The Lane County Dahlia Society will hold its first meeting of 2024 on Thursday, February 1st at 7:00 PM at the Celeste Campbell Center, 155 High Street, Eugene. Our February program will include showing the ADS video of the new, 2024 high-scoring dahlia introductions. Watching this video will allow us all to start dreaming of this summer's dahlia garden and to make note of what new varieties each of us might want to add to our collections. We will also discuss how to prepare your dahlia garden for the upcoming growing season, and we will hold elections for our Society's 2024 officers. There will be door prizes and free refreshments. The meeting is free and open to the public! Whether you are a first-time visitor or a long-time L.C.D.S. member, we hope that you will join us!

 The Lane County Dahlia Society will hold its November meeting Thursday, November 2nd at 7:00 PM at the Celeste Campbell Center, 155 High Street, Eugene. For our November program, we will explain and demonstrate how to dig, divide, and store your dahlia tubers. Come join us and watch seasoned members show the various methods used to divide and store tubers, so that you can multiple your favorite dahlia plants with ease! And you just might get to take home a free tuber or two as well! There will be door prizes and free refreshments. The meeting is free and open to the public. Whether you are a first-time visitor or a long-time L.C.D.S. member, we hope that you will join us!

 The Lane County Dahlia Society will hold its October meeting Thursday, October 5th at 7:00 PM at the Celeste Campbell Center, 155 High Street, Eugene. For our October program, Eugene and Rosie will discuss "What's happening in the Garden" and will give tips on how to close out the dahlia season. October is also dahlia "Show and Tell" month, so we encourage all members and guests to bring some blooms to show off and share at the meeting. There will be door prizes and free refreshments. The meeting is free and open to the public! Whether you are a first-time visitor or a long-time L.C.D.S. member, we hope that you will join us!

The Lane County Dahlia Society will hold its September meeting Thursday, September 7th at 7:00 PM at the Celeste Campbell Center, 155 High Street, Eugene. Out September program will cover topics such as how to choose a bloom to show and how to stage your blooms. We will also discuss both design and basket entries and we will demonstrate how to fill out show entry cards. There will also be an opportunity to receive your show exhibitor number. If you have ever thought about entering our LCDS dahlia show, you won't want to miss this meeting! We will also have our regular feature "What's Happening in the Garden". We also encourage all members and guests to bring some blooms to show off and share at the meeting. There will be door prizes and free refreshments. The meeting is free and open to the public! Whether you are a first-time visitor or a long-time L.C.D.S. member, we hope that you will join us!
 

 The Lane County Dahlia Society will hold its August meeting Thursday, August 3rd at 7:00 PM at the Celeste Campbell Center, 155 High Street, Eugene. The arrival of August heralds two things; a garden full of gorgeous dahlia blooms and the arrival of dahlia show season. The August program will be presented by LCDS members Eugene, Rosie, and Camille. This dynamic trio will guide us all through the ADS classification book, explain how it pertains to a dahlia show, and then demystify our own Dahlia Show book. If you have ever thought about entering a dahlia show, you won't want to miss this meeting! We will also have our regular feature "What's Happening in the Garden". This month, the segment will include organic fertilizers and pest management. We also encourage all members and guests to bring some blooms to show off and share at the meeting. There will be door prizes and free refreshments. The meeting is free and open to the public! Whether you are a first-time visitor or a long-time L.C.D.S. member, we hope that you will join us!

 The Lane County Dahlia Society will hold its July meeting Thursday, July 6th at 7:00 PM at the Celeste Campbell Center, 155 High Street, Eugene. July's meeting topic will be Pest Management for Dahlias, presented by horticulturist Erin Wickcliff. LCSD members Eugene and Rosie will also talk about "what's happening in the garden". There will also be door prizes and free refreshments. The meeting is free and open to the public. Whether you are a first-time visitor or a long-time L.C.D.S. member, we hope that you will join us!

 

The Lane County Dahlia Society will hold its April meeting Thursday, April 6th at 7:00 PM at the Celeste Campbell Center, 155 High Street, Eugene. April's meeting topic will cover beginning your garden for the year., including mapping, soil prep, and tuber checks. It will be presented by Eugene K. and Rosie C. from River's Dahlias. There will also be door prizes and free refreshments. The meeting is free and open to the public! Whether you are a first-time visitor or a long-time L.C.D.S. member, we hope that you will join us!

It's Time to Renew Your Membership

 Now is the time to renew your dahlia society membership and pay yearly dues to help sustain our organization. If you’re already a member of PNDC and/or ADS, your renewal dues must be submitted to us by December 26th in order to meet both group's deadline of December 31st, 2022.

If you want to join ADS and/or PNDC for the 1st time, you may wait until April 2023 to pay those dues.

Lane County Dahlia Society Dues are $10 per person, $15 each family; Members receive 11 issues of our newsletter The Dahlia Data

American Dahlia Society $30 per person, $35 for a household. Members receive the quarterly ADS Bulletin and the 2023 Classification Guild. The Bulletin contains timely articles pertaining to dahlias, information on new cultivars, and a host of other topics. The Classification book is indispensable as a guide that states which cultivars performed well in your region and lists winning varieties from around the nation. The ADS provides a great service to all dahlia enthusiasts at a bargain price.

Pacific Northwest Dahlia Conference $10 per person or $15 for a family. The PNDS hosts our trial gardens and the PNDS provides training for judges, maintains records for all member societies, and sponsors an annual show. Each member of the PNDS receives 3 newsletters a year, a membership booklet, and an exhibiting number.

Please renew your dues by mailing them to our Treasurer Deb Gilmer at : LCDS, 1981 Van Buren Street , Eugene, OR 97405. Make all checks payable to : The Lane County Dahlia Society.

The Lane County Dahlia Society will hold its November meeting Thursday, November 3rd at 7:30 PM at the Celeste Campbell Center, 155 High Street, Eugene. November's meeting topic will cover all of the steps involved in putting your dahlia garden to bed for the winter; Digging, Dividing, & Storing Tubers. We will have hands-on demonstrations by LCDS members, guiding you through all of the steps taken to successfully divide and store your tubers. This is always one of our most popular programs of the year, so plan to be there! There will also be door prizes and free refreshments. The meeting is free and open to the public. Mask wearing will continue to be optional. Whether you are a first-time visitor or a long-time L.C.D.S. member, we hope that you will join us!

 

The Lane County Dahlia Society will hold its October meeting Thursday, October 6th at 7:30 PM at the Celeste Campbell Center, 155 High Street, Eugene. October's meeting topic will concern "how to put your dahlia garden to bed for the season". LCDS Member Eugene K. will describe what processes he has successfully used over the years. Eugene will then discuss how he collects dahlia seed. This is a fun way to grow new dahlias and maybe the next big winner will come from your garden! We will also be hosting our last dahlia bloom "Show & Tell". With October's cooler weather, our dahlia plants have perked up and the bloom colors are deep and lovely. Please think about bringing some blooms to share. There will be door prizes and free refreshments! The meeting is free and open to the public. Mask wearing will continue to be optional. Whether you are a first-time visitor or a long-time L.C.D.S. member, we hope that you will join us!

The Lane County Dahlia Society will hold its September meeting Thursday, September 1st at 7:30 PM at the Celeste Campbell Center, 155 High Street, Eugene. September's meeting topic will be "How to enter a dahlia show". LCDS Member Eugene K. will describe what to look for in a show quality bloom. Deb G. will then demonstrate how to stage a 1-bloom and a 3-bloom entry. Camille will then explain how to fill out show tags for your dahlia entries. There will also be information on the upcoming Clerk's class and copies of the Show Book will be available for pickup. This will be a great opportunity to learn about dahlia judging and how to enter a dahlia show. There will be door prizes and free refreshments! The meeting is free and open to the public. Mask wearing will continue to be optional. Whether you are a first-time visitor or a long-time L.C.D.S. member, we hope that you will join us
 

 The Lane County Dahlia Society will hold its August meeting Thursday, August 4th at 7:30 PM at the Celeste Campbell Center, 155 High Street, Eugene. LCDS Member Eugene Kenyon will share his ideas about what we can expect and what to do in our gardens this month. With show season fast approaching, there are ways to start prepping and grooming our dahlia plants to harvest the most beautiful and healthy blooms. Members and guests are also encouraged to bring blooms for our dahlia Show and Tell. Additionally, there will be floral arrangements on display to ignite your imagination and encourage entries in the design division of our September dahlia show. There will be door prizes and free refreshments! The meeting is free and open to the public. Mask wearing will continue to be optional. Whether you are a first-time visitor or a long-time L.C.D.S. member, we hope that you will join us!

The Lane County Dahlia Society will hold its July meeting Thursday, July 7th at 7:30 PM at the Celeste Campbell Center, 155 High Street, Eugene. As our Summer weather finally arrives, so too will the bugs. We are pleased to announce that our Speaker at the July meeting will be Jeff, from Down to Earth. He will be speaking on integrated pest management. Come learn how to control the "bad" bugs and fungus that often strike our gardens. There will be door prizes and free refreshments! The meeting is free and open to the public. Mask wearing will continue to be optional. Whether you are a first-time visitor or a long-time L.C.D.S. member, we hope that you will join us!

 The Lane County Dahlia Society will hold its June meeting Thursday, June 2nd at 7:30 PM at the Celeste Campbell Center, 155 High Street, Eugene. LCDS member Camille N. will be giving a presentation on how to care for those newly sprouted dahlia plants. She will discuss all aspects of plant care including watering and fertilizing schedules. Bring your questions. We will also be holding our "last chance" dahlia tuber sale. There will be door prizes and free refreshments! The meeting is free and open to the public. Mask wearing will continue to be optional. Whether you are a first-time visitor or a long-time L.C.D.S. member, we hope that you will join us!

 LAST CHANCE TUBER SALE

When: Saturday, May 14th. 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Where: The Bi-Mart Parking Lot, 1960 River Road, Eugene OR

Are you looking for a few more choice dahlia tubers to complete your garden? Then shop the LCDS's Last Chance Tuber Sale located in the Bi-Mart Parking Lot, on River Road. We will have dahlia tubers in all forms and colors. Tubers are just $4.00 each. Check or cash only please. Tell your family and friends and thank you ahead of time for supporting the Lane County Dahlia Society. Call for more information at ; Cheryle 541-954-9694 or Camille 541-337-0528.

 What: A Garden Extravaganza! - A dahlia tuber sale and plant sale held in conjunction with the Willamette District Garden Clubs

When: Saturday, May 7th from 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Where: The Parking Lot in front of Bi-Mart on River Road. The address is 1960 River Road.

The Lane County Dahlia Society has recently received a large donation of all new dahlia tubers. We will have 100's of varieties for sale in a great assortment of bloom sizes, colors, and forms. All tubers will sell for just $3.50 each. The Garden Clubs will be selling Perennial Planters and Garden Planters. Just in time for Mother's Day and the perfect time to get those new dahlia tubers in the ground. Please come early for the best election. We hope to see you there!

For more information, please call 541-337-0528 or 541-954-9694.

 The Lane County Dahlia Society will hold its May meeting Thursday, May 5th at 7:30 PM at the Celeste Campbell Center, 155 High Street, Eugene. LCDS members Deb G., Sonia H., and Thomas P. will be hosting a roundtable discussion, sharing their varied experiences and perspectives on growing dahlias and getting them off to a heathy start. Bring your questions. There will also be door prizes and free refreshments! The meeting is free and open to the public. Mask wearing will continue to be optional. Whether you are a first-time visitor or a long-time L.C.D.S. member, we hope that you will join us!

 The Lane County Dahlia Society will hold its April meeting Thursday, April 7th at 7:30 PM at the Celeste Campbell Center, 155 High Street, Eugene. LCDS members Eugene K. and Lexa C. will present a wide range of topics for the Spring dahlia enthusiast. Eugene will talk about starting dahlias from seed and from cuttings. He will also walk us through the process of lifting and dividing your tubers in the Spring. Lexa will discuss laying out your dahlia garden and how to amend your soil. We will also review checking your over-wintered tubers and what specifically to look for. Bring your questions. There will also be door prizes and the return of free refreshments! The meeting is free and open to the public. Mask wearing will continue to be optional. Whether you are a first-time visitor or a long-time L.C.D.S. member, we hope that you will join us!

 We are thrilled to announce that the Lane County Dahlia Society will hold an in-person meeting Thursday, March 3rd at 7:30 PM at the Celeste Campbell Center, 155 High Street, Eugene. Our program for the evening will be the 2022 new dahlia introductions presentation. We will also be nominating our 2022 LCDC officers. But most importantly, we will be seeing each other in person for the first time in 2 years! We are so excited to see our members and friends once again.

Two important notes. While we have been away from the Celeste Campbell Center these past two years, the City of Eugene has completed an incredible renovation and expansion to the building. The new entrance to the building is now located on the West side (facing Skinner's Butte). Also, as this event is taking place indoors, masks will be required for all attendees.

November - It's time to lift up those Dahlia Clumps

 

As we begin November, it is time for the dahlia grower to begin lifting and dividing their dahlia clumps. In a “normal” year, the November program at the Lane County Dahlia Society meeting would focus on this important task, with live demonstrations. Because of COVID restrictions however, we will not be able to hold our November meeting. Instead, we hope the following instructions will help you successfully complete this task.

1.       The first step involves cutting down the dahlia stalk of each plant. Be sure that you have every  plant correctly identified and labeled first. Then simply cut off the stalk 3-6” above the ground. This task is best done a few days before you wish to lift the clumps. This will allow the eyes on the tuber crown to swell, which in turn will make dividing the tubers much easier.

2.       To lift the clumps, dig on all four sides of the clump, about a foot out from the stem.  When the fours sides have loosened, carefully push the shovel under the clump and gently lift. Once the clump has been lifted, use a garden hose to remove most of the soil.

3.       Sterilize your tools before you begin dividing. A solution of one part bleach to ten parts water is a very low-cost answer that kills the dahlia virus. Then cut off the remaining stalk. Look for the eyes near the crown and begin dividing. Each individual tuber must have an eye to grow the following year. After you cut off each individual tuber, remove any remailing soil.

4.       After dividing and cleaning the individual tubers, many growers let the tuber soak in a bleach solution for 5-10 minutes. Then label each tuber with the variety name and let them fully dry.

5.       After the individual tubers have dried, they are ready to be stored. There are several different storage methods, including wrapping the tubers in saran wrap or storing them in individual plastic boxes, filled with vermiculite or cedar shavings. No matter which method you choose, be sure once again that your tubers are clearly labeled.

6.       The last step is to house your carefully stored tubers in a location that is no warmer that 50 degrees but also will not dip below freezing all winter. Then you can sit back and enjoy the restful days of Winter.

 

·         For more in-depth instruction, we recommend visiting the American Dahlia Society web page at Digging, Dividing, and Storing Tubers – The American Dahlia Society