That’s awesome!! which variety is it?

Thanks @mazerolm_3a. It makes me (too?) happy when I see such an event.

(It is "Mystic Illusion")

My neighbor gave me some to try to store so I buried them in a plastic bag 24 inches in the ground in my hot house. I dug them up and all were covered in thick white mold! I guess that's NOT the way to over winter a dahlia.

I've had caladiums survive in my zone 7 ground over the winter. I just left them in the ground to rot and they sent up leaves the next year.

Nice rouge! And I know this is a variety you enjoy! I've only taken one or two peeks at my stored dahlias and it's not looking good. I got lazy last year and instead of doing my usual layers of misted newspaper and peat moss in cardboard boxes, I just threw the tubers in paper bags - another method someone swore by. Don't think it worked for me. I think maybe my basement is drier than I thought lol.

Then, I was going to pot them up early and put them in a cold frame. Dragged out the frame, climbed over mountains of stuff in the garage because of course the storm windows to put on top were against the back wall of the garage, somehow managed to climb BACK over mountains of stuff carrying a pane of glass, only to find the glass is about six inches too small for the frame. Argghhh!

So, my tubers are still in bags, probably all dried up, and I hope to get to them in a week or so. Luckily I did buy a new Fleurel tuber because I didn't want to risk losing the ones I had and being without at least one! Glad to see others have had a successful overwintering!

:)

Dee

And I know this is a variety you enjoy!

Its the only one I got!

Here it is today...now with several flower buds.

It’s so big already! Do you think it will bloom indoors or are you ready to plant it outside?

I did not save my dahlias last year, they were from Costco. But this year I ordered from a Canadian grower, so I’ll definitely attempt to store them.

Do you think it will bloom indoors or are you ready to plant it outside?

Hey @mazerolm_3a, we wont have consistent "dahlia weather" for at least another month...or even into June and so for sure it will bloom indoors in the meantime.

Do dahlias bloom continuously, or are they like, say a peony, that is one and done? I have a "Miss Eileen" growing in a pot btw.

Lots and lots of bloom buds all season long.

LOL rouge, just because it's the only one you have, doesn't mean you it can't be one you enjoy!! My BIL always says things like, you're my favorite sister-in-law, and I say, I'm your ONLY SIL, and he says, that doesn't mean I have to like you lol!!

I was pleasantly surprised by a box from Swan Island Dahlias yesterday. Apparently, I ordered more than just the one Fleurel. I guess I placed an order of about half a dozen tubers and then promptly forgot about it! I feel a bit better about all the potentially dead tubers laying in my basement now haha!

:)

Dee

Do you think it will bloom indoors

@mazerolm_3a, the first bloom of 2022 for this dahlia:

That plant looks amazing. I don't think I could ever get a plant to look like that indoors!

:)

Dee