Name: Steve San Diego Commercial cut flower grower
That sure is interesting, does the rest of the plant look normal? What do you think causes it - mutation, virus, insects, or ...
teddahlia Sep 8, 2021 8:48 AM PDT
Name: Ted Oregon We enjoy breeding new dahlias!
1951 was good year for Tartan as that was the year it was introduced. As they say, it is a bit "long in the tooth" . Dahlias in those days were not all that good especially in form. Tartan is grown mostly for it's pretty colors and older dahlias may have suffered some genetic decline over the years. The Dutch breeders have been growing this one for many years too and I believe they do not cruise the fields and rogue out bad stock. So if you have good stock you are blessed. Most stock is not very good.
teddahlia Sep 8, 2021 9:19 AM PDT
Name: Ted Oregon We enjoy breeding new dahlias!
Bartlett pear tree was here when we moved in. Can't kill it; never water it and just pick some pears(every other year as they do that)
teddahlia Sep 8, 2021 11:36 AM PDT
Name: Ted Oregon We enjoy breeding new dahlias!
Garden spider came into the kitchen on the flowers I picked.
AndreaB Sep 8, 2021 4:17 PM PDT
Name: Andrea SE Michigan
Eeek! Must’ve been a big flower he was hiding in.
blown_dry Sep 8, 2021 5:11 PM PDT
Name: Amanda CA Redwood Coast - Zone 9b DahliaAddict.com
I ordered Tartan from Old House Dahlias in 2020 and heck if it's not halfway vigorous. It's one of a few varieties in my garden this year that powered through the utter neglect and pumped out blooms. Some others are: AC PAC, Hollyhill Margarita, Penhill Watermelon, Show N Tell (from Ted's stock). My expectations were low, but I saw Tartan doing well in his fields and took a chance.
Love these images of it misbehaving however. Both it and the very well-behaved solid peaches n cream look like they belong in a still life in their own ways.
Amy4Dahlias Sep 11, 2021 8:28 PM PDT
Name: Amy Brighton MI (Zone 5)
I love taking photos of butterflies & bees on the dahlias. Bumble Rumble is very aptly named! They tend to sleep on the dahlias overnight as the season ends and there is less room in the hives. Last October in the morning that I went out to lift my tubers to prep for winter storage, I noticed this fuzzy little guy (in the last photo) clinging to my sweatshirt after I cut a stalk off. I felt awful cutting down his new home.
DillyDahlia Sep 13, 2021 10:00 AM PDT
Name: Tina NY Zone 5b/6a Flower Power!
Bumble Rumble should be in every pollinator garden!
Actually any of the collarettes or other singles will do. It makes me happy to see the pollinators having such a good time in them.
teddahlia Sep 18, 2021 12:52 PM PDT
Name: Ted Oregon We enjoy breeding new dahlias!
edewitt Sep 21, 2021 6:10 PM PDT
Name: Eric DeWitt Mountainair, NM
Hollyhill Spider Woman's getting pretty bloomy in my neck of the woods. Boy howdy do I love this plant! The only downside is the foliage grows quicker than the blooms so it's easier for them get buried.
AndreaB Sep 21, 2021 6:57 PM PDT
Name: Andrea SE Michigan
First year growing it for me. Another one that teaches patience… never thought it would bloom. And it’s short! How tall do yours grow?
My Hollyhill Donnatella also just started blooming. Of course we’re expecting rain for the next 2 days. Hope it can weather the storm.
edewitt Sep 21, 2021 7:09 PM PDT
Name: Eric DeWitt Mountainair, NM
Mine's about 5' if not a little more. It's on the side of a fence though. In the past it's been about 3.5' in full sun.
SteveM Sep 21, 2021 9:32 PM PDT
Name: Steve San Diego Commercial cut flower grower
I used to grow HH Spider Woman because I loved her exotic ways. One year I tried to cross her with something taller but I never got any seeds. I finally lost her, I think I need to grow her again. Nice capture, Eric.
The Spider Woman is doing great this summer for me! She is on her first round of blooms and I think there are 5-7 blooming at one time..She is probably the prettiest most exotic one in the whole garden or maybe I should say "The biggest show off". Probably about 3.5' tall...but I am not going out in the dark to measure her!
edewitt Sep 22, 2021 5:55 PM PDT
Name: Eric DeWitt Mountainair, NM
Thanks, Steve! Where'd you get your HH Spider Woman from, Islander? Mine were pot tubers from American Meadows and the stock was surprisingly good. Out of the 3 tubers I got 2 were actually HH Spider Woman and the other one I believe was probably Dana.
Both it and the very well-behaved solid peaches n cream look like they belong in a still life in their own ways.
