Life of the Dahlia-Chapter 1-2025 Getting Ready for a new season!

Dahlia News from Eric                                                                                                            January 2024

Happy New Year to all you dahlia nuts!  It’s time to quit streaming your favorite TV series and movies and start preparing for the first chapter of 2025 in the “life of the Dahlia”, the search for dahlia tubers on your wish lists.  I’m sure many of you have already purchased your tubers from the commercial growers as soon as you get word their website has opened. Demand for dahlias over the last couple of years has gone crazy with many varieties selling out early. If you follow Facebook and have joined any of the dahlia groups available, you will find all sorts of new dahlia gardens to purchase from!

The American Dahlia Society (ADS) website can also be a resource for tuber purchase ideas.  In prior years the ADS mailed out dahlias show reports, trial garden results, Cream of the Crop and the Fab 50 for top winners, top new introductions, and popular dahlia varieties.  The new Bulletin is also a great resource for show winners! The show reports highlight potential best in show winners that I may want to purchase.  The name of the winner is listed, and you can then contact the grower using the Federation of Northwest Dahlia Growers Show Book or classification book.  If you would like to exhibit, these resources can help identify potential future show winners. 

Here is a great link, http://dahliaaddict.com , that allows you to search the dahlia alphabetically. Once you click on the dahlia name the dahlia this link lists the growers who carry the tubers!  Use our KCDS web site for other links.  Other supplier sources can be found using this link, Suppliers – Colorado Dahlia Society  and in the Puget Sound Dahlia Association annual publication Dahlias of Today and the American Dahlia Association January Bulletin.  KCDS will also publish contact information on our member websites who sell tubers as well.

This month’s meeting will feature a presentation on the new 2024 dahlia introductions.  President Paul Kusche will review each flower and provide a printed list with descriptions and grower contact information.   New introductions can be pricey. Taking cutting from a tuber can make the price more tolerable and create two or more plants. Although you can take cuttings from a tuber look for growers who sell pot tubers.  These mini plants send up lots of new shoots for lots of cutting.  KCDS will discuss taking cuttings in February. 

Late January or early February is a great time to perform a quality check your dahlia tubers.  This is the most important task we need to do to insure healthy stock.  Look at each bag, box, or container of stored tubers a check for excess moisture and tuber root.  Early detection and removal of rotten tubers will prevent further loss of stock.  If you’ve lost a few of your favorite dahlias checking now will give you time to order new tubers. KCDS will be performing our tuber quality check on January 25th.  This will be the last time to earn a Worker Bee Credit.

It’s always good to have a good layout plan for your garden, especially when growing height is important.  I have a flowerbed that I can grow dahlia plants that grow over 5 feet in the back row, 3 ½ to 4 feet in the middle row, and 2 to 3 feet in the front row.  Most commercial growers will include plant height, but if not available then a call. A good plan will allow you to determine how many tubers you can plant, while allowing for proper spacing, and determine if you need to order more!! Your plan should include a pathway entrance(s) and water source.  Plans are in the works for our display gardens for 2024 now, including a garden upgrade to the National garden.  We want your input on flowers you would like to see planted this year. 

I’ve given everyone lots of options to help you complete your wish lists.  Don’t delay ordering!  Several varieties are selling out!! One of the benefits of your membership to the Kitsap County Dahlia Society is the ability to network with other members to find, trade and/ or purchase tubers on your wish list.  Some of our members have inventory lists of available tubers that can be shared upon request. So, you’d better get busy and shop, network and buy, sell, or trade!