First one is the beds all tilled and ready, with the Hilltop cuttings in pots. Then Brandy Bay, Almand Joy, Big Checkers, Hilltop Emily, Camano Bram, something billed as Grand Prix but more like Seattle, not sure, Ms Prissy, Kidd's Climax, Pennsgift, Almand Joy, two of Kelvin Floodlight, Pennhill Watermelon.
todgor Jan 10, 2015 1:46 AM PDT
Name: Tod Gordon West Caldwell, NJ
AC Ring of Fire, Miss Delilah, Papageno, AC Aquarius, Clearview Snowcap (I think), Pennsgift, not sure, a group shot, not sure, Zorro, Lulu Island Art, group shot, not sure, might be AC G & L, a group shot with AC Kahuna.
todgor Jan 10, 2015 2:01 AM PDT
Name: Tod Gordon West Caldwell, NJ
First was supposed to be Santa Claus, but it is Red Empire. Then Belle of Barmera, unknown, and two of Clearview Daniel, Hollyhill Black Beauty, two of Hollyhill Icarus, might be Bonaventure, unknown, G&M-T&T, Camano Bram, 3 unknowns.
Flowernut Jan 10, 2015 11:11 AM PDT
Name: Jane Southern California Zone 9/10
Tod, thank you so much for the eye candy. What I would give to have that much planting space. I had seen your video a while back and had a few questions. How closely do you plant? Do you pinch out to encourage branching? Your plants look so healthy.
todgor Jan 10, 2015 4:26 PM PDT
Name: Tod Gordon West Caldwell, NJ
I plant 20" apart. I would like them to be farther apart, but it allowed more plants. I top them and take off the side buds. I hate to sound like a commercial, but I used Spray n Grow Perfect Blend kit foliar feed on them most every week, it really helped a lot.
portia Jan 10, 2015 4:28 PM PDT
Southern PA, Brandywine
Tod, what is this "G&M-T&T"...I lurrrrve it!
Also love Clearview Daniel, Zorro and the Camano Bram.
Fantastic pictures!! How many beds do you plant?
FLflowerboy Jan 10, 2015 6:08 PM PDT
Name: Jon George Gainesville, FL ...crazy enough to grow dahlias in
Drool-worthy photos!! Thanks for sharing, Todd!
todgor Jan 10, 2015 6:10 PM PDT
Name: Tod Gordon West Caldwell, NJ
G&M-T&T was one I got from Verrone's, its a very nice pink ball form. I have 4 dahlia beds, 20x40, 16x32, 8x18, and 8x14.
addicted Jan 10, 2015 6:56 PM PDT
Name: Em NY
I envy you your space, Tod! And your photos are super - just what I need at this dreary time of year!
todgor Jan 10, 2015 9:52 PM PDT
Name: Tod Gordon West Caldwell, NJ
Unknown, Kelvin White, La Luna, Taum Sauk, Andriana with Belle of Barmera, Andriana, Belle of Barmera, two unknowns, Fleurel, Kenora Sunset, Kelvin Floodlight, Lulu Island Art, AC Kahuna, unknown, Belle of Barmera.
todgor Jan 10, 2015 9:58 PM PDT
Name: Tod Gordon West Caldwell, NJ
Hart's Blood Red (I think), Papageno, group shot, Penhill Yellow Queen, AC Aquarius, Hollyhill Icarus, Hollyhill Black Beauty, Clearview David, two group shots, two of more of Clearview David, group shot, not sure, Purple Taiheiyo.
todgor Jan 10, 2015 10:07 PM PDT
Name: Tod Gordon West Caldwell, NJ
AC G & L, AC Kuntz, Fidalgo Snowman, maybe Vanquisher, Eva Luna, Purple Taiheiyo, maybe Spartacus, Alpen Pauline, Survivor, two of Lulu Island Art, not sure, White Perfection, maybe Penhill Yellow Queen, Clearview David (yet again :)
todgor Jan 10, 2015 10:26 PM PDT
Name: Tod Gordon West Caldwell, NJ
2 not sures, Sans Souci, Pennsgift, Ryecroft Club, two of Spartacus, Sellwood Glory, not sure, La Luna, might be CBGB, Alpen Pauline, not sure, Taum Sauk, Purple Taiheiyo.
todgor Jan 10, 2015 10:40 PM PDT
Name: Tod Gordon West Caldwell, NJ
Zorro, two of a misnamed variety that resembles Shockwave, Morgenster, two group shots, could be Zorro or Ebony Witch, probably White Perfection, two of Color Magic, not sure, two of Danum Rhoda, not sure, Trooper Dan, Almand Joy
portia Jan 11, 2015 7:04 AM PDT
Southern PA, Brandywine
Oh Tod your pictures are fantastic..!
How do you like Zorro? I was contemplating putting it into my cart last nite at Connell's. Is it more of a blood red or a bright red? Does it produce a lot of stems?
Also love your pictures of Clearview David, I bought that at CG and happy to see your pictures support the pics that CG had up as well--beautiful.
and LOVE all your big whites!!! I had Fleurel or something like it last year but probably lost it with storage so will be replacing it this year.
mandolls Jan 11, 2015 7:18 AM PDT
Name: Geof WI
Keep em coming Tod!, such a nice way to start a morning .
teddahlia Jan 11, 2015 7:54 AM PDT
Name: Ted Oregon We enjoy breeding new dahlias!
Zorro was originated by Jack Adams and Madeleine Giesert who had but one seed from a giant dahlia. It is notorious for making one flush of giant flowers that are as good as any. I won best giant in show with it years ago and have seen many nice show flowers over the years. However, after that one flush of nice flowers it goes into a steep decline in size and by the third flush the flowers are B sized. Not a candidate for cut flowers in my opinion. It too has sported to a bicolor of red and white and as with most, if not all bicolor sports, it reverted back to solid. It is a seed parent as it makes an occasional seed. One of the notable seedlings was Spartacus. Another is a flower call Zelda, an extremely nice A sized flower that is hard to find but worth growing.
CCvacation Jan 11, 2015 9:07 AM PDT
Name: CC PA
Hmph, I thought Sparticus was the one seed from Zorro... Getting my dahlia lore mixed up in my head.
honnat Jan 11, 2015 9:32 AM PDT
St. Paul, MN
I think Edna c was the one seed from Spartacus. I may be mixed up too.
portia Jan 11, 2015 9:56 AM PDT
Southern PA, Brandywine
Interesting... definitely a storied history there on Zorro! Maybe I'll try it in 2016.
I had seen your video a while back and had a few questions. How closely do you plant? Do you pinch out to encourage branching? Your plants look so healthy. 
