I planted some large dahlias this year using a support system that someone
(here?) recommended. It consisted of tomato cages that had the lets cut
off. You put the cage on the ground, large circle down, and fastened it to
the ground with the wire legs that you cut off.

All went well for a while. The dahlia got to be about 6 feet tall and were
covered with flowers. Last nigh we had a moderate storm with some big
gusts. One neighbor lost his Bradford pear (not that it was a shock). The
wind broke off my dahlias about two fee from the ground. They are all bent
over and pinched tightly on main stem. I doubt that they could be uprighted
and live? Any advice would be appreciated. At this point I assume that the
only thing I can do is cut them off at the ground and let them start over.

Vox, I'd lop off the tops at major damage level, wherever the stems are
broken or twisted.

Once the mass of top weight is removed, you may be able to settle things
without going to ground level.

Dahlias do root from stem cuttings, so if you want to multiply specific
colors/bloom forms, you might have an opportunity in this nasty bash from
Mother Nature.

I feel your pain-- some particularly nice tuberous begonias here got the
same treatment in a windstorm a few weeks back. I'm encouraging what
re-growth I can get just to feed the tubers so I can save them to try again
next year.

Sue
Western maine

"Vox Humana" wrote in message
...
| I planted some large dahlias this year using a support system that someone
| (here?) recommended. It consisted of tomato cages that had the lets cut
| off. You put the cage on the ground, large circle down, and fastened it
to
| the ground with the wire legs that you cut off.
|
| All went well for a while. The dahlia got to be about 6 feet tall and
were
| covered with flowers. Last nigh we had a moderate storm with some big
| gusts. One neighbor lost his Bradford pear (not that it was a shock).
The
| wind broke off my dahlias about two fee from the ground. They are all
bent
| over and pinched tightly on main stem. I doubt that they could be
uprighted
| and live? Any advice would be appreciated. At this point I assume that
the
| only thing I can do is cut them off at the ground and let them start over.
|
|

Vox, I'd lop off the tops at major damage level, wherever the stems are
broken or twisted.

Once the mass of top weight is removed, you may be able to settle things
without going to ground level.

Dahlias do root from stem cuttings, so if you want to multiply specific
colors/bloom forms, you might have an opportunity in this nasty bash from
Mother Nature.

I feel your pain-- some particularly nice tuberous begonias here got the
same treatment in a windstorm a few weeks back. I'm encouraging what
re-growth I can get just to feed the tubers so I can save them to try again
next year.

Sue
Western maine

"Vox Humana" wrote in message
...
| I planted some large dahlias this year using a support system that someone
| (here?) recommended. It consisted of tomato cages that had the lets cut
| off. You put the cage on the ground, large circle down, and fastened it
to
| the ground with the wire legs that you cut off.
|
| All went well for a while. The dahlia got to be about 6 feet tall and
were
| covered with flowers. Last nigh we had a moderate storm with some big
| gusts. One neighbor lost his Bradford pear (not that it was a shock).
The
| wind broke off my dahlias about two fee from the ground. They are all
bent
| over and pinched tightly on main stem. I doubt that they could be
uprighted
| and live? Any advice would be appreciated. At this point I assume that
the
| only thing I can do is cut them off at the ground and let them start over.
|
|

On 7/31/04 7:17 PM, in article ,
"Vox Humana" wrote:

I planted some large dahlias this year using a support system that someone
(here?) recommended. It consisted of tomato cages that had the lets cut
off. You put the cage on the ground, large circle down, and fastened it to
the ground with the wire legs that you cut off.

All went well for a while. The dahlia got to be about 6 feet tall and were
covered with flowers. Last nigh we had a moderate storm with some big
gusts. One neighbor lost his Bradford pear (not that it was a shock). The
wind broke off my dahlias about two fee from the ground. They are all bent
over and pinched tightly on main stem. I doubt that they could be uprighted
and live? Any advice would be appreciated. At this point I assume that the
only thing I can do is cut them off at the ground and let them start over.



I haven't done it, but my mom does and grandmother did - stick a bamboo
pole/stake and gently and frequently tie the stem to the stake. Gram had a
supply of stakes up to 10 foot tall just for this problem; she grew dahlias
competitively back in the 60's.

Cheryl

Vox Humana wrote:
I planted some large dahlias this year using a support system that someone
(here?) recommended. It consisted of tomato cages that had the lets cut
off. You put the cage on the ground, large circle down, and fastened it to
the ground with the wire legs that you cut off.

All went well for a while. The dahlia got to be about 6 feet tall and were
covered with flowers. Last nigh we had a moderate storm with some big
gusts. One neighbor lost his Bradford pear (not that it was a shock). The
wind broke off my dahlias about two feet from the ground. They are all bent
over and pinched tightly on main stem. I doubt that they could be uprighted
and live? Any advice would be appreciated. At this point I assume that the
only thing I can do is cut them off at the ground and let them start over.



Vox,

Sorry to hear about your Dahlia. I have had that happen to
several Dahlias in big storms and what I have done is
carefully upright and brace the plant. In cases where the
plant broke off I just trim up the plant and let it grow.
Sometime the plant blooms that season, if not, you can try
again next year (the plant should develop a good tuber for
next year if you let it continue to grow).

As for protecting your Dahlias from that happening again, I
recommend using the tall round tomato rings and for really
tall Dahlias using a tomato ring and a wood stake to brace
the plant. DON'T beak the legs of the rings off; stick them
as far as possible into the ground (so that the first ring
is about 6 inches from the ground.

I have over 60 Dahlias this year. For pictures of them go
to my web site http://members.iglou.com/brosen/dahlias1.htm

--
Bill R. (Ohio Valley, U.S.A)

Digital Camera: HP PhotoSmart 850

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

Remove NO_WEEDS_ in e-mail address to reply by e-mail

Depending on how much the flowers were twisted or bent, they might continue
to live and grow if there is still some "connective tissue" in there. I have
had delphiniums, foxglove, peonies, and other large flowers with hollow
stems do this, and if I race out and tie them upright with a bamboo stake
and some wire or twine, I have found that often those stems and branches
will go right on living. It's worth a try if your entire display is kaput.
Otherwise, cut the flowers and make a generous donation of beautiful flowers
to your local church, museum, or other place that could use beautiful
flowers.
"Vox Humana" wrote in message
...
I planted some large dahlias this year using a support system that someone
(here?) recommended. It consisted of tomato cages that had the lets cut
off. You put the cage on the ground, large circle down, and fastened it
to
the ground with the wire legs that you cut off.

All went well for a while. The dahlia got to be about 6 feet tall and
were
covered with flowers. Last nigh we had a moderate storm with some big
gusts. One neighbor lost his Bradford pear (not that it was a shock).
The
wind broke off my dahlias about two fee from the ground. They are all
bent
over and pinched tightly on main stem. I doubt that they could be
uprighted
and live? Any advice would be appreciated. At this point I assume that
the
only thing I can do is cut them off at the ground and let them start over.

Cheryl Isaak wrote:

On 7/31/04 7:17 PM, in article ,
"Vox Humana" wrote:


I planted some large dahlias this year using a support system that someone
(here?) recommended. It consisted of tomato cages that had the lets cut
off. You put the cage on the ground, large circle down, and fastened it to
the ground with the wire legs that you cut off.

All went well for a while. The dahlia got to be about 6 feet tall and were
covered with flowers. Last nigh we had a moderate storm with some big
gusts. One neighbor lost his Bradford pear (not that it was a shock). The
wind broke off my dahlias about two fee from the ground. They are all bent
over and pinched tightly on main stem. I doubt that they could be uprighted
and live? Any advice would be appreciated. At this point I assume that the
only thing I can do is cut them off at the ground and let them start over.




I haven't done it, but my mom does and grandmother did - stick a bamboo
pole/stake and gently and frequently tie the stem to the stake. Gram had a
supply of stakes up to 10 foot tall just for this problem; she grew dahlias
competitively back in the 60's.

Cheryl

Be careful when sticking anything in the ground now, you don't want to
pierce the tubers.

--
Travis in Shoreline Washington

On 8/1/04 2:35 AM, in article ,
"Travis" wrote:

Cheryl Isaak wrote:

On 7/31/04 7:17 PM, in article ,
"Vox Humana" wrote:


I planted some large dahlias this year using a support system that someone
(here?) recommended. It consisted of tomato cages that had the lets cut
off. You put the cage on the ground, large circle down, and fastened it to
the ground with the wire legs that you cut off.

All went well for a while. The dahlia got to be about 6 feet tall and were
covered with flowers. Last nigh we had a moderate storm with some big
gusts. One neighbor lost his Bradford pear (not that it was a shock). The
wind broke off my dahlias about two fee from the ground. They are all bent
over and pinched tightly on main stem. I doubt that they could be uprighted
and live? Any advice would be appreciated. At this point I assume that the
only thing I can do is cut them off at the ground and let them start over.




I haven't done it, but my mom does and grandmother did - stick a bamboo
pole/stake and gently and frequently tie the stem to the stake. Gram had a
supply of stakes up to 10 foot tall just for this problem; she grew dahlias
competitively back in the 60's.

Cheryl

Be careful when sticking anything in the ground now, you don't want to
pierce the tubers.

I assumed he ( and most gardeners) would be smart enough to know that.

Cheryl

On 8/1/04 2:35 AM, in article ,
"Travis" wrote:

Cheryl Isaak wrote:

On 7/31/04 7:17 PM, in article ,
"Vox Humana" wrote:


I planted some large dahlias this year using a support system that someone
(here?) recommended. It consisted of tomato cages that had the lets cut
off. You put the cage on the ground, large circle down, and fastened it to
the ground with the wire legs that you cut off.

All went well for a while. The dahlia got to be about 6 feet tall and were
covered with flowers. Last nigh we had a moderate storm with some big
gusts. One neighbor lost his Bradford pear (not that it was a shock). The
wind broke off my dahlias about two fee from the ground. They are all bent
over and pinched tightly on main stem. I doubt that they could be uprighted
and live? Any advice would be appreciated. At this point I assume that the
only thing I can do is cut them off at the ground and let them start over.




I haven't done it, but my mom does and grandmother did - stick a bamboo
pole/stake and gently and frequently tie the stem to the stake. Gram had a
supply of stakes up to 10 foot tall just for this problem; she grew dahlias
competitively back in the 60's.

Cheryl

Be careful when sticking anything in the ground now, you don't want to
pierce the tubers.

I assumed he ( and most gardeners) would be smart enough to know that.

Cheryl

The sale of those those tomato cages is aimed at the same type of person who
buys a Chrysler mini-van. Hopefully, the customer learns their lesson and
never goes back. And no self respecting Large Plant (dahlia, tomato) will
last long in such a cage. Finally, the fastening method you used had
absolutely ZERO reasons to be successful.

The best way to cage a 3 ton plant like a dahlia (or a tomato) is to buy a
roll of fence wire - the kind with square openings. Make a circle with your
arms and imagine a cage cylinder that size or larger, depending on the
plant. For each cage, you also need:

- Two of those green metal stakes with the hooks every few inches. You won't
use the hooks, but I mention them so you can recognize them in the store. At
places like Home Depot, their in the same vicinity as the rolls of wire.

- A big package of 6" plastic wire ties to attach the cylinders to the
stakes.

Make the cylinder. Place it on the ground and rotate it to carve a circular
mark in the soil. Take it away. Take a hammer and pound a stake into the
ground at 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock. If you can pull the stake out by hand
easily, it's not deep enough.

Put the cylinder in between the stakes and fasten it in place with the wire
ties. Three per stake is about right. If you need to reach into the
cylinder, to harvest tomatoes, for instance, cut a few holes big enough for
your arm. Don't cut where one wire crosses another - that'll leave a sharp
edge. Cut an inch away from those junctions, then bend the remaining stubs
inward, leaving a rounded edge.

To remove the stakes later, smack then sideways at ground level a few times,
then rock them back & forth to loosen them.
-Doug

"Vox Humana" wrote in message
...
I planted some large dahlias this year using a support system that someone
(here?) recommended. It consisted of tomato cages that had the lets cut
off. You put the cage on the ground, large circle down, and fastened it
to
the ground with the wire legs that you cut off.

All went well for a while. The dahlia got to be about 6 feet tall and
were
covered with flowers. Last nigh we had a moderate storm with some big
gusts. One neighbor lost his Bradford pear (not that it was a shock).
The
wind broke off my dahlias about two fee from the ground. They are all
bent
over and pinched tightly on main stem. I doubt that they could be
uprighted
and live? Any advice would be appreciated. At this point I assume that
the
only thing I can do is cut them off at the ground and let them start over.

The sale of those those tomato cages is aimed at the same type of person who
buys a Chrysler mini-van. Hopefully, the customer learns their lesson and
never goes back. And no self respecting Large Plant (dahlia, tomato) will
last long in such a cage. Finally, the fastening method you used had
absolutely ZERO reasons to be successful.

The best way to cage a 3 ton plant like a dahlia (or a tomato) is to buy a
roll of fence wire - the kind with square openings. Make a circle with your
arms and imagine a cage cylinder that size or larger, depending on the
plant. For each cage, you also need:

- Two of those green metal stakes with the hooks every few inches. You won't
use the hooks, but I mention them so you can recognize them in the store. At
places like Home Depot, their in the same vicinity as the rolls of wire.

- A big package of 6" plastic wire ties to attach the cylinders to the
stakes.

Make the cylinder. Place it on the ground and rotate it to carve a circular
mark in the soil. Take it away. Take a hammer and pound a stake into the
ground at 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock. If you can pull the stake out by hand
easily, it's not deep enough.

Put the cylinder in between the stakes and fasten it in place with the wire
ties. Three per stake is about right. If you need to reach into the
cylinder, to harvest tomatoes, for instance, cut a few holes big enough for
your arm. Don't cut where one wire crosses another - that'll leave a sharp
edge. Cut an inch away from those junctions, then bend the remaining stubs
inward, leaving a rounded edge.

To remove the stakes later, smack then sideways at ground level a few times,
then rock them back & forth to loosen them.
-Doug

"Vox Humana" wrote in message
...
I planted some large dahlias this year using a support system that someone
(here?) recommended. It consisted of tomato cages that had the lets cut
off. You put the cage on the ground, large circle down, and fastened it
to
the ground with the wire legs that you cut off.

All went well for a while. The dahlia got to be about 6 feet tall and
were
covered with flowers. Last nigh we had a moderate storm with some big
gusts. One neighbor lost his Bradford pear (not that it was a shock).
The
wind broke off my dahlias about two fee from the ground. They are all
bent
over and pinched tightly on main stem. I doubt that they could be
uprighted
and live? Any advice would be appreciated. At this point I assume that
the
only thing I can do is cut them off at the ground and let them start over.

The sale of those those tomato cages is aimed at the same type of person who
buys a Chrysler mini-van. Hopefully, the customer learns their lesson and
never goes back. And no self respecting Large Plant (dahlia, tomato) will
last long in such a cage. Finally, the fastening method you used had
absolutely ZERO reasons to be successful.

The best way to cage a 3 ton plant like a dahlia (or a tomato) is to buy a
roll of fence wire - the kind with square openings. Make a circle with your
arms and imagine a cage cylinder that size or larger, depending on the
plant. For each cage, you also need:

- Two of those green metal stakes with the hooks every few inches. You won't
use the hooks, but I mention them so you can recognize them in the store. At
places like Home Depot, their in the same vicinity as the rolls of wire.

- A big package of 6" plastic wire ties to attach the cylinders to the
stakes.

Make the cylinder. Place it on the ground and rotate it to carve a circular
mark in the soil. Take it away. Take a hammer and pound a stake into the
ground at 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock. If you can pull the stake out by hand
easily, it's not deep enough.

Put the cylinder in between the stakes and fasten it in place with the wire
ties. Three per stake is about right. If you need to reach into the
cylinder, to harvest tomatoes, for instance, cut a few holes big enough for
your arm. Don't cut where one wire crosses another - that'll leave a sharp
edge. Cut an inch away from those junctions, then bend the remaining stubs
inward, leaving a rounded edge.

To remove the stakes later, smack then sideways at ground level a few times,
then rock them back & forth to loosen them.
-Doug

"Vox Humana" wrote in message
...
I planted some large dahlias this year using a support system that someone
(here?) recommended. It consisted of tomato cages that had the lets cut
off. You put the cage on the ground, large circle down, and fastened it
to
the ground with the wire legs that you cut off.

All went well for a while. The dahlia got to be about 6 feet tall and
were
covered with flowers. Last nigh we had a moderate storm with some big
gusts. One neighbor lost his Bradford pear (not that it was a shock).
The
wind broke off my dahlias about two fee from the ground. They are all
bent
over and pinched tightly on main stem. I doubt that they could be
uprighted
and live? Any advice would be appreciated. At this point I assume that
the
only thing I can do is cut them off at the ground and let them start over.

Cheryl Isaak wrote:

On 8/1/04 2:35 AM, in article ,
"Travis" wrote:


Cheryl Isaak wrote:


On 7/31/04 7:17 PM, in article ,
"Vox Humana" wrote:



I planted some large dahlias this year using a support system that someone
(here?) recommended. It consisted of tomato cages that had the lets cut
off. You put the cage on the ground, large circle down, and fastened it to
the ground with the wire legs that you cut off.

All went well for a while. The dahlia got to be about 6 feet tall and were
covered with flowers. Last nigh we had a moderate storm with some big
gusts. One neighbor lost his Bradford pear (not that it was a shock). The
wind broke off my dahlias about two fee from the ground. They are all bent
over and pinched tightly on main stem. I doubt that they could be uprighted
and live? Any advice would be appreciated. At this point I assume that the
only thing I can do is cut them off at the ground and let them start over.




I haven't done it, but my mom does and grandmother did - stick a bamboo
pole/stake and gently and frequently tie the stem to the stake. Gram had a
supply of stakes up to 10 foot tall just for this problem; she grew dahlias
competitively back in the 60's.

Cheryl


Be careful when sticking anything in the ground now, you don't want to
pierce the tubers.


I assumed he ( and most gardeners) would be smart enough to know that.

Cheryl

Obviously not. A smart gardener would have put a stake in when the
tubers of tall Dahlia's were first planted.

--
Travis in Shoreline Washington

Cheryl Isaak wrote:

On 8/1/04 2:35 AM, in article ,
"Travis" wrote:


Cheryl Isaak wrote:


On 7/31/04 7:17 PM, in article ,
"Vox Humana" wrote:



I planted some large dahlias this year using a support system that someone
(here?) recommended. It consisted of tomato cages that had the lets cut
off. You put the cage on the ground, large circle down, and fastened it to
the ground with the wire legs that you cut off.

All went well for a while. The dahlia got to be about 6 feet tall and were
covered with flowers. Last nigh we had a moderate storm with some big
gusts. One neighbor lost his Bradford pear (not that it was a shock). The
wind broke off my dahlias about two fee from the ground. They are all bent
over and pinched tightly on main stem. I doubt that they could be uprighted
and live? Any advice would be appreciated. At this point I assume that the
only thing I can do is cut them off at the ground and let them start over.




I haven't done it, but my mom does and grandmother did - stick a bamboo
pole/stake and gently and frequently tie the stem to the stake. Gram had a
supply of stakes up to 10 foot tall just for this problem; she grew dahlias
competitively back in the 60's.

Cheryl


Be careful when sticking anything in the ground now, you don't want to
pierce the tubers.


I assumed he ( and most gardeners) would be smart enough to know that.

Cheryl

Obviously not. A smart gardener would have put a stake in when the
tubers of tall Dahlia's were first planted.

--
Travis in Shoreline Washington

"Travis" wrote in message
news
Cheryl Isaak wrote:

On 8/1/04 2:35 AM, in article ,
"Travis" wrote:


Cheryl Isaak wrote:


On 7/31/04 7:17 PM, in article
,
"Vox Humana" wrote:



I planted some large dahlias this year using a support system that
someone
(here?) recommended. It consisted of tomato cages that had the lets
cut
off. You put the cage on the ground, large circle down, and fastened
it to
the ground with the wire legs that you cut off.

All went well for a while. The dahlia got to be about 6 feet tall and
were
covered with flowers. Last nigh we had a moderate storm with some big
gusts. One neighbor lost his Bradford pear (not that it was a shock).
The
wind broke off my dahlias about two fee from the ground. They are all
bent
over and pinched tightly on main stem. I doubt that they could be
uprighted
and live? Any advice would be appreciated. At this point I assume
that the
only thing I can do is cut them off at the ground and let them start
over.




I haven't done it, but my mom does and grandmother did - stick a bamboo
pole/stake and gently and frequently tie the stem to the stake. Gram
had a
supply of stakes up to 10 foot tall just for this problem; she grew
dahlias
competitively back in the 60's.

Cheryl


Be careful when sticking anything in the ground now, you don't want to
pierce the tubers.


I assumed he ( and most gardeners) would be smart enough to know that.

Cheryl

Obviously not. A smart gardener would have put a stake in when the
tubers of tall Dahlia's were first planted.

A ****REALLY**** smart gardener would not put an apostrophe in the plural of
dahlia.