Geof, my Itoh's (intersectional) are not always the last to bloom. Cora Louise and Julia Rose typically bloom along with some of the herbaceous. Border Charm is just starting up just a few days after Garden Treasure. Very similar blooms so glad they are in different beds. Border Charm is rather a draped form and really would have been better planted in a raised bed at the edge about 1' off the ground. I just put a hoop around it as when the flowers really open up it will start bending down to lay on the grass. Garden Treasure also seems to be a bit prostrate but could be due to the 9" blooms weighing it down. I may order a few more hoops (if my DH doesn't kill me first) for those I know are heavy. Mackinac Grand makes good use of the hoops being more vase shaped. It would also drape a little, or rather the stems would bend somewhat even thought it is a rose form not a bomb if not for the extra little support of the hoops. I steadily move them up as the bush grows so the stems grow straight and strong if at all possible. Ones like Sarah Bernhardt would flop if you tied a stick to every stem but it is so pretty and very early for me.

The Unwin seedlings are beginning to bloom. So far they have been very nice bright cheery colors. I am am enjoying them will definitely grow again.

Post some pics when you get a chance - how tall are they?

What is the best thing you've found to secure the dahlias to the support when using individual poles? I have garden twine but wasn't sure if that was the best thing to use.....Some of mine are still emerging, some are 2-3 ft tall with buds. Starting to get REALLY excited!

I've used the green plant tie ribbon from A. M. Leonard for years. I buy the 1/2" heavy duty. A 150' roll is around $2.00. I sometimes use the 1" for bigger dahlias and tomatoes.

I actually make my own. I buy green jersey fabric in the clearance bin, and cut it up with one of those pizza cutter style fabric cutters. A couple of yards of fabric gets me hundreds and hundreds of ties. I tend to use a lot. Since I grow in part shade, my plants need more support than usual, and we get some pretty heavy duty storms as it moves into the fall.

The first year I tried it, I just cut up old worn out t-shirts, but the multi-colored ties were distracting.

The velcro tape works when they're newly planted. I'll use the tape Dan uses as they grow.

Hi I have these Dahlias in my garden

Geof the Unwin seedlings are about 15-18" tall. Not sure if they will grow much taller.

Received .9" of rain overnite. It was very windy today, had stake and restake some of the dahlias today. Zingaro is blooming,very beautiful pastel blend flowers. No dinnerplates blooming yet but they are getting close.

Pretty dahlias Alisa. Any idea of names??

Oberon46 said:Pretty dahlias Alisa. Any idea of names??

I don't have a name of color! On pl@ntnet ID Dahlia x cultorum Thorsrud & Reisaeter. I got the Dahlias at a local farmer in Gresham Oregon! She grows them and sale the bulbs each year for One dollar each! I wrote the name down when I first got the Dahlias lost the paper.

I threw one dahlia out late, "Firebird". It'showing. I've had o.k. luck with dahlias inexperienced as I am. We'll see what I get....

Looking good! Post photos when you get blooms.

I have 80+ dahlias in my backyard bed. Something has been digging around them almost every night. I don't think there is even one that hasn't been dug around. In the past month I have found three entire plants lying on top of the ground, tuber and all. I replanted and two are DOA. One looks okay. When I went out to get the paper this morning at daylight, I walked to the backyard and spotted a skunk in the garden. I chased him out and spotted two more. I glanced just over in the neighbors yard and saw four more. They went through a small hole under the neighbor's fence into another yard. I had suspected skunks all along but not this many. I don't want to try catching them in a live trap. I think the first thing I'll do is spread cayenne pepper next to the hole under the fence. (Thanks for the idea, Arlene!). I'm sure they'll just dig another hole someplace else. My yard must be full of grubs. I have used a product from Scott's (Grub-x ?) but it apparently didn't help.

Our 80% chance of overnight rain didn't materialize. Who would have thought? So I gave all the dahlias a good foliar feeding this morning with some nitrogen/ potassium fertilizer. I also sprayed the tomato plants with a copper fungicide. Now that the chance of rain has dropped to 10% it looks like it could pour any minute. Again, who would have thought? LOL My fertilizer will probably get washed off. At least maybe it will soak into the ground.

You are having some crazy bad luck this year. Skunks are one critter I haven't seen around here.

The only explanation I can come up with is that this has all been a bad dream. Wish I would wake up. Reminds me of the Ten Plagues of Egypt in the Bible. Difference is that this year I've had about 20 plagues. BTW, I found my first cucumber beetle of the year this morning. Make that 21! LOL

I've had a few cucumber beetle though I don't have cucumbers growing this year. Battling the deer, rabbits, squirrels and the weather, is just not fun. The dahlias are doing fine but only a very few are tall...as in 30" to 36".

With Dan's luck the skunks will multiply with cayenne powder!

ROTFL! Perhaps it will cause a new species of skunk -
Striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis)
Hooded skunk (Mephitis macroura)
Cayenne skunk (Mephitis dancayennous)

The specie I have here is the Mephitis P.I.T.A. skunk. I startled one a few nights ago at dark. It ran up inside the downspout extension on the shed. The opening is probably about 3" x 4". I blocked the end with a cinder block and decided to wait till morning to give my evil mind time to work. When I went out the next morning, the skunk had wiggled the extension just enough to create a 2" gap by the block and had made The Great Escape. Grrrrr! Did Elmer Fudd ever do battle with anything besides wabbits?

I walked outside this morning and found two of these little spotted guys bedded by the driveway. I just noticed what looks to be another one over in the neighbor's junk. I think I need to move out in the country where I hunt. Judging by my recent lack of success, there doesn't appear to be any deer or rabbits there any more. LOL

Skunks, deer, rabbits, earwigs and slugs. What would you do with all your free time if they were all eliminated, Dan? LOL