Dahlia sp.

[Brian Ellis]

John, I would appreciate a bit of seed too please, to keep it going

[John Proctor]

John W,

A way to get dahlia tubers that survive winter storage more reliably is to grow some plants in pots. Start a tuber or cutting in a 10 cm plastic pot and plant it out, pot and all, with 3-4 cm of soil above the rim. Treat it normally through the growing season. The tubers mostly remain confined to the pot but thin feeder roots spread freely. Store the harvested tubers undisturbed in the pot, of course dry, cool and frost free. This is done for cultivars that make very poor tubers, and for a source of cuttings the following season for those that make few tubers.

Dahlia growers claim this technique makes better tubers. I believe the difference is that the hard-packed, dry soil effectively protects the tubers from desiccation, much as would occur naturally in the wild in Mexico.

John P

[4moreaction]

I wonder if anyone knows which species this is? It was collected in the mountains of Mexico by a friend who I have had trouble contacting. The plant grows to about 2.5 ft high. The flowers are almost black and small. Visitors always mistakenly admire it as the chocolate cosmos.  It started to open last night and already the earwigs have been chomping on the petals. The fragrance is of intense chocolate, I wonder which pollinator is lured by this?  Maggi excluded.

johnw 

   

...now this is a rather interesting and quite beautiful plant! it would be so interesting to see it 'live'... to even grow it!  Hope that your example will survive the winter so it can be divided and thus kept on in the capable hands of many dahlia lover...

yours, matti

[Maggi Young]

Hello, John P ...good to see you back again! This seems like very sound advice about the dahlia...which might be repeated for other plants, rather than storing them overwinter un-potted, I believe.

[4moreaction]

I wonder if anyone knows which species this is? It was collected in the mountains of Mexico by a friend who I have had trouble contacting. The plant grows to about 2.5 ft high. The flowers are almost black and small. Visitors always mistakenly admire it as the chocolate cosmos.  It started to open last night and already the earwigs have been chomping on the petals. The fragrance is of intense chocolate, I wonder which pollinator is lured by this?  Maggi excluded.

johnw 

hello, John...

is there any possibility to recieve some seeds on this rather hot dahlia... 

yours, Matt

[johnw]

Attention all you dahliaeous types. The chocolate Dahlia has many flowers on it now including the remains if the ones I selfed.  As I promised a few people seed, the problem is what do the ripe pods look like and how quickly do they ripen.  The flowers as you know close after a few days and remain that way, the head(?) turns yellowish but doesn't drop or rot.  I have not the foggiest how to proceed to ripe seed stage. Suppose I could dissect a few few to see what lies within.

johnw

[mark smyth]

When I collected seeds from D. merckii it was from dry heads that were still attached to the plant. The seeds were realeased by gently squeezing and roolong the seed head between my fingers.

Can I beg/swap some?

[fermi de Sousa]

Hi John,
I concur with Mark about waiting till the seedhead dries. If the weather looks inclement you could always keep them to dry inside once they look as mature as they going to get. Dahlia seed that I've seen has usually been dark brown or grey/black and stand out from the chaff.
cheers
fermi

[Paul T]

Once the seedhead is ready it really does just start to fall apart.  Lots of papery chaff in there as well, plus the long thin darker seeds amongst it.  Hopefully you're successful in harvesting some, and then hopefully we're all successful in germinating it.  Keeping my fingers and toes well and truly crossed for success!! 

[johnw]

re: the chocolate Dahlia seed

Paul T, fermides, Matti, Brian E. and Mark S

I have just picked through quite a few of the mushy seed heads of the Dahlia and got 3 large seeds which look excellent. I realize I have promised all four of you seeds so here is what I propose:

I will send the seed to the Aussies as tubers are out of the question.  Three seems so few, if the Aussies can agree on to whom I should send the seed they can share the seed or plants later. Hopefully I will find a few more seeds later as the rest ripen but I thought it a good idea to get these 3 off pronto so the Aussies can sprout them now in spring.

I can send Brian E. some tubers via a friend this spring and maybe he would agree to relay a piece to Matti in Finland.

Sorry to post this  here.

Does this sound reasonable?

johnw

[Maggi Young]

re: the chocolate Dahlia seed

Paul T, fermides, Matt and Mark S

I have just picked through quite a few of the mushy seed heads of the Dahlia and got 3 large seeds which look excellent. I realize I have promised all four of you seeds so here is what I propose:

I will send the seed to the Aussies as tubers are out of the question.  Three seems so few, if the Aussies can agree on to whom I should send the seed they can share the seed or plants later. Hopefully I will find a few more seeds later as the rest ripen but I thought it a good idea to get these 3 off pronto so the Aussies can sprout them now in spring.

I can send Mark S. some tubers via a friend this spring and maybe he would agree to relay a piece to Matt in Finland.

Sorry to post this  here.

Does this sound reasonable?

johnw

How super.... if only all countries/peoples could arrange such mutually beneficial co-operations 

[johnw]

re: the chocolate Dahlia seed

Paul T, fermides, Matt and Mark S

I have just picked through quite a few of the mushy seed heads of the Dahlia and got 3 large seeds which look excellent. I realize I have promised all four of you seeds so here is what I propose:

I will send the seed to the Aussies as tubers are out of the question.  Three seems so few, if the Aussies can agree on to whom I should send the seed they can share the seed or plants later. Hopefully I will find a few more seeds later as the rest ripen but I thought it a good idea to get these 3 off pronto so the Aussies can sprout them now in spring.

I can send Mark S. some tubers via a friend this spring and maybe he would agree to relay a piece to Matt in Finland.

Sorry to post this  here.

Does this sound reasonable?

johnw

Whoops, I missed Brian Ellis and I meant Matti not Matt. I can get the tubers to Brian in the next few months and he can relay some to Mark and Matti if willing.

johnw

[Brian Ellis]

Only too happy to John, glad you hadn't really forgotten me

[mark smyth]

Yes and thanks.

[4moreaction]

re: the chocolate Dahlia seed

Paul T, fermides, Matti, Brian E. and Mark S

I have just picked through quite a few of the mushy seed heads of the Dahlia and got 3 large seeds which look excellent. I realize I have promised all four of you seeds so here is what I propose:

I will send the seed to the Aussies as tubers are out of the question.  Three seems so few, if the Aussies can agree on to whom I should send the seed they can share the seed or plants later. Hopefully I will find a few more seeds later as the rest ripen but I thought it a good idea to get these 3 off pronto so the Aussies can sprout them now in spring.

I can send Brian E. some tubers via a friend this spring and maybe he would agree to relay a piece to Matti in Finland.

Sorry to post this  here.

Does this sound reasonable?

johnw

ok... as there is this little of seeds it seems fair enought... If Mark S. is willing to relay a piece of tuber to me here in Finland, he can contact me then thru' privatemessage... and get the address... =O)