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Post by Moonlight on Nov 1, 2015 23:33:44 GMT
Moonlight thanks for the photos I've never seen dahlia seeds and your photos show the differences. Great that both girls could collect their own seed too. Collecting seed would be something I'd like to try in the future. I just want to get this first season out the way  I sincerely hope today has been a better day for you.
You look at your dahlia plants and the seed heads. The seed heads that are closed up are the ones most likely to have seeds. Some you get loads, others you are lucky if you get 1 seed. I am no expert but it is fun. I recommend that you give them a squeeze to get some of the rain water out and then open them up (some are easy others are a bit of a battle.) with your fingers and thumbs. Then pull out the seeds, put them on newspaper (or kitchen towel) and them dry out. That is it. Store them in envelopes. Seeds will last a couple of years, so you don't have to use them up in one go.
Seriously that is it. Last year Fairy didn't have any seeds and Pirate collected 5. This year Pirate has collected a few and Fairy has over a 100 (n.b. I haven't counted but there does look a lot). Quantity doesn't mean you will get lots of plants, even though she has loads this year it doesn't mean that she can guarantee that any will actually germinate. 
I recommend it as an activity to share with children because it is a bit like a Kinder Egg you won't know how many you have until you have opened it.
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Post by Cat on Nov 2, 2015 20:34:30 GMT
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Post by Moonlight on Nov 2, 2015 22:09:19 GMT
I think he will. So do the girls. I told them what you had said and my reply.
Let us know how you get on - then I can keep the girls updated.
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Post by Moonlight on Nov 6, 2015 9:24:28 GMT
There's a lot more brown and lot less colour now with the dahlias. All a bit sad looking but also rather exciting time to. I have managed to collect seeds from 20 different varieties - so I am very happy about that. 
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Post by Moonlight on Nov 6, 2015 10:16:04 GMT
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Post by roofgardener on Nov 6, 2015 11:11:55 GMT
Oh WOW... they certainly ARE colourful, Moonlight. I may try and get some seeds for my Sisters 'upper moon' flowerbed.
Funnily enough, your seed-collecting advise comes at a timely moment. My parents donated the Dahlia plant I grew for them back to me, with a view to over-wintering it.
It has oodles of seed-heads (green, closed), and - armed with your advice - I may have a stab at collecting the seeds this weekend.
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Post by Moonlight on Nov 6, 2015 12:16:55 GMT
Oh WOW... they certainly ARE colourful, Moonlight. I may try and get some seeds for my Sisters 'upper moon' flowerbed. Funnily enough, your seed-collecting advise comes at a timely moment. My parents donated the Dahlia plant I grew for them back to me, with a view to over-wintering it. It has oodles of seed-heads (green, closed), and - armed with your advice - I may have a stab at collecting the seeds this weekend. |
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Post by Lou78W on Nov 6, 2015 15:05:34 GMT
That's a shame! what varieties is he going to concentrate on instead? |
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Post by Moonlight on Nov 8, 2015 0:14:02 GMT
That's a shame! what varieties is he going to concentrate on instead? 
He has got some nice semi cactus
some 'interesting' (his words rather than mine) 1st year seedlings and he has that stunning large pom
 
that he is going to let me grow next year.
To me though he'll always be a semi cactus man but he does really like Tel's Birkenshaw Wyn's Favourite..............
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Post by Cat on Nov 8, 2015 8:39:09 GMT
Wow! Is that bottom picture the pom your going to grow? Very jealous, what super colour
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Post by Moonlight on Nov 8, 2015 8:56:32 GMT
The thing with my Dad is he is a perfectionist. He is old enough to remember the old 'show and fancy' dahlias. According to the NDS dahlia history page these were:
Obviously my Dad wasn't around in the mid 1800's but when he was younger they were being exhibited.
So when ball dahlias were defined / specified (however best described) my Dad was around and at some point became a NDS dahlia judge. So when dahlias are classified as ball dahlias but are actually decorative dahlias it always hits a nerve. Imaging the most painful toothache throbbing in your mouth - I think it is like that but worse for my Dad.
Seeing a dahlia in the wrong class is disappointing for the exhibitor and we really feel for people that enter these stunning exhibits but receive the NAS because when someone feels proud enough to enter a show.
However -
Seeing a variety that has been 'classified' as being a ball dahlia when it is in fact a decorative and having that decorative beat a really good ball dahlia, really, really, really gets to my Dad. Actually I cannot begin to articulate how passionately he feels about this. He'll always be a semi cactus man to me but if he can get a good ball dahlia - that people consider as a strong contender in a ball dahlia class and beats the pants off of Decs 'Wolves' in Sheep clothing he will die a happy man.
Don't actually know where that post came from. Just was reading back over my previous post and was thinking I didn't add a photo of a ball dahlia.
So there you go - this is one of his Ball dahlia seedlings.
 
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Post by ian on Nov 8, 2015 13:07:37 GMT
Moonlight I was reading a few old back issues of the NDS annual from the 1960s and the show and fancy you talk about actually changed to the ball varieties as we know them in 1966 and I see your dad was amongst the prizes on most occasions in the late 60's winning most of the medium semi classes a force to be recond with in his day. I am pleased he has the bug again for hybridisation, let's hope it's not too long before he is reaping the benefits of his hard work. More power to his balls ....... So to speak.
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Post by Moonlight on Nov 10, 2015 0:17:15 GMT
Moonlight I was reading a few old back issues of the NDS annual from the 1960s and the show and fancy you talk about actually changed to the ball varieties as we know them in 1966 and I see your dad was amongst the prizes on most occasions in the late 60's winning most of the medium semi classes a force to be recond with in his day. I am pleased he has the bug again for hybridisation, let's hope it's not too long before he is reaping the benefits of his hard work. More power to his balls ....... So to speak.
p.s. It wasn't just the 60's  |
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Post by Moonlight on Nov 15, 2015 0:47:33 GMT
I am very happy because I have managed to get 4 seeds from Downham Royal. 
Dad will be pleased when I tell him.
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Post by roofgardener on Nov 15, 2015 18:35:32 GMT
I take it that the Downham Royal is a plant that you - or Dad - grew ?
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