Name: Steve San Diego Commercial cut flower grower
I had quite a few seeds of HH Berry Purple X HH Double Take two years ago. This year I only planted a few to trial and I'm glad because the gophers enjoyed my seedling buffet before they bloomed. This year all of my seedling will get their own 1 gallon container. I don't know why I crossed Double Take with Berry Purple, I really don't need a taller version of Double Take.
teddahlia Dec 16, 2022 5:42 PM PDT
Name: Ted Oregon We enjoy breeding new dahlias!
The gophers here did not harm any of the seedlings planted in 5 or 6 inch or 7 inch pots and the 4 inch pots worked too. In the open field thay had a grand buffet. I understand California gophers are bigger and have sharper teeth,
SteveM Dec 16, 2022 6:05 PM PDT
Name: Steve San Diego Commercial cut flower grower
I'm not sure about gopher teeth but I do know the gophers here are smarter than I am. I'm pretty sure they all belong to a Facebook group where they discuss the latest trapping methods available to gullible farmers.
Cosey Dec 17, 2022 5:33 PM PDT
Name: LeeAnn Zone 6b, Pennsylvania
Ted's seedling sparked a memory of a HH seed parent seedling in my own field this summer. It started blooming with mostly white, splotchy lavender blooms and then by the third week of September switched over to a more even color distribution. I doubled checked to make sure it was the same plant. Good thing I always take the picture of the tag in the seedling field.
I ended up saving it. The size is desirable (around 2") and it has a lot of petals.
SteveM Dec 17, 2022 6:07 PM PDT
Name: Steve San Diego Commercial cut flower grower
Both are nice colors! It will be interesting to see what they do next year.
teddahlia Dec 30, 2022 10:20 AM PDT
Name: Ted Oregon We enjoy breeding new dahlias!
2022 is coming to an end. Margaret and I took lots of dahlia pictures this year and I am distilling them down to the very best. I am posting here my best picture of the year. It is not the prettiest dahlia picture of the year. It is not the most colorful dahlia picture of the year. It may well in fact it be one of the most boring pictures you have ever seen. And why is it the best picture? I am a dahlia judge and can no longer look at a dahlia without being biased by all that stuff about defining what is perfect form and color. This picture is a white dahlia. It has no blush of any other color and is pure, pristine white. It's form is as nice as any we have ever bred. The florets are pluperfectly spaced and and are of the exact form as defined by the judges manual. The flower is pictured in a well focused full frame setting. Yes, to many people this picture is a boring picture of a boring dahlia but to me it is a masterpiece.
Does that one have a name yet, Ted? I would be quite happy to grow it.
teddahlia Dec 30, 2022 11:33 AM PDT
Name: Ted Oregon We enjoy breeding new dahlias!
"Does that one have a name yet, Ted?"
Margaret is charge of dahlia names and she is about 5 years behind.
It will be a third year seedling and since it is as boring to Margaret as a bowl of oatmeal, I doubt it will get a name soon. Yes, I love this flower and I want a nice name for it. I would like to say that it would be one of those dual purpose cut flowers and show flowers. However, it does not grow much taller than 3.5 feet and has a below average number of exquisitely formed flowers. It is one of those flowers that the show "professionals" would love because if you apply superior growing techniques to it, you can get the very best flowers and probably easily win in the shows.
SteveM Dec 30, 2022 12:45 PM PDT
Name: Steve San Diego Commercial cut flower grower
From what shows in the photo it looks like one the judges would have a tough time finding fault with. What size is she? Do you have a photo from the side?
Short plants are not necessary a fault fot a commercial cut variety. Actually, the taller varieties require more work staking (labor cost) and do not mean more flowers or longer stems. I think I mentioned before (probably several times) that HH Diamond had the perfect plant habit for a cut dahlia. The plant was 4 to 4.5 feet tall (in full sun) and it was easy to cut long stems without bending over too much (important for oldish farmers). The stems replaced themselves at a regular rate so never got too skinny even after several flushes.
teddahlia Dec 30, 2022 1:13 PM PDT
Name: Ted Oregon We enjoy breeding new dahlias!
Do you have a photo from the side? Yes, but it is blurry. Probably 3.25 inches in diameter. I am going to grow lots of it and overwhelm you with pictures.
Cosey Dec 30, 2022 6:14 PM PDT
Name: LeeAnn Zone 6b, Pennsylvania
Hmmm....I think my kids would like your analogy- boring as oatmeal. Haha.
But "Hollyhill In Focus" is better than nothing.
I shouldn't offer names. I probably name less than half of my seedlings. My husband and sister take good care of me.
blown_dry Dec 30, 2022 9:34 PM PDT
Name: Amanda CA Redwood Coast - Zone 9b DahliaAddict.com
I can certainly appreciate it's mathmatical beauty. It's like a perfectly cut diamond.
Emilyp Dec 31, 2022 5:42 PM PDT
Name: Emily Zone 5
I love oatmeal, and I love symmetry, so that dahlia is a winner in my eyes
