May 10th:
Just the one order to send off for the paying customer next week, and you know who that is Connie? I still have the Northern, and Welsh trials to do, and more important, because I earned the right, the darling Wisley trials. Then there's my earlier raising to send to Jack, because I'd like some of my stuff to eventually get into Holland for world wide circulation, and ol' Jack has connections. If you wanna make a splash at seventy seven you better make it a big one, and none come as big as the Dutchman. Without a doubt for any budding dahlia man wanting to start up in the mail order dahlia market there is a need to organise yourself, and the correct way is to know exactly where your varieties are when getting the orders together. You need enough room to lay out everything in alphabetical order, and don't carry to many varieties, but make sure those varieties are the very best whether new or old.
May 19th:
Nine days have pass, and a lots of water has passed under that preverbal bridge. All the trials have gone accompanied by two late telephone orders. Jack's gonna get a shock tomorrow if he doesn't read this because he's been sent two large boxes full. If I know Jack he'll open them as soon as he gets home, excitedly, (but not quite as excitedly as me) and he'll slip them all into seed trays until he has time to pot them up. The idea of abandoning the cutting mail order business didn't come easy, but I just couldn't cope, and I wouldn't be able to enjoy my hobby with all this extra work, and you can't begrudge a bloke that can you? I will publish the email I send to my first and last customers regards cuttings from my web site just as soon as I know how many pot tubers I get from the American and Japanese varieties. I have a very special customer called Casey Flannery, mainly the special bit was the fact that for yonks I believed Casey to be a fella, well there was this Casey performing heavy days on a steep site in the Scottish Highlands, this person would be out on this steep hill from morning till dusk digging over a site over run with couch grass. Now as everyone knows this is almost as unwanted as Mares tail. Ol' Case' and I went to hell and back regards an order from Dan's Dahlias in America that also included some tubers from the wonderful Hollyhill main man Ted Kennedy. All legally sent, but some how Dan's Dahlias had had trouble with securing an inspection date. I wasn't to concerned as no money was put up by yours truly, but poor ol' Case' had spent an arm and a leg. Then the young lady came clean and revelled her true identity, I searched my previous emails to see if I'd mentioned anything unseemly, but could not find a thing. I suppose the young lady (in comparison to this ol' guy of seventy..................... what year is it..............................2008...................seventy six, seventy seven in November. (You can't be) Any way I suppose this nice lady from the Scottish Highlands thought I should know just in case I came out with some outlandish remark.
May 24th:
Planting in the teeth of a gale is never pleasant, but I was hoping to save the plants which are now hardened off from being swamped with the deluge that's forecast. It's one thing to water, but to much and the excellent root system they've made over the past few weeks will be damaged if water isn't needed.
June 21st:
My ol' Gran was right when she suggested the years rolled away the older you get. The longest day has already gone even though the temperature's taken a dip. The pattern is almost identical to what we've had for the past few years. Heat wave in May and back to a chilly Easterly coming down from Sweden, and around the Southern coast in June. Still plenty to do in the greenhouse as most of the American cuttings have rooted, and despite Ted Kennedy's being held up I recon I'll still be able to make pot tubers of them by keeping them in the greenhouse a little longer with plenty of fresh air. The one big disappointment was the loss of the big semi cactus Japanese dahlia called Kanbi, it appeared to have eyes, but although I tried everything in the book it just wouldn't push out any cuttings. I got everyone drooling over it, but I'm afraid until Yusaku sends another tuber we'll all have to wait.
A couple of varieties have developed what I'd say was virus symptoms, so in order to protect the rest of the collection they have to go. No good kidding my self that they're grow out of it. Mind you I am of the same opinion as John Menzel that some varieties only show the symptoms when under stress.
July 3rd:
Been a busy few weeks what with the American and Japanese cuttings to take and pot up when ready. Most varieties will be growing in the garden as well as in small pots for pot tubers. Unfortunately Ted Kennedy's came so late only two varieties will be assessed in the garden, but I intend to grow the remainder in six inch pot growing just one bloom on each. That way I'll assess the bloom, and also have a pot tuber at the end of it, least that's the theory. You know I told you about the plastic bag dahlias I bought? Well true to form two of the varieties are not at all what was portrayed on the front of the bag. The one I was most upset about was the supposedly City of Leiden which was I was assured had dark leaves and was know higher than eighteen inches. I suppose I should have realised when I planted three in a large tub, because the leaves were as green as grass, the stems are carrying very large buds not yet in colour, and the overall height is well over eighteen inches and not suitable for general container work at all. The ones I feel sorry for are the growers because most of the trouble stems from the people who place the tubers in the bag, I think?
July 6th:
Heavy rain and strong winds stopped play which gave me time to reflect on life in general, and indeed what my priorities are. As you guess dahlias were high on the agenda, in fact almost on the same plain as my dear wife and her problems. I think that without my hobby life would have been intolerable, as a man has to have something to look forwards to besides running a home and shopping. Of course the hobby has taken an awful hit in this last year or so because not only have I more to do elsewhere, but as each seasons hopefuls increase so a place to put them becomes more, and more difficult, this is the latest change in a ever changing programme of events.
As I've had to give up showing at NDS National at Shepton Mallet my only hope to get my stuff seen is either Wisley or letting various top dahlia men try their luck with them. I am lucky to have a good friend in Jack Gott, and he knows anything he likes he only has to ask, and even as I speak there are pot tubers growing in my side entrance destined for Shepton Mallet where one of Jack's mates will take them back to the Lake District. Of course being me as usual I have yet to arrange for someone to get them from my side way to the show ground, any volunteers?
Now this is the plan for all other growing problems. Any new seedling that really shows promise I will grow three of in order to get five matching flowers, and whether it's small, medium, large or giant that is the set up. Each plant of each three will be stopped a week later, giving me a span of flowers over a longer period, and hopefully some will catch the days the joint committee of the RHS and NDS meet at Wisley. As always like will be planted with like, and an eye will be given to the development of blooms as their important bits become exposed. Before every flower reaches maturity it will either be hooded, or taken from the plant to develop pollen, or binned. So far so good. By growing only one of each variety in the breeding pool alone will create more room for the as yet untried mystery seedlings, because believe me all seedlings have this element of either disappointment or surprise. As for pot tubers after this year I will let others enjoy what I consider a easy and wonderful way to make the hobby pay because I really need to get to grips with sorting my life out. One thing I won't do is to give up on the King of Hybrids.
August 2nd:
I sent an email to a guy called Brian Madders a while ago to ask if he would have any room to take the pot tubers I spoke about to Shepton Mallet, and having heard nothing for over a week I assumed either he was away, or he was still thinking about it. So imagine my surprise when I got a telephone call saying he'd be willing to get them there, and not only that but, and wait for it. Should I have anything for the seedling classes he put them up for me. His generosity bowled me over I can tell you. He's the same Brian who planted the remainder of my bedding type seedlings on a spare bit of ground on his allotment. Thank you Brian you're a hero.
Another thing I've dreamt up is the use of covers for the exhibition style seedlings in their second year, well lets face it might as well do what the average show bod does. Not only that, then I will be able to see the affects shading has on their appearance, I'm thinking of the photo Sion Jones had on his 2008 catalogue. Unlike Australia and the like I don't expect I'll need anything other than a single sheet of good quality polythene which has a milky look about it to begin with. Though I will consult the experts before spending out. Don't get me wrong only the exhibition type second year seedlings will be treated this way I don't intend to turn the garden into nursery I'm hoping to enhance it's appearance not spoil it. You'll see.