I had the same problem with Sir Alf Ramsey. No idea. Steve in Stevens County.

So . . . tell me about the other 3. Are they balls, small varieties or waterlillies? Or are they A's and AA's? Most of my A's and AA's (large and very large) are just starting to bloom. And of the very largest of the very largest, Emory Paul is one of the biggest guys. The rule of thumb as I understand it (and correct me if I'm wrong Ted) is the larger the variety, the later it tends to take to bloom. I waited what seemed like forever for Show N Tell, Vassio Meggos, Belle of Balmera, and Baarn Bounty. They just started blooming! I really love the big ones, but I don't expect much from them until September. And I still have some big ones that have not bloomed.

The other 3 are supposed to be large too. One is Bodacious. Lots of blooms, but the biggest has been under 8".
Then there is one I got in a clearance bin with no name, but from this forum it looks like Kelvin Floodlight. Steady bloomer, usually 1 at a time. Almost always over 11"
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Number 3 is Purple Taiheijo. usually has 3-4 blooms on a very short (24 inches tall)plant. Usually about 6-7", and I would call the flowers straggly. (this is a photo of the best one)
The Emory Paul doe not even have one bud. And it's OCTOBER already!
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I have given up on getting any blooms from Envy this year. This is the first year that I have had it and it doesn't even have a bud on it yet. The other big ones I have are all blooming and most since Aug 1st. Last year I didn't get any blooms from Show N Tell so this year I started it in the house in late March and it has been blooming like crazy for 2 months now.

Kelvin Floodlight did not get started early and it also has done very well with as many as 6 flowers on it at a time.

Grand Finale took a little longer and started blooming about a month ago and has had quite a few 10 inch flowers.

I am getting a few more really big ones for next year and I think I will start the big AA's and A's in the house so I will be sure to see them bloom. We don't have much time left before we will get the first frost.

Linda

I hate to just get one bloom too! But . . . it could be worse. Some plants do just do nothing, and I'm not sure there's a reason. I like your Kelvin Floodlight alot, but then, I am very partial to the big ones! The big yellow that did very well for me this year was Ivory Palaces. It's the only big one that started blooming in August. Most big ones haven't come until late September, including Show N Tell, which I was about to rename No Show.

I've been so frustrated with non flowering dahlias that I once debated writing a book about them. Instead I vent here.

I have concluded after years of observations that dahlias are fickle. One year I only got about 4-5 flowers on a dahlia and the next year it bloomed all summer. It was not relocated so it got the same watering and soil as previously, only it suddenly decided to bloom normally. Last year I had a Rip City with maybe a dozen blooms - this year, same spot, more fertilizer, same water and I did not get ONE bloom off of it. Last year my Purplicious bloomed maybe 5 times, this year it started early (in June) and IS STILL BLOOMING in October! (I am thrilled but stunned)

I also had several dahlias bloom in July, then seem to go into a holding pattern (I thought they were done) and suddenly in Sept, here come a few more blooms. Now that mystifies me!

I am left with a theory that Dahlias simply have good years and bad years with no rhyme nor reason as to why or when.

I just know it is frustrating to take up a 3 ft plot in my yard just to watch a plant grow and never bloom but it happens with about 4-5 of my 40 dahlias every year.

David

I always thought that once they started blooming they would just keep on blooming until frost but a new one I have called Strawberry Ice bloomed well in August and then just fizzled out. Now it is making a bunch more blooms and I just hope I get to see them before it freezes. All of my others have been steadily blooming since they started.

Linda

Myrtle's Folly bloomed 1 gorgeous bloom, mid-summer for me, and then did nothing, absolutely nothing. Then all of a sudden it formed 3 more buds, which of course got killed by frost.

One of you must have had secret a talk with old Emory here. It has a few buds, and this one looks promising. I'll keep you posted. (80's in the day, 50's at night)
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Oooh, thats a big bud, bet its fully open in a few days! I had one of my big ones, (Strawberry Ice) open last Sunday and its a good thing cuz they all froze Wednesday night. It had 3 buds that opened at the same time and I cut them all and put them in a vase and they looked good until yesterday.

I bet you get a few more of the buds to open up too with temperatures like that!

Good Luck

Linda

I gotta see that Emory when it opens. Please post!

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A little beat up from our craz weather, but I LIKE IT!

WOW! That is impressive! I am very jealous because I am sitting here looking at the snow outside and all my dahlias are long gone :(

Thanks for sharing your beautiful bloom and the beautiful girl holding it.

Linda