I don't know too much about how Dahlias do in this climate, but I do know about the shadecloth. Dahlias (the plant) enjoy full sun and in fact will grow too tall and leggy without it; however, the blooms tend to fade without a little shade. They will still be pretty, but if you want a show winning bloom, the shade is a requirement for better color. So, shade the blooms (at least the ones you want to show off later) but not the plant.

I have thought about growing these here too, but I'm too lazy to dig them up in the winter. They are very pretty. Maybe we'll get to see yours at the swap!

On the south side of Kingston Pike between the entrance to Sequoia hills and the next traffic light to the west is a house visible from the road, with new arborvitae trees protecting a new driveway from Kingston Pike.
Anyway, that house has a huge Dahlia garden and I expect the owner would be glad to answer questions.

Thank Ann for the info.

Brandon, that makes perfect sense about providing shade for the blooms. One photo I saw, the gardener had umbrellas on poles to shade the dahlias. I on the other hand, will be quite happy to just have some pretty blooms. But I have an arbor that I might position to shade some of the plants from the mid-afternoon sun.

I've grown 'Kelvin Floodlight' and 'Otto's Thrill' here in middle TN. Both were in full sun, no shade all day, good garden dirt with no special additives, organic fertilizer 1X/mo, and they did great. Just make sure you stake 'em! Those blooms are huge, and a summer t-storm will take down a topheavy blooming plant in a heartbeat.

Marty

Thanks Marty. I plan to put in large, solid stakes with each bulb at the time of planting. I have read about converting tomato cages into dahlia stakes, but am concerned that summer winds would lay those over on the ground.

We've got a mess of them here at Cheapwood and they do fine.

This is THE plant that i am concentrating on for my own garden this coming season. I had great success with them this past summer, I had about 5 different kinds, but my experiment was in leaving half of them heavily mulched in the ground like Jeff does it, and bringing half of them in for the winter. I hope they come back, they were just beautiful !

You'll have to let us know if they come back in the spring. While we're having a bit of winter now, we haven't had cold temperatures for an extended period where the ground would freeze very deep. If they do well for me, I feel a new passion coming on!!

If they back back Cheryl, I'll be more than happy to share them with you. I also had several really pretty smaller ones. I do need to figure out a better way to stake them or something to hold them so their heavy blooms won't bend over. Have you seen the Dahlia gardens that Martha Stewart has ? Gazillions of them.

My dad used to grow these in mascot, east of knoxville years ago. He treated them like his tomatoes. Used soked hoses on both, staked both. He ALWAYS dig the tubers in the fall and stored them in fruit boxes and peat moss. THey were beautiful and in church ever Sunday!

Cheryl, I was wondering if using the "no stake system" (see attached link would work better than just using a stake. Where I am planting mine doesn't provide protection from the wind, and I was thinking about using a stake and the cage for my large ones.

And I'll be glad to trade some of the ones that I have ordered for some of yours. I have several different varieties ordered from Old House Gardens - http://www.oldhousegardens.com/

Sewlutions, I was planning on using soaker hoses in the area where I will be planing mine. It's good to know that is a good idea!

Here is a link that might be useful: No Stake Support System

What a great idea using those tomato cages !!! Thanks for the website, I've bookmarked it.

Me too. Would you believe I have gone so far as making cages similar to this out of copper plumbing pipe. When the pipe ages, it kindof looks fancy (notice I said kindof). Don't try this at home, it's a major headache and way too much trouble. The tomato cages may not look as pretty, but saving more money than I would ever admit to spending on my stupid copper cages (not to mention the time), by using the tomato cages, is a much better deal.

I wonder if you could somehow paint the cages green ? Probably wouldn't be worth the trouble though, it would eventually wear off and you'd have to do it all over again.

What a great thread..at least it is for me..LOL I have a Dahlia ( not sure what kind but do have a photo of it) ...I have never dug it up in the last 4 years and it comes back every year. It does grow on the side of my barn in a bed where it receives sun most of the day. I did finally staked it up last year though. After seeing this thread yesterday, I did some searching on how to seperate mine. I proceeded to do that yesterday and PRAY that all went well. If so, I will have 12 seperate containers and have two huge containers filled with them. I may have done it too early but will see. The link was great too...as I already told hubby we will have to buy some cages. LOL As far as watering, I water my flower's twice a day in the summer anywho...good thing we have well water and spring water (when it's hooked up) LOL

A quick spray of green enamel paint would probably help to disguise the wire cage and blend it is with the foliage. They might have to be touched up every year, but it probably wouldn't take long to do and spray paint is pretty cheap. Just don't spray on a windy day - - ask me how I know!!!

Sondra, if you're bringing those to the swap in Seymour, PLEASE, save me a pot, I'd trade in a heartbeat. I'll bet Cheryl would too ;o)
Ok Cheryl....I'm gonna have to....How do you know ? LOL

I have several pieces of outdoor furniture that need touching up annually with spray paint. Even when I pick a still day, a burst of wind will whip through and get paint all over me. I can't tell you how many times, I have had to get the paint speckles off my glasses. Windy days will also blow grass up on what you have painted for a nice textured effect!

I must be having an old lady, whimsey day - - but I have a vision of painting the cages and stakes different bright colors.

Well, than pray that they make it!! LOL I posted the photo of the dahlia site to see what type it is exactly. All I know it was bought at Walmart or Lowes several year's ago...LOL
I also looked at your webpage Smoky and all I can say is WOW!!!!!! I will take one of everything!!! Just kidding....I also hope that with my wsing that I may have several thing's to trade/offer to other's. I won't add to my list 'til I know what has made it though....lol

Sondra, I am always happy to share with neighbors :o)

Has anyone used colored enamel paint outside and seen it a year or two later? It sounds like it just might work. I know I have seen things like enamel kitchen sinks that were outside for years without color deterioration. I guess it could get easily chipped, but if one was careful with installation, maybe it wouldn't be too bad.

Cheryl(Nat), My first thought too was to paint them different colors. I haven't tried the dinner plate yet but did plant several dwarfs that do not need staking and stay around 3 ft.

Brandon, I used outdoor spray paint, Rustoleum I believe, on some iron furniture last summer. So far so good.

Before paint and Doug got them sandblasted of the old paint and rust.

And here is an after on one of the pieces. Cheryl(Nat), does that geranium look familiar?

Rebecca

That yellow stand looks great. I like the color you picked. It contrasts perfectly with the pot and plant.

I haven't had very good luck with Rustoleum though. I used outdoor flourescent Rustoleum spraypaint last year to mark the tops of metal fence posts as markers. I went back to look at them in about 4 weeks. They had faded so badly, it looked as if the paint had been sandblasted off. I asked the paint guy at Home Depot and he said he wasn't surprised!

Rebecca, that stand looks great (especially with my favorite geranium!).

I bet the brighter the color - - the more the fading is apparent. One thing I do that helps is to use a top coat (or two)sealer (a water based for light colors or acrylic for darker colors).

OK, I was just emailed about the type of dahlia I have... "Bliss".

I can't see the stands that Rebecca posted. Why is that?