To see the full original newsletter with all the photos click here to get the pdf: February 2025 Newsletter
NEXT MEETING: February 11 at 7:30 PM at 9th and Lincoln. Zoom link will be sent on Monday or Tuesday before.
Program: Erik will discuss PSW, lead a discussion on good sources for new varieties and talk about when and how to “wake up” your tubers. He will present the 2025 New Introductions from the ADS website. Zoom link will be sent out a couple days prior to our meeting. Who will bring fuel for our hungry dahlianeers?
HOLIDAY MEMORIES
Just reminding you all of the good times at our December Holiday Fete.
PACIFIC SOUTHWEST DAHLIA CONFERENCE
South Coast Dahlia Society down in San Luis Obispo hosts their first Pacific Southwest Dahlia Conference February 22. 2025. Since it’s their first you know it will be wonderful and unique. They have two speakers—Dr. David Hedrick on pests and rodents and Wayne Lobaugh on open-centered dahlias. Who should attend? Anyone interested in meeting fellow dahliaphiles and bloomerati from SoCal. Rumor has it that there will be MORE special tubers and cuttings included in the raffle and in a silent auction than most of us have ever seen before. Wow! Maybe a few of us can carpool the drive down? SCDS has negotiated special prices at the Quality Suites on Monterey, but you have to ask for the Dahlia Deal. Questions should be addressed to Heather Jamieson dahliagrowers@yahoo.com 805-801-3917
DAHLIA BAR???
Mark discovered a Dahlia Bar in SF. Who knows where the name came from: a person or the flower??? Check it out if you feel like an evening tipple. Cheers! Maybe look for dahlia tattoos like this one on my niece, Alexandra’s, arm in honor of her dad, Mike Dietz.
EYE CANDY
Herewith marches another tranche of glorious dahlias from 2024.
Formby Duke Franz Kafka
Hanna Hapet Celebration
Hapet Daydream Fashion Monger Kenora Lisa
Heartthrob Hollyhill Tarantula
KA’s Chiffon Hapet Amerous
KA’s Mocha Katie KA’s Cinder Rose
MULTIPLYING DAHLIA JOY
Here is John’s account of how his desire to share the bounty of his overflowing dahlia garden snowballed in an amazing way:
Five years ago a dear friend who was moving allowed me to transplant her dahlia collection to my garden in the country near Sebastopol. Dahlias being dahlias one thing led to another and this year I grew over 120 dahlias. As you might imagine, that many plants produce far more blooms than one can cut for the house or give away to friends. I’ve had the idea for some time now that I would love to get flowers to people in eldercare facilities but lacked an inside person to do the actual distribution. Lo and behold a mutual friend introduced me to Grace Bartlome, a resident of a senior housing complex operated by three churches in Sebastopol who has had the same idea and was looking for flowers with which to accomplish it.
There are around 200 studios and one bedroom apartments in the complex and a core group of some 26 residents who are currently homebound. Grace initially set out to make and distribute weekly bouquets for her homebound neighbors featuring the dahlias as well as zinnias from her plot at the Luther Burbank Gold Ridge Experimental Farm. The bouquets were an immediate hit and were met with tears, gratitude and a whole host of lovely and moving responses. Grace reported that news of the giveaway galvanized residents to focus attention on their neighbors, with multiple reports of people meeting neighbors for the first time and of requesting flowers for those who had been temporarily laid low.
The project snowballed and kept pulling in broader sections of the retirement and outside communities. Deb Carterhope, Grace’s right hand person, helped with every aspect of the project from the start. They organized squads of residents to help with making the bouquets and distributing them.
Grace brought a wholesale flower farm and a philanthropist who grows food and flowers for local food banks on board Before the season ended, there were so many flowers being donated that she began leaving buckets of blooms in the common area—She alerted the community via text that they were there for the taking, and they disappeared in a matter of hours.
Plans are underway for a continuation of the giveaway next year. There’s a guy who donates compost tea every week for the gardeners who is on board to supply zinnias to supplement those grown by Grace. Several other residents with garden plots have volunteered to contribute their blooms next year. The local philanthropist plans to significantly expand their flower production for the cause. My job will be to be sure that there are dahlias featured in every bouquet.
Thank you, John! What a great community!
SOWN SEEDS SPRUNG
Julia experimented with Figaro White seeds. She placed them in potting soil upon a grow mat set to 70 degrees. Her air temperature stays around 60 degrees with a humidity of 66%. Here are her results after four months growing. Well done, Julia!
REAL FLOWER POWER: DAHLIA MEDICINE?
Last month you read that there’s a possibility that something in dahlias might become a medication. The principal investigator works in Portland, so Larry Smith went straight to the source and interviewed her. Here is an excerpt from their communication.
“Oregon Health Sciences University (OHSU) and University of Portland have joined forces in conducting research that has located a compound that could help in the fight against cancer and other diseases. OHSU professor Dr. Lawrence Sherman, Ph.D., and Dr. Angela Hoffman, a retired chemistry professor at the University of Portland, are co-authors of an article recently published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry that highlights their findings. Multiple different species of flowers were first tested by students in the laboratory of Dr. Hoffman for their ability to block the activity of a group of harmful enzymes. After a few years of testing, the properties that the researchers were looking for were found only in orange and yellow dahlias and coreopsis. Dr. Sherman’s lab determined that one such enzyme plays a role in preventing nervous system repair in patients with multiple sclerosis and other neurodegenerative diseases. The Sherman lab then determined that a chemical in these extracts called sulfuretin, a key element in blocking the harmful activity, was well tolerated by live nervous system cells, and could promote the generation of cells that boost nervous system repair. Prior to this discovery, it was not known that dahlias produce sulfuretin. This compound has been found to block harmful cell migration-inducing protein, boosting nerve repair and making it more difficult for cancer cells to survive. Researchers have concluded that the applications for treatment may also include multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, traumatic brain injury, and cerebral palsy. According to Dr. Sherman, the goal going forward is to test sulfuretin in animals to determine specifically how it works. Medical chemists will then be able to begin work to turn the specific compound found in dahlias into medicine that will offer improved treatment options for multiple maladies.”
Sarah sent in this url for more info.
COVER CROP
Julie reports on her cover crop experiment: After doing some research, about how to improve the quality of my soil, I decided to try planting a cover crop in 2 of my dahlia beds. I ordered the Peaceful Valley Premium Soil Builder Mix from their website, www.groworganic.com. This is a cool- weather cover crop and includes bell beans, various vetches, peas, and oats. I planted mine in early November and then cut it down and covered it with a silage tarp in mid-January. It must stay under the tarp for 6 weeks to decompose, improve the soil structure and nourish the soil. I am excited to see if this will improve the health and growing of my dahlias this year!
MINI DIGOUT; MAXI EFFORT!
Nine hearty DSCers met to help Phil and Marilyn get all their dahlia cages full of tubers out of the ground. On one of the first sunny days of the year, Lucy, Steve, Allison, Tara, Alex, Ken, Lucy, and Brigid dug right in. Nicole braved our throng for her first ever DSC volunteer experience. She evinced superior attitude and terrific help making her surely Rookie of the Year! When Deborah realized that her Element was reaching maximum capacity, Alex and Allison volunteered their big truck. For the first year ever, we were able to exhume ALL the tubers in one day! Marilyn rewarded us with still warm homemade blueberry muffins. MMMM! Deborah shared a crockpot full of enchilada soup which suited Steve’s puffy rolls perfectly. Tara’s salad and Lucy’s gorgeous dessert rounded out our potluck lunch. Wow! So satisfying but so tuckering. Fortunately Steve, Alex and Allison followed Deborah to the Maus Haus to help unload all the gopher cages. Whew!
DAHLIA DONATION
Who dropped off a box of tubers late at night for Lou’s cutting crew? After her improv class, Julie generously gifted roots of top varieties like Bumble Rumble, Gifts Perfection, My Hero and others so that Lou’s team could propagate clones and WE DCSERS could buy them at our Tuber Sale April 26. So very generous, Julie!
JUDGES CALENDAR
Our 2025 judging seminar will be held on July 26 from 9-4 at the Corralitos Woman’s Club.
Address: 33 BROWNS VALLEY RD, CORRALITOS, CA, 95076
Please note that sometimes, Corralitos gets swapped out for Watsonville on some map/ nav systems. If you type in the Corralitos Woman’s club, you’ll get to the right place.
CHIPPING AT TUBER MOUNTAIN
How to deal with a mountain of gopher cages full of tubers??? Deborah decided to host a series of dividing seminars at her Maus Haus. Tara, Marie and Jenn joined her the first Tuesday. Wrestling tubers out of cages—especially sophomore clumps that had 2 years to grow outside the wire mesh—proved daunting! Armed with toothbrushes, they cleaned off the clumps well enough to begin dancing with the BEAST, Deborah’s Dremel oscillating tool. After a little more cosmetic cleaning, the tubers sat in 10% bleach baths for at east 10-15 minutes. The second contingent of dividers—Nicole, Allison and Lucy—likewise extricated behemoth gnarly clumps from cages, toothbrushed and dipped the resultant tubers in their bleach spas. Allison and Nicole played out the newly blonde tubers on black flats, dipped their exposed ends in sulphur and labeled them with names when available and numbers when not. They are up to 22 for the “orphan” category. At least these unnamed varieties are numbered so that buyers can purchase different varieties if they choose unknown but different. The third contingent included Tenaya, Sarah and Steve who enjoyed glorious sunshine. Lucy fought to extricate a sophomore clump which yielded over 30 viable tubers! But what a fight! Tanya reprised her efforts by joining the fourth group of volunteers along with Ken and Brigid. They learned to distinguish between happy garden worms and pernicious spotted serpent centipede wire worms. GRRRR. Anyone else who would like to help out at a Maus Haus Dividing Session, please call Deborah: 415-816-2118 and leave a message. Dividing Days are usually Tuesday or Thursday.
RESEEDING BURNED LA
Julia alerts us to this opportunity:
The Altadena Seed Library is seeking seed donations to help reseed areas impacted by the LA fires in January. Altadena Seed Library is a network of little free seed libraries based in the greater LA area that promotes seed education.
The network was founded by Nina Raj, a local naturalist and educator. By distributing free seeds across LA, Nina and her community are working to expand equitable access to shade and green spaces, increase food sovereignty, connect neighbors, and restore local ecosystems, even before the fires began. Their work is more important than ever now as home gardeners, farmers and naturalists alike work to reestablish plant life in a barren landscape.
If you would like to contribute to the Altadena Seed Library’s reseeding effort alongside your fellow Dahlia Society members, please bring any space seeds – especially native seeds – to our February meeting. If you prefer to donate seeds sooner or directly, donations can be mailed to 37 Auburn Ave. #8, Sierra Madre, CA 91024 care of Altadena Seed Library. Donated seeds will be distributed via the network’s little free libraries which are set up on street corners, at schools, and in community spaces.
To learn more about the Altadena Seed Library please visit www.altadenaseedlibrary.com or read the January 14th, 2025 New York Times article on this effort titled “As the Eaton Fire Still Burns, Locals Gather Seeds to Regrow.”
BLOOMING WHAT? WHEN?
On a stroll around Bernal Heights, Deborah came upon three dahlias blooming amidst dinosaur fairy lights. The next week the jaunty dahlias were blooming amidst dragon fairy lights and Chinese New Year Banners. Must be a magic micro climate! Cara reports that she has this precocious bloomer in the South Bay! Such kookie weather.
HILLSIDE AND DELLIANS
Erik and Deborah met with Tobby Price, supervisor of the Dell, the Valley and the Panhandle; Susan Sun, the Parks and Rec liaison; and Juan Laniez, the construction foreman for the new hillside. They will remediate the rust on the chains, close off the third tier to the public, add hooks in the front row to enable easier care taking, and confer about some steps on the eastern slanted edge. Tinnee and Gerry weeded their eastern section and raked it out just in time for a little heavenly sprinkle. Tim-fresh from rescuing penguins at the tip of Africa—ripped out rapacious oxalis and dug up his front and center clumps. He hopes to bring Sisterhood tubers and some cuttings to our Tuber Sale April 26. Deborah took cuttings from Pennhill Watermelon, Blomquist Candy Corn, Hollyhill Showtime and Kenora Macop B right up to the beginning of February. Her greenhouse enjoyed the string of sunny days.
MOMENTO MORI: ROY STIER
Roy Stier, a 40-year member of the San Leandro Dahlia Society and founding member of the John Stowell Dahlia Society, passed away on Wednesday, January 8th at the age of 94. Roy and his wife Bettie came to the Bay Area after a long career in the Navy. Towards the end of their 72-year marriage, Roy would take the newspaper into Bettie’s nursing home. While she did the crossword puzzle, he would winkle out the sudoku. They so enjoyed being with one another.
Growing up on the East Coast, Roy caught the dahlia bug from his father. So Roy named his only origination after his teacher and dad, Phil. Roy ardently competed and judged at shows all over the Bay Area, arriving often like the owner of gladiators with A and AA’s resplendent, his stable of Spartacus, Louis Meggos and Harvey Koops astounding us.
Roy produced endless cuttings and shared his knowledge of dahlia culture readily. He began the massive public dahlia display at Casa Peralta where his giants often danced under huge golf umbrellas. Roy’s lasting legacy—his love and enthusiasm for growing show quality dahlias and questing for the most perfect forms— passed on to so many of us. Roy’s memory will be celebrated March 1st at St. John the Baptist in Milpitas at noon.
DAHLIA DONATION
Who dropped off a box of tubers late at night for Lou’s cutting crew? After her improv class, Julie generously gifted roots of top varieties like Bumble Rumble, Gifts Perfection, My Hero and others so that Lou’s team could propagate clones and WE DCSERS could buy them at our Tuber Sale April 26. So very generous, Julie! Eugene and Rosie from Rivers Dahlias gifted DSC with a box of their new introductions including River’s Novelty, River’s Coho, River’s Can’t Elope, and River’s Elizabeth. May these all produce MANY cuttings to tempt us April 26th.
SECOND CAVALCADE OF 2024 DAHLIAS
Maxime NXO NOTD
ONX Orange Hype River’s Cherry Bomb
FIRING UP FOR FEBRUARY
Weeds
Every weed you pull now is a hundred weeds you prevent from rampaging through your patch later. Just saying.
Seeds
Mid February is the time to begin starting some of your saved dahlia seeds. Dampen a paper towel; place seeds around the damp towel. Place another damp but not wet paper towel over the top. Place in a nice warm area or under a lamp. In 6-15 days your seeds should sprout. Gently use tweezers to transfer each seed to its own 4×4” container filled with loose potting soil and perlite. LABLE!! There are many good YouTube videos of this process. Usually we can plant well established seedlings in late March because of our unique Bay Area climate. Here’s a really good one from Renee’s Garden seed company: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbsxku2sru4 This one by Swan Island shows how they collect and start seeds: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxOu9OjiMlU
Field Dressing
Some of the dahlias left in the ground will send up first sprouts in February. This allows you the opportunity to dig up 3/4s of a tuber mass and leave the other quarter still in the ground with all its micro roots attached. I dust off the top of the clump to establish the exact size and pattern of root development. Then I separate out a major portion for later dividing. I add my secret sauce in the hole that remains to ensure the pantry is full for the still intact final quarter in the ground. I fill in with rich soil and rewrite the label. It’s set to go for another season. You’ll probably get blooms 3-4 weeks earlier this way. Yay!
Sprouts
Four dahlias have already sent up small green shoots at the Dell! I immediately put copper rings around them and added a few pellets of Sluggo Plus which combats snails, slugs AND earwigs. Otherwise these devouring devils just munch our wee harbingers of glory to delicious death. BEWARE!
Waking Up Tubers
Some people choose to plant their new tubers directly into the ground and cross their fingers that conditions will be conducive to prosper. But it might rain. The dirt might be very cold for a long time. Hungry gophers and voles might find a delectable surprise for lunch. I prefer to give my tubers an optimal chance of succeeding by potting them in milk cartons and stacking them up in my loft. I use half gallon milk cartons with the side flap slit. I fill 1/3 of the carton with a light potting mix, lay in the tuber and add another 1/3 soil. I CLOSE the carton and put it in my loft, which is the warmest part of my little Maus Haus. You might try atop your water heater or on the top shelf of your warmest bedroom. In his bachelor days, Erik spread a tarp across his living room floor where scads of milk cartons basked in the New Year’s sun. DO NOT WATER!!! Tubers will germinate in newspaper shavings, in vermiculite, in peat moss all on their own. The tuber has its own pantry of nutrients and moisture; it does NOT have roots to absorb liquid, so any extra moisture just aids the rotting process. Some people lay their tubers out in soil on a heated table. Beware! do not COOK your tubers. 65-70 degrees is optimal for germination. NO MORE.
Plan to attend the Pacific Southwest Conference in San Luis Obispo, buy some fun new dahlias, circle the TuberSale April 26 and our judging seminar on July 26 on your calendars, and offer to help friends and neighbors process their dahlia clumps. Happy Valentine’s month.
Yours in dirt,
Deborah
Photo credit: Anderson, Baker, Cangiamilla, Capps, Dietz, Fernandez, Gaensler, Jones, Kaiser, Kelly, Mingus, Schmersy, Shell, Stark, Stijfts, Tobiasen, Twyning, Wallace
Meticulous proofreading: Steve
URL Maven: Mini