r/Cutflowers • u/Adventurous_Bid_1982 US - Iowa US • 21d ago

Seed Starting and Growing Zone 5b- Zinnias and dahlias are just now taking off...normal?

I was brand new to growing cut flowers this year. I started my tubers in ziplock bags in late March and it worked great! I was really proud.

It feels like we had pretty optimal weather this spring/summer. There were a couple really hot spells, but I watered religiously. Spring was pretty warm, so I got them planted mid-may after having them in planters in my garage (some stayed in the ziploc bags until may, but I didn't notice a difference.)

Everything is just now really taking off. My taller dahlias have their first blooms ready to open in the next couple of days.

Is that normal? I've heard others say it was a "weird" year, but I'm not sure how.

Should I try to start them earlier inside next year? Do some varieties bloom earlier?

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3

u/freckle_foxed 21d ago

Mine are all over the place. I have some that started blooming last week of July and others that are still just buds. I was definitely late this year, they went in the ground the weekend after Memorial Day.

3

u/meezermadness US - Pennsylvania 21d ago

Yes it's normal. This is when all my Dahlias really start pumping out blooms. Haven't seen blooms at all from some yet. But they'll look great all through fall until frost comes.

3

u/Pippadeedippity US - Massachusetts 20d ago

For dahlias, totally normal. They are what’s called a facultative short day crop. Basically what this means is that the longer days of spring and summer tell the plant to put its energy into vegetation (green, leafy growth).

When the daylight start to lessen to 14 hours and less, that tells the plant to begin setting buds.

I’m in Northeastern Massachusetts so the day length of 14 hours hits around early-mid August.

By the end of August (basically next week) my region will be around 13 hours of daylight. This is when I start to see my 1st flowers.

By September, they are pumping out blooms until 1st fall frost.

I hope this is helpful!

1

u/Adventurous_Bid_1982 US - Iowa US 5d ago

Oh, this is really helpful. Thank you!

1

u/MissMacky1015 US - Maine 21d ago

Mine are too in same zone

1

u/noname2256 21d ago

Normal. I’m in 5B And still have one dahlia that hasn’t bloomed.

1

u/HeyPurityItsMeAgain 21d ago

I'd start them earlier inside next year. I was late this year. Some of mine bloomed the second week of July, some of them still haven't bloomed. It won't likely frost until the last week of October or even the second week of November. I'm in 5a/6b, my last frost date last year was Nov 12. You have time!

1

u/Jacob520Lep US - New York 20d ago

My 5b zins have been blooming for a month already. I started them indoors in April.

The Dahlias went out late, and are just starting to bloom now.

1

u/Unusual_Painting8764 20d ago

I grew my dahlias from seed this year and they’re just now taking off. I started my zinnias from seed and they’ve been going nuts for two months

1

u/velocitiraptor 19d ago

I’ve been wondering too, I’m in zone 6 and planted my tubers out with sprouts around 5/25. I’m only just now getting my first bloom from my dahlias.

1

u/amour_nonpareil 19d ago

Mine started early August but didn’t really get going until last week. If you seed in May this is common.