I hope I can get HH Zarina to stop at 6'. It gets hard to pick them above that level :-).
Benny101 Apr 23, 2017 5:33 PM PDT
Greenville MI - zone 5b
Islander wrote:I hope I can get HH Zarina to stop at 6'. It gets hard to pick them above that level :-).
I would not hesitate being aggressive when stopping it ,
Zarina in the upper right
FLflowerboy Apr 23, 2017 6:24 PM PDT
Name: Jon George Gainesville, FL ...crazy enough to grow dahlias in
Wow!!! I hope my HH Zarinas get that big this year! Spectacular!
sylviap Apr 23, 2017 8:31 PM PDT
Name: Sylvia West Sacramento, CA Zone 9b
Benny101 wrote:
I would not hesitate being aggressive when stopping it
How do you stop them from getting too tall? CV Daniel achieved about 8 feet 2 years ago, and last year Shown N Tell's flowers were too tall for me to see!
You pinch out the tops just like you were taking cuttings from them...that makes them focus on forming new side branches, so the plant is shorter and bushier. I am sure Ted or someone will give a nicely defined method but that is the basics of it.
sylviap Apr 24, 2017 6:18 AM PDT
Name: Sylvia West Sacramento, CA Zone 9b
So just like I pinch them when they are about a foot tall to force the lateral branches? Sheesh... I feel like a slow learner somedays.
anniecan Apr 24, 2017 6:25 AM PDT
Name: Annie Luck Apex, North Carolina BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE IN TH
That's amazing Benny! I don't WANT anything that tall though. With our crazy storms, things always fall over. I'd rather have them shorter and sturdy, but I realize that I'm in the minority.
Evening Glow is so sturdy I think you could shelter under it in a storm, Annie I can see it used as a mast pole on a tall ship...
anniecan Apr 24, 2017 9:47 AM PDT
Name: Annie Luck Apex, North Carolina BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE IN TH
I could use some dahlias that sturdy!
Benny101 Apr 24, 2017 5:17 PM PDT
Greenville MI - zone 5b
I have a few very tall posts or " poles in this case , collecting more all the time , this year or next I will be setting more permanent posts in that particular bed , the back ( North ) row holds many very tall dahlia . It ends up being an 8-9' tall by 40' long wall of color
C Evening Glow has an incredibly sturdy frame A bit like Harry Meggos only taller
FLflowerboy Apr 24, 2017 7:45 PM PDT
Name: Jon George Gainesville, FL ...crazy enough to grow dahlias in
Benny, do you remember which variety is the tall purpley red one on the end cap of the middle row? That one is so heavy with bloom...spectacular even at a distance!
anniecan Apr 25, 2017 6:32 AM PDT
Name: Annie Luck Apex, North Carolina BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE IN TH
I wondered if that was AC Bugsy? Looks like how it looked at the test garden and in my garden...
Benny101 Apr 25, 2017 2:59 PM PDT
Greenville MI - zone 5b
Jon I found a slightly better photo from the other direction , the tall one with all the blooms would be Skiply Ida Bella
anniecan Apr 25, 2017 4:47 PM PDT
Name: Annie Luck Apex, North Carolina BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE IN TH
Wow Benny! I have never had a plant with that many blooms!
Benny101 Apr 25, 2017 6:39 PM PDT
Greenville MI - zone 5b
There are multipul plants of it in there but it is defiantly an " overbloomer " and pretty much exhausts itself by mid September , the first few flushes are quite pretty then late in the summer it kinda fades out and the form gets sloppy . Perhaps it needs more nutrients or something . I can't knock it at all as a garden flower , could be an ok cut but the seedlings I grew from it were pitiful ,
FLflowerboy Apr 25, 2017 6:56 PM PDT
Name: Jon George Gainesville, FL ...crazy enough to grow dahlias in
Great feedback and stunning in your garden!! Too bad it's not consistent.
I can see it used as a mast pole on a tall ship...
A bit like Harry Meggos only taller 