Jenny wrote:
Okay, I admit planted these dahlias in an area that turned out to have less
sun than I thought it would have. But I've got roses blooming nearby getting
the same amount of sun, so they aren't exactly in the dark.

The dahlias, growing from bare bulbs which I bought at Wal-mart this spring,
are about six inches high and have lots of healthy looking leaves, but have
no hint of a flower. When I visited the local show garden I realized just
how pathetic they are.

So are they a dead loss? Will planting them in a sunnier spot make a
difference next year or is the problem perhaps the soil which I did not
amend very much before I planted them? My bearded irises didn't flower, but
my daffodils and Brodiaea did just fine in the same soil.

All suggestions for what to do next year are greatly appreciated. I want
dahlia blooms!


-- Jenny


Jenny,

Quite frankly, if you want good varieties of Dahlias you
shouldn't be buying them at Wal-Mart. There are many mail
order dealers that will sell you "named" varieties so you
know exactly what you will get and when how long they take
to bloom.

There are many varieties of Dahlias and some take over 4
months before they bloom. Do you know what variety they
are? I would just let them alone and feed them every
couple of weeks and you should see some blooms.

Dahlias do their best in a area with full sun but I have
some in an area with only 6 hours of sun and they bloom
quite well. I don't start feeding them until they are about
eight inches tall.

Until yours bloom, you can enjoy pictures of mine from my
web site, http://members.iglou.com/brosen/dahlias1.htm I
have over 60 of them this year.
--
Bill R. (Ohio Valley, U.S.A)

Digital Camera: HP PhotoSmart 850

For pictures of my garden flowers visit
http://members.iglou.com/brosen

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