I grew seed from just four dahlias this year and I have about 100 plants. I was going to give lots away but first I had to wait and see what the flowers looked like. In the end I planted all of them because they are all lovely. I had to dig up yet more lawn to accommodate them.
Here are the mother plants. The single ones were of course magnets for pollinators and produced the most seeds.
‘Honka Fragile’ gave its star shape to many of its children.
Dahlia ‘Honka Fragile’
‘Honka Red’ gave its star shape and also its bright red colour to its children.
Dahlia ‘Honka Red’
The velvety collarette Dahlia ‘Night Butterfly’ passed on its dark colour and white ruff.
Dahlia ‘Night Butterfly’
And then ‘Waltzing Mathilda’ bequeathed her bronze leaves, lovely shape and coral colour to her children. And of course the bees had been busy so there were plenty of surprises.
Dahlia ‘Waltzing Mathilda’
Here are just a few of my beauties. You can see why I haven’t given any away. They are all different and all gorgeous. I shall try seeds from some different ones next year and then I really will have to give some away.
If you haven’t tried growing dahlias from seed, it’s worth a try. It’s very easy and they bloom in their first year. And each one will be unique.
Chloris
A HUNDRED! You won’t have any lawn left to dig up. They are gorgeous, you must have vases in every room.
Hello Christina, lovely to hear from you. I shall give some away but next year will be a problem because now I’m hooked and shall try breeding some different ones.
Wow! I am speechless!
Easy to do, the bees did all the work.
Beautiful!
Thay are lovely, I’m delighted with all of them.
Love them all! I would keep them and have huge vases all over. Where are the vase pictures?
I haven’t actually used any in a vase maybe I will as the season goes on.
That’s wonderful! I would never think to grow Dahlias from seed…hmmmm, another idea to ponder. 😉
Easy enough, why don’t you give it a try?
Wow. Thanks for sharing so many photos of your lovely dahlias. Makes me wish I could come tour your gardens in person!
Dahlias are wonderful for late summer colour. I would be delighted to give you a tour of the garden.
Wow, they are amazing! I’ve never tried to grow them from seed before, must give it a try!
Yes do try. Keep them dry and sow them in February or March.
Fantastic! How are you going to choose which of your babies to part with? It is going to be very difficult. Less lawn definitely 🙂
I thought it would be easy but I love them all.
Oh that is so exciting ! I had no idea they could bloom on their first year ! I will try that too ! Well done you !
It is exciting and amazing how they produce flowering plants from a March sowing. Go for it!
Oh what a bevy of beautiful babies Chloris. You would be hard pushed to have a favourite child. I’ve only ever sown dahlia ‘Bishop’s Children’. I have often wondered what results I would get from sowing other dahlia seeds. Note to self made to be more adventurous. Thank you 😄
I got some lovely velvety dark red dahlias from seeds from the Bish of Llandaff in previous years but now I’m trying for some different ones.
Amazing! Good genes resulting in a wonderful next generation.
Yes, I should probably be carefully choosing the fathers but it is fun to see what the bees come up with.
What an incredible bunch. Lady it’s official, you have green fingers!
Thank you Dorris, but the bees did all the work I just did the easy part.
Not sure I believe you 😉
Yes! Amazing Night Butterfly came true from seed. It’s so fun to see what new variety might come about. I’m anxiously awaiting blossoms from this years seedlings. Yours are lovely!
Several looked very similar to Night Butterfly, but just one is almost identical but with a larger white collar. Lovely to meet another enthusiast, I am following you now so that I can see your dahlia children.
Beautiful dahlias.
Thanks, I find it hard to pick a favourite.
Well you learn something new every day. Never thought to try it until now.
Well there you go. Give it a try.
One hundred plants! What a wide range of colors you got. Have you named any of them?
I’m surprised to hear that blooming dahlia plants can be grown from seed within a year’s time. I usually deadhead my dahlias as soon as the back petals crumple but perhaps I can arrange to hold on to a plant or two long enough at the end of the season (before I store the tubers away to make room for the next season’s plants in my cutting garden) to allow seedpods to develop so I can give that a try.
I haven’t named any as I love them all. Make sure you dry the seeds before sowing, I squeeze the water out of the pods I am going to use and then cut them when they are dry. Then I pick the seeds out and dry them off completely ready for sowing late winter.
These are so beautiful – I can see why you’re excited about your hybrids, Chloris. It never occurred to me to try creating my own, but maybe one day I will give it a try.
Yes, I am thrilled. I am surprised at how many pink ones there are as none of the mothers were pink.
Chloris, your Dahlias are gorgeous. For the last few years I have also been growing them from seed. It constantly amazes me, how one seed from an April sowing can look so beautiful. I have grown Black Beauty from Thompson and Morgan for 2 years running. They are my favourite flower, and there will no doubt be a blog about them in due course.
I love the dark red/black ones too. Look forward to your post.
This is amazing. I’ve never grown them, but you’ve really inspired me to try!
Well, it is worth the effort, specially as they bloom the first year from seed.
Some of these look like really big and fancy cosmos!
I don’t grow them from seed because because there are just SO many cultivars out there that I do not need any more to choose from.
Yes there are so many cultivars but, it’s like with children, none of them as beautiful as your own.
Good Grief Chloris – where on earth have you put them all?! I think I am saturation point with dahlias here, including those in pots, and I must only have about 20…oh to have a ‘flower farm’…! I have experimented one year after you suggested it previously but must err on the side of sensibility (I know, it’s a shame!) as I just haven’t the space, So exciting to see your babies though – thanks for sharing them 🙂
I never did have much sense. But fortunately I have elastic boundaries down the garden and I have cleared a huge area. I now have a problem of what to do with 40 young agapanthus, not to mention the tray of them waiting to be pricked out.
Ah yes, those elastic boundaries – very useful… At least with the agapanthus you can shove 3 or so in a pot, so that’s only 13 pots in total. Are they of mixed parentage, another of your experiments?
Yes, all large headed ones.
Are they hardy? I could take a few off your hands if you like…
They are not supposed to be hardy but mine live outside. I will send you some seedlings along with the Diascia personata.
Ooh – that would lovely, thank you 😁
Oh my gosh, what a collection! And lawns are boring, after all. I love Honka Fragile, but especially Honka Red!
Yes, who needs lawns,? I keep one because we have a craze on croquet but the rest can go. I love the star shaped honkas and now I have pink and salmon ones too.
Goodness, I had no idea they flowered from seed in their first year! I will certainly give that a whirl! You should have a slot on Gardener’s World with a gorgeous collection like that! They are all delightful, especially Honka Fragile.xxx
I will send you some seeds of Honka Fragile later. You will get Honka shaped flowers in different colours.
Just as the roses are taking a break you’re having more fun than ever!
For years I’ve dreamed of growing out a packet of ‘Bishop’s Children’ and turning over a big chunk of real estate to make a big show of it. Now you’re living the dream and I of course am envious. Good for you. What a fabulous assortment, I would never be able to give any of them up.
It is fun because every one is new and unique. I don’t know where it will all end though if I do it every year.
Glorious! I didn’t realise they flower in their first year. Tempting to try growing some, but I would have to dig them all out for winter storage which puts me off. Definitely better than lawn! 😉
I don’t dig my dahlias up for winter. I am convinced that it is wet rather than cold that kills them. I cover the tubers with newspaper and mulch and never lose any.
I discovered some self sown ones in pots this spring. I potted them on, they are now growing quite vigorously, I look forward to seeing any flowers.
I have never had self sown ones, what fun, I hope you get some good ones,
Learn so much from garden blogs. I’ll have to try that, if I get some seeds. I think you may have started A New Trend.
Yes, do try, it is such fun as they are all different.
Beautiful! You’ll surely be hooked on making new dahlias now — who could blame you? Thanks for sharing all these beautiful flowers with us. Best, -Beth
Thank you Beth.Yes, I am hooked, next year I shall try seeds from some different ones.
Always worth popping into your blooming garden, Liz, and your dahlias are simply stunning! I should really give it a go and sow some seeds just for the fun of it. The Honka series is fabulous not least because of its attraction to bees and butterflies. Thankfully I can leave the tubers in the ground during winter – what about you? Hope you and the pianist are well and that summer is treating you nicely. Best wishes, Annette PS: I saw over at Christina’s blog that you were both orchid and wildflower ‘hunting’ this year – how wonderful. Let me know when you come to our area which is equally rich in both.
Lovely to hear from you Annette. I love the honka series too and it is great fun sowing their seeds because you get honka shape in different colours. I leave the tubers in the ground and cover them with newspaper and then mulch, it is winter wet that kills them. We are having a lovely summer thank you but it is rushing by too fast. We had lovely time with Christina and her husband in Puglia. One if these days it would be lovely to come to your area and see your lovely garden. And perhaps one day you will visit us here in Suffolk.
on my list, both the Honka seeds and your Suffolk garden 😀
Some of my seedlings look like honka flowers but in some lovely new colours. That would be a treat for me if you would visit my garden, I would love to meeet you and Monsieur.
Those top ones are dahlias? Wow, I have never seen that before either!
Yes, dahlias and all my own seedlings so I am a proud mother.
You should be.
These are truly fantastic! I am inspired to try. Would love to see how you harvest the seed, do you let it dry on the plant or take them off and dry inside?
Hello Rachel. Thank you for reading my blog. I harvest the seed in late September and dry it thoroughly before I store it. I sow it in early March. I will do a post on it at some point.