Flowers: My dahlias never bloom until very late in the summer!

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wendyleigh2 San Diego, CA August 27, 2008 2:20 PM	For 2 years in a row now my dahlias don't grow and start to bloom until August. I miss out on all the summer blooming. Any ideas why, and if it's possible to get them to come up earlier? I don't dig them out in the winter as I live in San Diego and it doesn't freeze.
flowerjen central, NJ (Zone 6b) August 27, 2008 4:07 PM	Dahlias are a late blooming flower -July or August.
wendyleigh2 San Diego, CA August 27, 2008 5:26 PM	But they're just starting to bloom NOW! My dad's have been blooming all summer!
flowerjen central, NJ (Zone 6b) August 27, 2008 7:45 PM	hmmmmm, do you have them in full sun? or do you know what variety you have maybe they are late blooming????
WeeNel Ayrshire Scotland (United Kingdom) August 27, 2008 9:03 PM	Here in UK mine are just starting to show some colour on the blooms too, this is normal for us, thats why we grow them as most of the other flowering plants have done their job and are looking rather bedraggled or no flowers left, as for the difference between you and your dad's flowering times, maybe you have the tubers burried too deep in the soil, maybe they need a feed and more watering as these are real greedy plants, or maybe as said before, do you have them in full sun, the tubers of most, like to get warmth around the tubers, dont know if you have a problem with ear-wigs, but mine get chewed at the buds just before they start to colour up, so I stick some garden canes in the ground and pop an upturned small plant pot on top of the cane that I have stuffed some straw or shredded paper into the pot, the earwigs go there for shelter in the day time (they are night feeders) so in the morning, I just knock the insects out and either stamp all over them, or drop the paper and insects into a metal bucket and set fire to the paper, it's quick and works, Good Luck. WeeNel.
wendyleigh2 San Diego, CA August 28, 2008 12:36 PM	They're in full sun, interesting idea that they might be buried too deeply or need some feeding. I have a mishmash of varieties. I don't think we have earwigs here, they sound horrifying (like the scene in the Star Trek movie where they eat brains!) I've never fed them, should I have?
WeeNel Ayrshire Scotland (United Kingdom) August 28, 2008 6:24 PM	Hi Wendy, I am assuming these are tuberous rooted Dahlias and not the bedding type, so for the tuberous ones, yes if you want them to flower well, they need a rich soil preferably one that has had added manure /compost or ad some other form of feed like a multi purpose feed for flowering plants to the soil or around the tubers when you see they are starting to send out new sprouts of foliage, they will over time remove all the nutrients from the soil, any plants that flower from year after year from the same roots, things like Roses, Delphiniums and your Dahlias will need some feeding as flowering makes the plants use a whole lot of energy and just like us, when we do the same, we need replenished with food either you use animal manures or rich organic compost and if we dont have that to hand, we really do have to give them some feeds we buy from the garden store, also water to keep the tubers nice and firm/plump. IF you lift your tubers every year after they flower, then let them dry off and store them cool till spring time, the best time to feed them also is when you plant them back out in the garden to start to grow again, but even a liquide feed from time to time over the summer will help if you cant do it the other way, but if you leave them in the soil all year round, then as you mulch them in spring a handful of maybe blood/fish and bone meal gently forked around the soil at the tubers will really help them. remember if you leave them in situ all year, the tubers really grow and spread so be careful as you fork or hand trowel at the tubers or you can burst the tuber and maybe disease or insects will got to them. hope this helps and you get some really nice blooms this year, there is still time. Good Luck. WeeNel.
monkapotamus Winston Salem, NC August 29, 2008 10:24 PM	WeeNell- Thanks for the earwig tip! My lawn is full of them.
WeeNel Ayrshire Scotland (United Kingdom) August 30, 2008 8:31 PM	Hi monkapoamus, wow, earwigs in the lawn, that does surprise me, they dont usually hang about in day time and they do like to be hidden from view during the day as they are such a delicacy for birds and other insect eating things, but maybe your lawns are different than ours, they are brown to red in colour and have little pincher's at their back end, just over 1/2 inch long including their pitchers, so you should recognise them soon as you see them, very thin and fast so if you do capture them by any method, they go like thunder to try hide again, and NO, I have never heard of them going into anyone's ears and eating there brains, they mostly eat vegetation but am sure they will devour the odd ant etc, good luck, hope you can get rid as they really are a pest that make such a mess of your flowers and foliage. WeeNel.
dmac085 Greensboro, NC (Zone 7a) September 5, 2008 5:44 PM	During the spring/early summer I know the garden centers around our area will sell the annual dahlias which are shorter most of the time and blooming already or getting ready to. There are also seeds for dahlias like Bishop's Children and Diablo which I believe are treated like/behave more like annuals. The big tuberous dahlias that you buy in bags or bare root have always been mid Aug through October bloomers for me. I am constantly procrastinating about prepping my fall garden because that is when the dahlias are looking their best:lol:

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