Susi -- I just love your little aside stories. Promise that you will never stop with those stories no matter how big you get. As far as pricing: Let me sleep on it... Well, actually we haven't set prices for this season. I can look up last year's prices if that will help. They are priced for different sizes. That's to say, pompom, small, medium, large, dinnerplate, etc. Sometimes the small get large enough to be considered medium. And, by now you are probably totally confused. We don't sell to florists. Not the way some of you do anyway. We have florists who come to our market in the metropolitan area. At our other market, we have a couple of guys from an unscale florist come down, climb up in the truck, buy whatever. That is fine by us. I have trouble with the so called subscription bouquets that I make for customers who pick them up at market. It really puts too much pressure on me Friday night before market. I just want to tell them--You know what, just pick out something nice on the table or I will make one. But, they always want them extra, extra tall and colors I may or may not have available. Ha. Had to laugh about the sod; and, do we have people like that at market? You betcha. We don't call them customers though. I just read a post over on the Professional Forum. A gal quit her job in the corporate world basically because she was tired of working for a jerk. Now she is doing gardening jobs. Guess who her customers are? Right. Those same jerks. The great thing about doing market is we see all kinds of people. Some are complete jerks; and, so full of themselves you want to puke. Some buy our flowers. Some don't. But, the great thing is we don't have to work for them. And, the best part is that we always have a story after each and every market just like your sod story Susi. You would think by now we might have seen and heard it all. But, no. Some of our favorites are when they ask if the bouquet needs sun or shade. Or, better yet: Should I take it home and plant it? We have the deadpan look down to a science now. Oh, man. Did I ever get off track. Anyway, my favorite thing about this business is the market. It is just the end all. Regarding the potted dahlias. Yes. Well, we plant them in imported Italian pots which are very costly to say nothing of the shipping charge. Actually, they are nice patio pots which we get for a song and a dance because it's who ya know, and not what ya know comes in handy--sometimes. Of course we aren't Lowe's, Home Depot or Walmart. Don't even want to be one when I grow up. As far as dahlias being mishandled. Yes. Sometimes. That's part of marketing. We lose a few; but, generally people are careful. At least they're buying. Sometimes we'll float the flowerheads in a pretty little dish on display. We also give broken ones away to children. By the way, I have wanted to mention this when people write about giving flowers to the little girls. Little boys love flowers. They love picking out a bouquet for their grandmother, mother, aunt, themselves, whoever. Let's not forget that. Why am I so tired?????

Linlily....you will get both, tubers and lots of flowers this year...a lot depends of your green thumb and mother nature as far as how many but you will get both....you have the right idea, start the seeds and pot them up, then slowly introduce them out doors....start the process in early April so you can have the new plants ready to go into the ground after the last frost, usually around May 1st., the AA or Dinner plates will produce fewer flowers then your smaller types.... teddahlia is right...depending on the conditions around where the seeds were collected, you could get a wide assortment of different size and types of dahlis...kind of like Easter but once your plants are up they will be just as large as the ones from tubers, flower just as nicely and should have nice tubers

Hi Nicki, 1. patented plants/dahlias. I can not help you with a list. I do know that one can propagate patented plants asexually as long as one pays royalties to the patent holder. this is usually done via the purchase of 'patent tags' from the patent holder or through a plant broker. each plant sold must have a patent tag. 2. AG Inspection. the inpsector will want to take a look around (make sure things are clean and sterilized, labeled and stored properly, etc). they will also be your best resource person for any problems you might encounter with pests or diseases. they will also be the one to come and watch if you need a phyto (at least the first time or two). 3. we use minimal chemicals. be sure to ask your AG Inspector if your plants will require any treatments prior to shipping. 4. check out the greenhouse forum to learn more about hoop houses. 5. we usually have a minimum of 25 to 30 of each plant on hand, but we sell a large variety of perennials. some of our selections we have hundreds on hand. check out the professional gardener forum here, nice and helpful folks over there!

Thanks KayJones - I checked on the roots - no root rot, no worms, and didnt seen to be root bound. I'm not sure about wet/dry. It was watered daily but not saturated. The one in the sunnier spot did just fine with the same conditions, so I'm assuming the watering was done correctly...perhaps it was just not a healthy plant? My mom had the same experience - same nursery (1 lived, 1 died). I've planted my 2 new vines and they seem to be happy for now. How much should I be watering them?