Quote:
Originally Posted by Cole_Robbie
Speaking of flower plans, I am just about to pull the trigger on dahlia tubers and plant my high tunnel in them. I have read that the larger-bloomed varieties do much better under plastic, away from storms and wind.
https://www.edenbrothers.com/store/dahlia_bulbs.html?
I'm thinking I will try 3 mixes - the dinner plate, the giant bloom and the cactus. I literally rolled my pennies and the rest of my change, and I am going to use that money. I have heard the expression of 'rolling pennies to buy gas' as a metaphor for being broke. Perhaps rolling pennies to buy flowers to plant is one step above that. |
Careful with the AA (giant) mix - the flowers are huge, > 10", the plants produce them later & do not produce too many of them. Typically the smaller the blooms, the more of them you'll get. With that said, I do not have market experience so cannot comment on customer behaviour and likes. imho, of the mixes you are considering, the cactus mix will get you the largest number of saleable flowers.
Consider tagging the tubers as to size & colour, learn how to properly split them (1 active eye per tuber), and you'll have another item to sell to gardeners next spring.
Your supplier prices look pretty high. Some of the varieties they offer are really common, for example Kelvin Floodlight, Cafe au Lait & Garden Wonder are all available from Home Depot (here) for $8.99 CDN for 3 tubers - likely less in the USA. If you have a dahlia society in your area that's a good place to get good inexpensive named tubers to bolster your offerings.
Lots of folks use sulphur as a fungicide. In the fall I shake my dry tubers in a plastic bag with a peat/sulphur mix until they have a light coating. You'll still need to check them through the winter to make sure they don't start rotting. And since they are originally from Mexico, they cannot take any frost.
Here is a web site from a gentleman who had a small business going until a couple of years ago - some good information.
http://www.sidsdahlias.com/
Good luck.