Strangely enough I ordered Santa Claus from Hirt's, and that's what they sent, Red Empire. I wonder if you order Red Empire if you get Santa Claus? :)
CCvacation Jan 15, 2015 6:04 AM PDT
Name: CC PA
Hirts is right around the corner from me... I've heard the name before through Hosta Club when developing my shade garden, but never sought them out. They look like they specialize in everything. Repackaged, most likely.
todgor Jan 15, 2015 7:43 AM PDT
Name: Tod Gordon West Caldwell, NJ
I have to say the clumps Hirts sent me were very large and healthy. I checked other peoples' reviews and they were generally less favorable. I seem to find that the tubers that were not what I ordered end up being pretty awesome. The "Shockwave" one I showed was supposed to be Alpen Pauline, which I had another one of anyway.
teddahlia Jan 15, 2015 8:16 AM PDT
Name: Ted Oregon We enjoy breeding new dahlias!
Bert Pitt is an oldie but goodie with it's deep colors.
I wish the Dutch people would get their act together and put the correct variety in the package. The less you pay for a Dutch pot root, I bet the less likely it is the correct one. My Bristol Stripe was a light blend sort of semi cactus that was not Bristol Stripe. $1.98 was a very low price and the picture was very nice on the small box.
FLflowerboy Jan 15, 2015 12:09 PM PDT
Name: Jon George Gainesville, FL ...crazy enough to grow dahlias in
I found it better to call Buddy Dean at Hilltop since he does not seem to be a big emailer. He usually adds a few new intros...but seems to keep similar stock from year to year. He is a wealth of knowledge!!
portia Jan 15, 2015 3:03 PM PDT
Southern PA, Brandywine
I actually had surprising luck with most of my big box/dutch roots in 2014. There were a handful of mislabels which I expected, but they had no problem sprouting and growing...in fact the ones that gave me more trouble were the more expensive one-off tubers. I got sucked into the 75% off walmart sale (must save the tubers!) at the end of the season, and they all grew well and matched their picture.
I always check Dave's Garden before I buy online too, usually their reviews (en masse) do not steer a buyer wrong!
.
teddahlia Jan 15, 2015 6:15 PM PDT
Name: Ted Oregon We enjoy breeding new dahlias!
One of the negatives of Dutch varieties for cut flowers is that very many of the varieties are are not good tuber makers. An example is Witteman's Superba, a bright red semi cactus with really good color and long stiff stems. If you get more than one or two tubers, you are very lucky. I bet people on Cubits could list many more. Grand Prix the yellow and white large bicolor is not a good tuber maker.
anniecan Jan 15, 2015 7:33 PM PDT
Name: Annie Luck Apex, North Carolina BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE IN TH
Todd, I was happy to hear that you've been growing dahlias for about a decade...
That assures me that I will improve my skills since I am still somewhat of a newbie.
Not that my dahlias weren't beautiful. I just know that I worked my butt off to make it happen. I am ready for my knowledge from the past season to make THIS season happen more smoothly.
addicted Jan 16, 2015 7:09 AM PDT
Name: Em NY
Todd, your photos are great and have inspired me to start a 2016 wish list! Keep 'em coming!!
anniecan Jan 16, 2015 4:37 PM PDT
Name: Annie Luck Apex, North Carolina BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE IN TH
Yes, please keep those lovely pics coming Todd!
todgor Jan 16, 2015 5:53 PM PDT
Name: Tod Gordon West Caldwell, NJ
Well, I might have a few from 2013 left...a year I'd soon forget, I did not take many then.
todgor Jan 16, 2015 8:18 PM PDT
Name: Tod Gordon West Caldwell, NJ
A few extras, Crazy 4 Teedy and another Irish Blackhart.
Irish Blackhart...What a wonderful border flower it is! I think it adds so much interest where ever it is planted. I like it better just to look at a bush full of them then to cut and sell them individually.
anniecan Jan 18, 2015 7:51 AM PDT
Name: Annie Luck Apex, North Carolina BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE IN TH
It is OK as a cut but not as good as some. If I remember right it tended to loose oomph on warm days at the market...Can't remember exactly what it was...Maybe the "black and white" look just wasn't as popular with my customers? But I think that as a garden shrub it shows off those "every variation on black and white" flowers to perfection.I made bouquets I liked, playing with the colors and contrasts but they were not what my customers were looking for. It may be. that like HH Joker's Wild, the white petals are more fragile then the deeply pigmented ones. Not sure, but I think my plant will be in my flower garden with my white roses right by the front gate this year. I think it will be absolutely perfect there as the little show off it is!
anniecan Jan 19, 2015 5:34 PM PDT
Name: Annie Luck Apex, North Carolina BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE IN TH
Thanks Noni, sounds as if I should steer clear. So sad
I suspect it would have a rather rough time in your heat...but if you ever want to try it I might have a tuber for you. I think my garden digging assistant missed a whole bunch of these because I had several additional plants started from cuttings as well as my tuber of it, and harvest only brought me 5 labeled ones this year. I think that must have been only one plant of them. I will use them to start rooted cuttings for the Farmer's Market.
FLflowerboy Jan 19, 2015 9:55 PM PDT
Name: Jon George Gainesville, FL ...crazy enough to grow dahlias in
I am getting a bit leery of some of the "white and mixed color" dahlias. I am planting my HH Joker's Wild where they get half day shade behind a red/white flower bed this year, and will raise them only for my own garden enjoyment. II think in our climate they are fine for garden use in most cases...kind of nice to have something that the rest of you with those toasty summers can't grow, . I have not had this problem with pure white flowers like Jack Frost.
teddahlia Jan 20, 2015 9:08 AM PDT
Name: Ted Oregon We enjoy breeding new dahlias!
Bi -color and jokers wild flowers have very little pigment in the white portions of the flowers and burn easily. White is normally a protective pigment and when present the flowers do not burn in the sun. If the white pigment is very sparse it burns where there is no white and you may see that those areas are nearly transparent. In the seedlings it is not uncommon to have white dahlia with very little pigment and the flowers burn immediately.
Repackaged, most likely.
I have not had this problem with pure white flowers like Jack Frost.