I Dug Dahlia Out Of Her Grave

Okay, I admit, the "grave part" is a click bait. Nov 31, is quite a busy day in graveyards and cemetery in the Philippines. Everyone goes there to visit their dead. Well... almost everyone, I forgot, there are those who don't. A day before that, I dug my Dahlia plants' roots out because they forecast frost so I thought of using that as a click bait (grin).

There was frost in the ground a week or two before that I can't really remember when but I there was one flower still blooming so I let it till it withered and just covered the ground around the plant with a piece of what's left of the bubble wrap hoping it would warm it. Whether it did or not, Dahlia can't tell me but the flower continued to bloom that I hesitated performing guillotine on it and digging it out because it was still in full bloom just like it's nearby flowering plant which is still standing tall in my garden, boasting of her blooms and buds - Cosmos.

In the Philippines, back in my grandparent's house, my aunt had them but not this type- one with thicker layers of petals. I remember that I was allowed to pick and cut any flower I want ... even the roses but I was not allowed to even lay my hands on them Dahlias and her orchids. She didn't have much of them that's why, plus they're expensive in the Philippines.

I don't remember my aunt digging them out of the ground but then we didn't have frost there. Dahlia's aren't winter hard. They dig the roots out here before the first frost. They even cut them at least 10 cm from the ground just to mark that there's a root underneath that waiting to be dug out. I would have done the same had she not bloomed a lot.

This one has been vigorous this year, I have no idea why. I have three kinds of them, a plain white and that with a bit of a pinkish lines on her petals and the last one that kept blooming was this - the pink one.

I planted the white in a pot because the apple patch was already too crowded. I planted them in Spring but a bit early, I let them germinate in the green house so they bloomed early as well and the plain white was first to bloom. Its had its first bud some time in late June and was attacked by black aphids so I was worried it might not come out healthy but it turned out okay, petite and the layers of petals are fewer than what its supposed to have.

Why are the petals like so? It wasn't the aphids anymore, it was me. I was watering the potted citrus around it and I was using a hose so it accidentally sprayed it some. The petals of the Dahlias are sensitive I suppose or maybe it was pretty sunny that day and the parts where the water landed got fried in the sun - thus, the brown spots. I did learn back then when I first saw them in a friend's garden that I'm not supposed to do that but shit happens :D. The scars on its petals doesn't bother this buzzing visitor anyway.

The pink one bloomed early in July and almost everyday, I await for the moment it spreads its beautiful petals and get kissed by the bees, thus - the progression photos.

They look very delicate but I find this one the funniest. They remind of a monster with sharp fangs in some old film. It looks way different than the rest which looks so innocent and humble. I had to kneel on the ground to get most of the shots. Dahlia buds seem very humble, they're always on a "bowing mode".

Somehow, the whites didn't bloom as much as the pink one did plus this one came a bit late. I suppose the soil in the pot was not loose enough or maybe not draining enough.

I also learned way back then that I should cut the flower after the bloom but I wanted to know what it would look like when totally withered so I didn't. Here's what it looks like. I guess, this would have exploded more blooms had I cut those withered ones.

The aphids bullied the last buds and somehow they kept the apples "black aphids free"when the nasturtium on the woodshed died.

This was the last bloom it still had when I let it go. Yes, pale, scorched and plagued but still beautiful. I guess, nature teaches us that the darker days in places where there is winter is a time to slow down and rest much. Right now, the roots are resting in the bag of sand in the shed. Yes, I washed and let them air out first so they were totally clean before I placed them between the sands. I covered it with some warm cloth hoping it would be warmer for them. I'll be putting them back in Spring and I'm thinking to get a different sort. Yes, she's the flower the fairy on my last post represents but mind you, I haven't really seen any blue Dahlia and I hope I do someday.

I'm guilty of bombarding you pics again and it won't probably be given importance but you see, there's plenty of Dahlia's in this planet and I was hoping to share the things that are left unnoticed - like the petals and the changes that takes place on it as well as the pollen but it has been a very long post again so of course, not much bothers to read.

How about you?
Are you also gardening in Europe?

Have you also dug your Dahlia's out of the ground?

Have you got the same Dahlia as mine - one with a huge mid part of pollen or a different sort?

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I Dug Dahlia Out Of Her Grave

Here are my most recent posts: **TIP : DON'T WASTE YOUR VOTING POWER on posts that have already been paid out. ONLY Upvote POSTS THAT ARE 6 DAYS OLD below. .

Follow Me ---> @englishtchrivy

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