I use sluggo now - I used to use Deadline, but have not seen it in the stores in a long time.

I'll have to try the ammonia and see if it works. Do you spray the plants to make it unpalatable to the snails?

Dianne, the ammonia water of 10% will dissolve the slugs/snails and eggs. It is also a foliage spray and is good for the plant, it provides a source of nitrogen.
I always use 20-30% because it kills them faster but some say it will burn tender foliage but for hostas and daylilies I have had no problem. With tender dahlia sprouts I do not want to take chances, I will experiment with a stronger dilution when I find a cheap dahlia to sacrifice. LOL. Great article! (link)

http://www.hillgardens.com/slu...

My Dahlia Robann Royal, has grown taller fast...enjoys our heat wave.

Good day all,

I have two Dahlia 'Arabian Night' strongly up to about two feet tall from the greenhouse, planted out in the bed early May. I have no idea why these two have taken off, when others in the same environment are just starting up now. I nipped out the top growth after four pairs of leaves. Other tubers are only beginning to show, with the new ones slowest of all, maybe an inch of top growth, just enough to break the soil. All the Dahlias are pelleted against slugs, and raised from the ground in pots on trestles.

We had maybe three days of light frost over the early part of the year, echium pininana is flowering at about twelve feet, as are the Melianthus , in the long borders. It feels strange when the Narcissus Thalia is still flowering.

Best to all,

Peter

Oh that's so good to know Peter! I am getting antsy with my other two..still barely out the ground.

Thanks for the link, Susan. Very interesting.

With this wave of warm weather, I am beginning to see buds on a few of the plants. Some are over 2 feet tall and am starting to have to tie the stalks to the stakes. Temps of close to 100 degrees expected for the next few days......

The sizzling temps! Just now, 90F even in shade....triple digit like yours Dianne by Thursday I think.

We have been in the 90's a few times. Yesterday was a scorcher, gotta get use to this heat again after being in the teens most of the winter. LOL.
Thankfully no triple digits yet, 91° is bad enough with this humidity!

We got the triple digit briefly yesterday at sun set, past 7pm..so glad it was sun set already. So our forecast today and tomorrow about 98 to 99 for sure will exceed it to triples..I just went around to give the plants some early morning watering..something to cool down their roots and leaves before the heat sizzles!

I am watching my young Dahlias closely..doing well in this hot hot days!

Some like it hot!

So true! my succulents are enjoying this weather too!

Just too hot right now..
My Dahlia Robann Royal looks quite good in shade as temps head towards high 90's


Photo taken at around 12:13pm, sun right on it, and temps hitting the 102 mark with humidity at 12%..leaves starting to limp


I guess that is its threshold for heat..100F..and it will limp...just an hour more..waiting for the shade from the city trees to help my plant.

Weather has been hot but night before last we got a huge thunderstorm and soil is still soaked. So I chanced it and moved a monster dahlia that mistakenly ended up in the front of my perennial bed. Just shoveled it up and got as much soil as I could and plopped it in a compost-rich hole a few feet back. Weather got a little cold suddenly with the rain with highs only in low 70s til Tuesday so I'm hoping I get away with this.

Not very experienced with dahlias but I know most dahlia growers frown on growing from seed because it is so unpredictable. Well last year I grew a bunch from seeds given in trades and eBay. I think this large dahlia came from an eBay seed, will have to take pictures this year and try to figure what I have growing, hope the monster survives the transplant.

Stake that dahlia or the wind can rip it from its base.

We've raised them from seed many times. It's always worth a try and looks so lovely to see the colors and forms playing together.

I have collected dahlia seeds over the past 2 years, but have given most away. I will have to try starting them and see what I get this year.

Great idea Dianne! Keep us informed.

My Dahlia Robann Royal is battling the strong winds we have here..I hope it won't get decimated. Sad to see broken leaves.

Tarev - it pays to stake dahlias even when they aren't the 3.5' to 4' varieties. Also, you might want to cut them back to get more strength and not as much legginess.

@pirl, when should you cut them back to get rid of legginess?

After the second or third set of leaves.