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Hi All, very glad to have found this forum. Hope someone can help me out here. Last year in the spring, I planted seven dahlias total of the giant decorative variety (for the first time ever in my garden). Six of them I planted in early March. Five of them lived, but the sixth seemed to have died due to the tuber rotting. Well, I took it out, and later in the season planted another giant in its place. Well, up until mid July, all six of them did well, had great blooms on them and everything, but then in mid-July, it became very, very hot here in Alabama (average daily temp was around 95 deg), and the one I planted last began to droop. I, believing it needed water, watered it every day, along with the other ones, but the drooping didn’t stop. Finally by mid-August it was sweltering in Alabama and All Six of my beautiful dahlias were dried up twigs! My grandmother believes they are not dead, and will come back again this spring, but I personally am skeptical. So my questions are, firstly – Where did I go wrong the first time? Secondly, if they don’t come back (which is what I’m expecting) should I replant some new tubers in their place, or put another type of plant there and don’t worry about it. (Meaning, is the Alabama heat too much for them?) Thanks.
quote: My grandmother believes they are not dead, and will come back again this spring,
I tend to agree with your grandmother, not because I know anything about dahlias, but because this has happened to me the last two years.
I have only grown dahlias for 2 years, and they are so beautiful I can't believe I missed out on them for so long! But I won't be without them anymore! I just love those things!
Cindy
* * * * Buckle up! It makes it harder for the aliens to suck you out of your car! Plants: 43285 | Registered: Mar 2004
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quote: and the one I planted last began to droop. I, believing it needed water, watered it every day, along with the other ones, but the drooping didn⼯option>??t stop.
Did you know that sometimes that is a plants' defense mechanisms against the heat...
When a plant is too hot and it's petals are exposed to the sun, *like out in the open, looking regular, with the leaves out, facing the sun...
Well, when it gets too hot and the plant is like, this is wayyyyyyyyyyy to hot for me, but, he's stationary and can't get out of the spot he's in/ or get into some cooler shade...
It's only defense it to close up shop and kinda sleep and wait for it to be night time/cooler temps...(close up+ fold down it's leaves so they are not so opened and flat out to the sun)
Soooooooooooo, by you thinking it was in need of water, just kept it's base/roots tooooo wet... and which may have caused it to rot out.
Next time, maybe just give the fella an umbrella!
* * * * Weezie
Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it. - Bible - Hebrews 13:2
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