Re: [gardeners] Dahlia woes

lneuru@watarts.uwaterloo.ca (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Thu, 29 Aug 2002 09:21:14 -0400

Penny, I never pull stuff unless it's dead.  I sometimes give them a bit of light 
fertilizer to help them regain strength.  Otherwise I just remove awful stuff and 
wait till next year.  This practice usually works, at least with basically healthy 
plants which are coping with unusual conditions.  Lucinda

> 
> Every summer I grow 9 very tall and prolific dahlias in front
> of a hedge of Upright Yews lined against the house,
> ESE exposure, 6 hours of FULL sun.  Seven of them
> always survive the winter (zone 6) altho they should not,
> and return each spring with vigor. 
> 
> This year they were all hit with a virus which I have not been
> able to contain. The tops are still blooming away; the middles 
> and bottoms are decimated.  And to my surprise, several of 
> them have sprung fresh stalks from the bottom!
> 
> This has been a summer of total drought, with temps at
> 94* for weeks, and humidity at 75%. The dahlias were
> watered the normal way: being on the edge of a big flower
> bed with drip irrigation, they received a low level drip
> 3 times a day, for 10 minutes.  They never wilted, they
> never rotted -- in fact, the tops are luxurient.
> 
> Nonetheless, with 2/3rds of the leaves having turned
> brown (but clinging), they look atrocious. 
> 
> Any suggestions...?  Do I  pull them all out and
> fumigate...??? 
> 
> Penny, NY
> 
> 
> 
> .
> 
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