Dahlias inspire fanaticism
By MELODY STONE, The Eureka Reporter
Published: May 23 2008, 11:48 PM · Updated: May 23 2008, 11:55 PM
“There are a lot of die-hard growers, and the nearest
chapters (of the American Dahlia Society) are in Coos Bay, Ore., and San
Francisco,” said self-proclaimed “die-hard” dahlia fanatic and grower Carl
Young.
Young and his wife, of Fortuna, retired and started growing dahlias three years
ago. Young said he wants to organize other dahlia growers in the area to start a
local chapter of the American Dahlia Society. One of the requirements for a
chapter is having 25 core society members. The American Dahlia Society provides
a lot of resources, Young said, and he wants to have access to those locally and
eventually host a dahlia show in Humboldt County.
“The whole idea of the organization is to promote the growing and education of
dahlias,” Young said.
“There are 20,000 varieties of dahlias; a lot of those have been folks in their
home cross-pollinating their own,” he said.
Lisa Zierer, owner of Flora Organica in McKinleyville, said, “I grow them
because they are beautiful and long-lasting cuts (a week as opposed to two
days).”
Zierer specializes in cut flowers and landscape plants and herbs. “I have them
as a cut and I have them in pots.”
Zierer said that gophers like eating dahlias and that the plants should be
planted in an underground gopher cage, which can be purchased at a hardware
store or made out of chicken wire.
Young said he loves dahlias for a number of reasons: They are easy to grow, he
likes cross-pollinating and playing with genetics, and he likes working as a
team with his wife.
“I enjoy the forms, the colors and the brightness of the different dahlias. They
aren’t terribly hard to grow. I get this positive energy (from the dahlias), and
I just want to share it.”
Young is a veteran and said he encourages his fellow veterans to find some
positive activity to help them deal with post-traumatic stress syndrome or
depression; dahlia growing is his. “It’s non-intimidating; there are no trip
wires and no land mines.”
“For a guy that doesn’t have a degree in horticulture or biology, it’s kind of
neat to be able to play with Mother Nature,” Young said about cross-pollinating
the dahlias.
For more information, phone Carl Young at 707-725-6946, e-mail
carlhandup@att.net or go to The American
Dahlia Society Website at
http://www.dahlia.org/
Now is the time to plant dahlias
Here are Carl Young’s dahlia-growing tips
1) When the sprout pops through the ground, there will be leaf sets. At the
fourth leaf set, pinch off the bud at the stalk and the flower yield will be
greater and bushier.
2) Dahlias love well-drained soil.
3) They bloom up to three months.
4) Don’t over water or over fertilize.
5) Dahlias like an acidity level of 6.4 to 6.8 ph.
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6) Flip a tomato cage upside down, cut off the spokes and put it over the dahlia. Take the spokes and put them into the ground in a U-shape, to provide wind protection.
7) Never water from overhead because that invites mould
and mildew.