Love dahlias, my cuttings rooted easily this spring, i managed to pot on 357 self collected seed for my parents and they have an incredible mixed show. Def a must for next Year. Do cheap when you save tubers or set your own seed. I hope I keep my mini dahlia and we bought a new red one this year I am in love with, I hope I keep it through the winter. See pictures...
Hi Red Dahlia, I think seeds from any type of dahlia are potentially fertile but as they cross-pollinate like crazy there is no guarantee that the offspring will be like the parent, although they are often similar in form if not colour. As for collecting seed, the thicker ones are more likely to be viable - to select those, I put the dried collected seeds into the palm of my hand and gently blow - the papery bits and non-viable seeds are blown away. I leave the seed heads on the plants I want to collect seeds from. Although this means fewer flowers from the selected plant, there will be far more viable seeds per head.
A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
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Love dahlias, my cuttings rooted easily this spring, i managed to pot on 357 self collected seed for my parents and they have an incredible mixed show. Def a must for next Year. Do cheap when you save tubers or set your own seed. I hope I keep my mini dahlia and we bought a new red one this year I am in love with, I hope I keep it through the winter. See pictures...
large ball red one http://twitter.com/Inky_Trace/status/373213818567917568/photo/1
small red one(hence my name) http://twitter.com/Inky_Trace/status/373214056976375808/photo/1
Is there an easy way of telling if your dahlia seed from bought plants will be fertile??
Hi Red Dahlia, I think seeds from any type of dahlia are potentially fertile but as they cross-pollinate like crazy there is no guarantee that the offspring will be like the parent, although they are often similar in form if not colour. As for collecting seed, the thicker ones are more likely to be viable - to select those, I put the dried collected seeds into the palm of my hand and gently blow - the papery bits and non-viable seeds are blown away. I leave the seed heads on the plants I want to collect seeds from. Although this means fewer flowers from the selected plant, there will be far more viable seeds per head.
I only ask as my tiny dahlia had tiny tiny seeds and I sowed 2 trays and nothing at all,nothing!!!
my new red ones I so hope are fertile but normally they close into a cone shape, these remain looking like pineapple tops?? Heard this before??