowers for next year? I feel like I am cheating on my plants potential beauty by doing so I ordered some new iris, looking at adding some daffys, just brought home some peonies from my MIL - trying to figure out if I should open a bigger section to my front bed or start a new skinny one in the backyard. My irises need some love, of late the perennials by them have grown too big and created bigger shade footprints. Anywhichway, I am excited to see how this summers growth comes to me.

When I had the cat problem, it would bury its deposits beneath the pine bark mulch so I'd lose my footing easily. I was shocked that the neighbor laughed it off - SO glad she moved. New people are so nice.

Scarlet - I often "just look", especially on the hot and humid days when I can dream.

The heat has driven me inside to the comfort and safety of the A/C. Nothing to do out there that can't wait a day or two. I love spring weather but have almost forgotten what that was like since we now seem to go from late winter directly into summer. I can tolerate cold weather much better than the heat. I long for a summer like we had a few years ago when I actually wore a jacket at the beach one day in August.

I'm just catching up on the forum posts from the past week or so. ST, you asked if my family enjoyed the dahlia tubers I sent. Yes! and the addiction has spread throughout the area. They've gifted them to others and I get more requests every year. One friend was infatuated with a Kelvin Floodlight I sent. Knowing him, I'm pretty sure it was the only plant he'd grown in his life, other than pot. LOL

Our city has a leash law for dogs but cats are free to roam. Personally, I've had more damage/aggravation from cats than dogs. Biggest problem is feral cats, not so much pets. One cousin lived alone and took in a couple stray cats.... then he had about 20! He got sick and went into a nursing home for a while. His family called the humane society and fortunately, they were able to come out and get the cats. Hard to believe in our populated area with so little woods, but we've had quite a few coyote sightings. Maybe that explains why there seems to be fewer feral cats around now.

That's what my mom said about coyotes. She lives in a former rural subdivision that the city has grown up around and has buddy of my brothers that gardens at her house (he lives up the road in the woods). They were down around 5am and saw a coyote come out of her yard w a rabbit hanging. Good grief I never recall seeing coyotes when I lived there or since. But mom said since the covid came so has the wildlife by her. Here I always have somebody visiting. Thus far I don't know who at night but I sometimes wonder if the black bear come sneaking into town at night. Have any of you seen how the canals in Venice Italy cleaned up during their shutdown? Jellyfish, dolphins and clear water!

I loathe cats on the loose, in the country on a farm is fine, in a city no, be a good owner! The one thing in my back pocket is our city gal also does not like loose cats and she is generally quick to act but I'm guessing the fine is low and they don't care. I'll grumble I guess.

Dan, that's fantastic you share your love of dahlias! How fun. I have a lady at church who was bringing them in to decorate the altar and stopped her afterwards. Well this year she and I traded and we've become dahlia friends. She's also shared w some other ladies from church. Maybe soon we'll all have a little trading group going! My SIL is trying them too so she has some of mine and was to buy some different ones then me so we'll see how the trading world goes.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who cheats on looking at new bloom ideas!

I went to che k for shoots in my last dahlia's pit and found poop! Too big for rabbits, cats or squirrels . Couldn't be deer because nothing was eaten! It's a completely fenced in yard so it's not a neighborhood dog. Maybe a coyote or fox. Ick. Once I diaposed of it there was a shoot! Waiting for the cool of evening before I put some soil down. So hot and humid today! Looking forward to tomorrow's forcasted thunderstorms.

I find that in my backyard all the time. Could be from a raccoon. I've trapped 2 in the past week.

So far, in 10+ years deer have never touched my dahlias (knock on wood). But they have forced me to give up tulips, lilies and roses.

Have any of you ordered dahlias from Old House Gardens? A few of their heirloom ones piqued my interest. I also think my red one may be a Wisconsin Red. The one I have came from a family from that side of the state so I'll have to do some digging and see. Would you have to treat the heirlooms any differently then the current new day ones?

Scarlet- our weather was wild last night, but my garden fared pretty well, just had some stakes knocked out of the ground/leaning due to the wind. We also got about 2.5 inches of rain, but after the hot/dry spell, I don't think my dahlias were complaining. I usually worry about that much rain at once, but over the last few years I have identified the areas where the soil doesn't drain as quickly, and have made adjustments.

I did not know that cats were such garden pests! A couple of my neighbors let their cats wander, but they never do any damage to my dahlias. There used to be a couple of ferals that I semi-tamed (yes, I am a cat lady, but my cats live a posh little indoor life), and I didn't mind them hanging around as it tended to scare the rabbits off for the most part.

Hiyamakki- you'll have to let us know if you figure out what the critter is! I live on a busy main street, and my neighbors have seen a fox stroll by nightly on their Ring camera.

I have never ordered from Old House Gardens, but my friend did this year. I will have to check her plants out once they start blooming. I don't think you would need to treat them any differently. I figure if they've survived this long in this crazy world, they are probably pretty much bomb proof!

Mine are from Old House. As a first time grower I appreciated the detailed planting instructions. So far all I can say is the tubers were firm, all had tiny sprouts when I put them in the ground and those sprouts have grown a good 3 inches since (I further buried them today).

I mainly chose Old House because they have Mrs. Van de Iver which is supposed to be cold hardy to zone 6. I plan to leave it in this winter. If it pulls through I'm getting more next year!

Thanks for that info! Yes I'll look forward to your reports. I read an article last night on a family that actually raises these plants for old house. It was an interesting article I thought in the time of the covid. And I can't find what I read, otherwise I would post!

I'm enamored right now at the dahlias that have color with white tips. I don't know why and I'm sure they have a name other then my sad description. Do these beauties keep this look at do they change a bit? I seem to recall in my reading they do change. Well, the beauty shots of these are speaking to me right now.

Melissa: glad you survived the crazy weather fairly well. Right now we are cool again! I much prefer that then 96. I have had other cats pass through w no issue. It's just this particular family and their cats are serious diggers. I get I have moles but geez they aren't that bad this year as my neighbors dogs when out I think (in their own yards) keep their hunting in tact. Anywho I will have to see what I can do. Yes - ask your friend for me. The ones I was looking at were:


DEUIL DU ROI ALBERT

Jane Cowl

Maybe they are available elsewhere I confess I haven't looked elsewhere. I was just looking at heirloom last night and found these two lovelies as I was curious.

Hiya: yes please let me know how yours do as well! As I read through their offerings I do have a Fatima I got from SI. i would love to be able to travel in time to see so many things in years past. I think being in a Victorian garden would be fun! But can you imagine having to garden in full skirts and stays and all the other clothing of the day? I plant and weed in yoga pants and my hubs old T-shirt with a boonie on my head and yellow old tennis shoes on my feet. Hah. I'm a sight that's for sure! No dresses for me pulling weeds.

Dan: that's funny you have made growers out of your dahlia shares, in fact I think it's fantastic! I have a kelvin that just isn't looking good right now. I need to investigate today as it's either water logged due to all the rain (it's neighbors are fine) or perhaps I inadvertently knocked off its growth some. It's looking like I haven't watered in days, but just that plant Again everyone nearby is looking good. Sadness, as it was a beauty last year!

Question for you all: do you side dress fertilizer throughout the summer and on what type of schedule? I know I'm suppose to stay on the lower side of nitrogen. I have my self made compost too but am unsure if it's ok to place up to the stems or am I ok to use but just on the bed leaving the stalks free and clear? I have super sandy soil where I am, so amending is a big help. TIA! I go to the stores tomorrow and if I can grab on this outing it would be a help if I need something.

Happy day all!

@Hiyamakki - good luck with your experiment leaving the dahlia in the good earth over winter. You may want to put an unopened bag of mulch over the clump two weeks after a hard frost. You will have to dig it eventually or it can grow itself to death. I've had it happen.

The plan is to heavily mound it with manure. Apparently this is a thing people in zone 7ish bits of England do, sometimes adding a large pot weighed down with bricks for good measure. According to reports the lighter coloured Dahlias often don't pull through but the darker ones do! I've got four:
Dark pink
Orange
Blush
Coral mix

What do you mean by grow themselves to death Arlene? I see you are zone 7 too. Do you leave yours in?
Hiyam

The tubers kept expanding and I, being a total novice, thought it was a good thing and the mark of a good gardener - wrong. At that point they can't get the nutrition they need. I should have divided. I do not leave them in the ground. I'm not willing to risk losing them.

I don't recall this last year w the dahlias but with all the rain we had half of my bed is looking kind of leaves a/yellow green shade to them (this includes some of the annuals I tucked in). We had gotten about 2.5" of rain the other day. I hadn't watered 24 hrs before that rain event and haven't watered since. The only difference is I had more compost by the ones that I would describe are a normal green in color. What would you do if anything? My compost pile is not ready to be used yet so that's out. The soil appears dry currently. Interested to know and if I need fertilizer or similar I am going shopping tomorrow for my biweekly outing.

One of mine has lighter green leaves than the others but I'm leaving it to nature.

Guess that works! I need to just work on my patience as well as letting nature do what nature does. I'll keep an eye on them and hope with drying out all will be good.

We had t'storms last night. Didn't last long but they put down a pretty good amount of water. I was afraid some of my wimpier plants might get broken down by the rain but it was the wind that could have been more damaging. I walked through the garden this morning and was surprised to see the only 2 plants looking sick were the same 2 that were a bit wilted yesterday. Every other plant looked good. When I planted last week, I noticed some of the plants didn't have a very well developed root system. So I still worry about those rotting if we get too much rain. Once a root system is more developed a plant can stand a lot more water.

I remember several years ago when we had the driest spring I can ever remember. The garden was tilled and ready to plant in April. That's rare! I went to Va. that spring and heard a weatherman there say they had had a little over a half inch of rain in a month. I came home, planted and began hand watering. It stayed dry until June. That's when the sky opened up and I began to think the rain would never end. I remember hearing that we had measurable rain for 13 consecutive days at one point. Even with somewhat sandy soil, I had standing water at times in beds that looked like rice paddies. I was fit to be tied and thought everything was lost. Turned out to be one of my best dahlia years ever. The plants apparently had good root systems and the endless rain wasn't a problem.

I planted 23 dahlias in my tuber garden tonight. Hope that's the end of the planting.