November Digest 2022
Dear Dahlia Friends,
Please read below for an update on ADS membership dues, a discovery from planting tubers vertically, and profiles of a two new members.
Meg
Update on ADS Membership Dues
The American Dahlia Society (ADS) has increased their membership dues and also changed their membership year to May 1- April 30 of each year. DSO has decided to change our year also to keep the memberships synchronized. Your existing membership for 2022 is extended to April 30, 2023.
Your renewal dues for DSO for the new year will be for May 1, 2023 through April 30, 2024. You can renew your ADS membership through DSO as usual using their new membership fees shown in the application and we will process it for you.
If you are joining ADS for the first time as a NEW member, you have an option of joining for now through April 30, 2023, or for $15 more you can use their new extended membership to take you through to April 20, 2024.
We are now accepting renewals for the new year. Dues need to be paid to ADS by April 1st to avoid missing any of their publications so don’t delay!
Thanks. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Nancy Riopelle
Membership Chair
Nice Surprise in Dividing Clumps
It seems like 2022 was a good year for tubers. I had lots of big clumps with lots of tubers. Most were a complicated mix of tangled tubers that were a challenge to divide. In a lot of cases, after removing the few easily accessible tubers, I would cut the clump in half and hope for the best.
Then came the pleasant surprise shown in the picture. Instead of planting the tuber on its side, for some reason, I planted it straight up. Note that the tuber was actually a pair of short, round tubers and that the new tubers grew in a circle around the stalk on top of the mother tuber(s)! They were super- easy to remove from the clump!
This observation made me think of conversations with Dick Parshall, a friend and the originator of all the “Clearview …” dahlias. Dick has been a proponent of both small tubers and vertical planting. He feels that small tubers tend to produce plants that grow more quickly because they can’t rely on the store of food available in those giant tubers. And they are amenable to vertical planting because there is lower risk of rotting when they are planted vertically – they don’t stick down in the ground as far. Then, when it is time to harvest the tubers, you might well find a nice ring of easily accessible tubers nicely arranged around the top of the tuber.
You can bet that I’ll be planting some small tubers vertically next spring!
Ron Minor
Introducing New Members!
Name: Veronica Seman
City/Town: Wellington, Ohio
Tell us a little about yourself: I'm a social worker. I work both for University Hospitals Elyria Medical Center and I provide mental health counseling through Better Help. My husband Brian and I have been married for 15 years. I love to stay busy and my hobbies include volunteering for dog rescue including fostering, baking, gardening, fishing, traveling, and long distance running including marathons and ultra marathons.
Number of years growing dahlias: Four
How did you get into the world of dahlias? I submit entries every year to the Lorain County Fair in the culinary department. One of my favorite exhibits was always the dahlias. It turns out that it was Mike Weber's blooms I had always admired. I tried growing a few myself and entered in the fair a few years ago. Mike took the time to explain a few things to me and suggested that I consider joining the dahlia society and that's what I did!
What is your favorite dahlia to grow? Tartan has always been my favorite but I really fell in love with Gitt's Crazy this year.
Social media profiles: Veronica Seman on Facebook and Instagram
Name: Anne Ball
City/Town: Chagrin Falls
Tell us a little about yourself: I am a veterinarian turned stay-at-home mom to my two boys, aged 12 and 9. I love to garden and have been doing so for 18 years. I come from a long line of farmers in rural Indiana and my mom says since I didn't become a farmer, I was destined to be a gardener. My husband and I manage our forest stand and are members of the Ohio Tree Farm Association. We joined the Ohio Dahlia Society after having some unexpected success at the Geauga County Fair this past summer. Seeing as how it was the 200th bicentennial celebration of the fair, we all decided to enter something. My husband entered his maple syrup, Max, his quilted pillow, Elliott, a ceramic piece, and I entered my flowers. I was flabbergasted to discover I had won Best in Show in the novice category for one of my dahlias. Ron Miner had helped me arrange my blooms to look their best and had encouraged me to join the club. My eldest son, Max, attended the dahlia dig event at Mr. Miner's house and is very interested in learning how to breed dahlias. We are looking forward to meeting other members and forging new friendships.
Number of years growing dahlias: Four
How did you get into the world of dahlias? By following Erin Benzakein of Floret Farm on social media
What is your favorite dahlia to grow? Valley Rust Bucket
Social media profiles: @afreeman9 on Instagram
