Dahlias in the Front Yard

 We just removed some huge trees from our front yard, which now makes it
the biggest, sunniest spot on our small suburban property. I've always
wanted to grow an assortment of dahlias, and now I have the room.
However, I know that dahlias need to be supported, and I'm afraid the
supports (tomato cages or bailing wire supports, for example) would be
too unsightly for a front yard in suburbia.  Any advice on how to grow
dahlias in the front yard and not annoy the neighbors?

-Fleemo

 Annoy the neighbors?

Your neighbors apparently need to get a life of their own.

Why not preempt the problem and ask your nosy neighbors for advice?

  > Your neighbors apparently need to get a life of their own.<

Indeed.  But here in Northern California, four homes are shoved onto
the space that holds one in other parts of the country, so the
neighbors are a bit more "in your face" here than in some regions.

Doug, those hoops do look pretty pleasing to the eye, but at $12.95 per
hoop, I think I wouldn't have any dough left to buy tubers!  :{


the snootiest of neighbors.<

Good advice, Bill.  So do you find that the tomato cages are sufficient
to support the dahlias without them tumbling over?  I usually find that
the tomato cages aren't even sufficient for tomatoes!  :P

So Vox, Presely, how do you use the fence posts/rebar with the dahlias?
 Do you use one per plant and tie the dahlias to them as they grow?  Or
do you use a couple to surround the plant, using string or baling wire
every few inches as supports?

Thanks for the input!

-Fleemo

 fleemo17@comcast.net wrote:

the snootiest of neighbors.<

The support rings that I use are the larger (taller) ones,
not the "cheap" ones sold by  places like Wal-Mart.  They
work well for most Dahlias but on the really tall ones I use
a ring and a wood stake (6 foot tomato stake pounded about
15 inches into the ground).  I tie the main Dahlia stalk to
the stake and the ring supports the rest of the plant.  That
has worked well for me and I have been growing Dahlias for
many, many years.
--
Bill R.      (Ohio Valley, U.S.A)

Digital Camera: HP PhotoSmart 850

For pictures of my garden flowers visit
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  > Your neighbors apparently need to get a life of their own.<

Indeed.  But here in Northern California, four homes are shoved onto
the space that holds one in other parts of the country, so the
neighbors are a bit more "in your face" here than in some regions.

Doug, those hoops do look pretty pleasing to the eye, but at $12.95 per
hoop, I think I wouldn't have any dough left to buy tubers!  :{


the snootiest of neighbors.<

Good advice, Bill.  So do you find that the tomato cages are sufficient
to support the dahlias without them tumbling over?  I usually find that
the tomato cages aren't even sufficient for tomatoes!  :P

So Vox, Presely, how do you use the fence posts/rebar with the dahlias?
 Do you use one per plant and tie the dahlias to them as they grow?  Or
do you use a couple to surround the plant, using string or baling wire
every few inches as supports?

Thanks for the input!

-Fleemo