Why I Oughta...

A week-or-so ago, I posted a photo of what I was calling my first (ever) Bell's Palermo dahlia.  Or...a bloom that was coming off of a dahlia from a tuber that I bought that I *thought* was Bell's Palermo.   But, I was suspicious.  Here's what I wrote at the time : It is, well, interesting. And large. And, not what I was thinking it was going to look like. I went on further : I mentioned that I bought this one (and some others) from Bonny Blooms.  They handle customer service thought a chat window on their site 1 . I submitted a similar note there - asking if this was, indeed, Bell's Palermo.   Here's what Craig from Bonny Blooms responded: Bonny Blooms Hi, I took a look at that picture and you're right - it's not Palermo. Some of my unreleased dahlias were sent in error in the the spring and I wonder if that's what it is - or it could be Candela, but I'd need to see it fully open and perhaps a second bloom as the tones aren't quite right. I...

First time growing Crichton Honey Dahlia and I know 'get it'.  I understand why it is so widely loved and grown.  It is a star.  I planted two of them, but I'm pretty sure one was mis-labeled.  But, the Crichton Honey that is next to the pizza oven?  ( #1 on my placement list ).  It is certainly true to listing.   And, it is coming on strong.  Below are a couple of photos of the blooms that I cut off this morning: I also went around and cut some other blooms:  Great Silence Decorative Dahlia , Milena Fleur Decorative Dahlia, Rip City Semi-Cactus dahlia, small little Burlesca Ball dahlias , and a uniquely-colored Zundert Mystery Fox Dahlia . Here, below, are a couple of photos of the cluster of cut stems: Here, in the center of the photo below, is that uniquely-colored Zundert Mystery Fox dahlia.  It is more purple than my other Mystery Fox blooms: Living up to its name, I guess. Here's what Longfield Gardens says about Mystery Fox...

Over the weekend, we spent part of a day at the Walworth County Fair up in Elkhorn, Wisconsin .  Eating corn dogs, seeing the 4-K kids with their animals.  Watching the horseback barrel races.  And, of course...spending some time in the Horticulture Building.  Looking at the cut flowers.  The two categories that I'm most interested in seeing are (of course) dahlias.  And Zinnias.  Here, below, is a look at some of the dahlia entries: I believe that the stems have to be in place about mid-week.  So, these are 3-4-or-5 days old by the time that we see them.  So, they're on their way out in terms of vase-life. Can I say something? Am I wrong?

Back at the beginning of August, I posted about the front yard Island Bed annuals .  And, talked about how I should have planted more Vinca and was underwhelmed by the coleus.  At that time,  I wrote this : The coleus in this bed have (also) been a disappointment. But, that's for a separate post so I can learn from the experience. The coleus that I have up there is named Wizard Sun Velvet Red Coleus .  Here's the post when I bought them.  And, the description: Compact, mid-sized foliage plant with upright habit is ideal for mixed containers, planters, baskets and landscapes. Easy-care plants are late flowering, extending their landscape value. Emphasis, mine. Compact.  Compact!  That was the 'bug' back earlier this Summer.  Last year, the coleus that I grew were LARGER and fuller.  But, they also swallowed up everything behind them.  The Spring Grove Ginkgo.  The Greenlee Sesleria were nowhere to be seen .   Now....move a...

I've been harvesting the purple blooms off of the Lisianthus Celeb Metallic Blue plants that I tucked into our front yard over the past few weeks.  They're interesting, but I'm thinking that I'm not maximizing them as a cut flower.  By that, I mean that I'm probably making a rookie (cut flower) mistake:  cutting the stems too short.   It is human nature (I think) to cut them short.  You see these secondary (emerging) buds on the stems and you don't want to sacrifice them by cutting deeply.  So, you end up cutting them short.  And, you get MORE blooms.  But, they're SHORT ones.   I've been surprised by how EASY these have been to grow.  They're all doing well and pumping out blooms, despite not being billed as cut-and-come-again.  I've fed them on the same monthly cycle as dahlias/roses with the 3-in-1 and pests haven't been a problem.   I have a little rabbit fence around these, but Google says that rabbits will...

Now things are starting to get good.  With the dahlias.  Different varieties and types make for an interesting grouping.  Here is what I cut on a recent morning from the front and side yard beds: