Flowers and foliage now - November 2008

[Brian Ellis]

Thanks for the offer Paul, I will have to check out the regs.

[Alberto]

Many thanks to all for congratulations.
Michael: indeed the roots are not so large as one can suppose. Before moving to open ground I used to grow this dahlia in a pot, a large pot about 60 cm in diameter. At the end of the season the canes were about 4-5 m high. When I dig it out of the pot the roots were about 4 cm wide and 20 cm long.
Ciao
Alberto
 

[Paul T]

The tubers of tree dahlias don't seem to be like normal tubers, in that they tend towards long and slender rather than the normal chunky tubers.  My main clump of the double white Dahlia imperialis had thick roots (sort of tubers, but more like long swollen roots) that were only maybe 6-8cm thick, but 50cm long or so.  I didn't measure them, but that is my recollection.  The normal imperialis I can only vaguely remember moving once, and I think the roots/tubers were a bit thicker and longer on it.  They spread out horizontally not far below the surface, as well as some heading downwards.  The wider "grip" allows them better wind resistence, and given their height they certainly need all the stability they can get.

Incidentally, the double white rarely (and I mean RARELY) ever even gets close to flowering here without being toasted by the frost.  At least a month later than the normal species, so useful only in an architectural and "collection" sense.  Seems to be a bit chunkier in growth to me than the straight species, and is also pure green in growth, as opposed to the darker reddish stem shading on the straight species.

[KentGardener]

Hi All

I had a look round the garden this week to see if there was anything flowering to photograph - didn't find much luck I'm afraid except for a blue mushroom 



So took some pictures to cheer me up indoors instead 







regards

John

[WimB]

Hi John,

that blue mushroom looks very dangerous, almost psychedelic to look at it 
Very nice and colourful Schlumbergera's. Nice to see some colour on our first winter's day here in Belgium.

[Maggi Young]

That blue fungus is pretty frightening..... glad you went back indoors to where all those "dancing girl" flowers  seem to be thriving    

[Brian Ellis]

Well John, you wouldn't even have seen that this morning here, a coating of white stuff is obscuring the ground!

[annew]

Beautiful blue toadstool! I've been gathering the smaller arisaema seedheads that I haven't saved for propagation. They look very pretty, but animals don't seem very keen on eating them here.

[Paddy Tobin]

Anne,

Likewise - despite a plague of fieldmice here the seedheads of arisaema have not been touched. Obviously, they are not to the mice's taste.


On mice and seed - a friend in Canada recommends sprinkling a teaspoon of baking powder on seeds when sowing in pots. Apparently, it neutralises the smell and the mice cannot find the seed.

Paddy

[Anthony Darby]

I would suspect that red 'berries' of any sort would have evolved to be dispersed by birds? Most mammals can't see colour.

[Michael J Campbell]

Paddy,maybe the baking powder is to make the seeds rise quickly.

[Alberto]

Hi all. After the first night of frost (-3°C) my Dahlia imperialis looks very bad.
Alberto

Dahlia imperialis damaged by frost

[Paddy Tobin]

Well, Michael Campbell is on top form at the moment anyway.

If only it were that easy, Michael, all our germination problems would be solved so easily.

Paddy

[Maggi Young]

Well, Michael Campbell is on top form at the moment anyway.

If only it were that easy, Michael, all our germination problems would be solved so easily.

Paddy

I know.... I hoped for years for success from self raising flour 


Alberto, what a shame for your Dahlia... they seem so sad like that!

[annew]

Anthony, I was including birds in 'animals' - they don't eat them either.