NMDS June 22, 2025 Meeting

Sue Isley’s Pollinator Garden

June 22, 2025

S u e   I s l e y

Dahlia Purple Wow

June’s meeting was hosted by new members Sue Isley and Aaron Greenwood at their home on the West Side of Albuquerque. Seventeen members were present, including the two hosts. Edith Iwan called the meeting to order. Minutes for last month’s (May’s) meeting had previously been distributed by email; no notifications or corrections were received.

Treasurer Howard McCall reported that there is currently $5,400.00 in the NMDS’s bank account. Edith has sold the majority of tubers that remained after the tuber sale, and deposited an additional ~ $300.00 into the back account, bringing the total of tuber sales to over $2,000.00.

Norm Kolb, Diane Kolb, Bill Shen

Agri-Nature Center

Bill Shen reported that there are currently 180 dahlia tubers planted at the Agri-Nature Center. These include: 50 tubers in beds that are tended by Master Gardeners; 70 tubers in the community garden area; and 60 tubers in a new area near Rio Grande Blvd. According to Bill, the Agri-Nature Center Board had offered 14 rows, each 130 feet long, free to dahlias, with water provided. Bill immediately arranged to plant one 90-foot row (60 tubers), which took place on June 14th. Members of the Board had thought that it would be next year before the dahlia tubers would be planted. Discussion ensued that this area could be a future “trial garden” for dahlias. Bill also mentioned that the other growers in the community garden area are appreciative of the dahlias, as they know the dahlias will bring pollinators. Wednesday is volunteer day at the Agri-Nature Center, beginning at 8:30am. Volunteers should bring their own tools, water, and knee pads.

Sue Bond, John Bond, Kelly Barrows, Miriam Anderson

NMDS Dahlia Show 2025

This year’s dahlia show is scheduled for Sunday, September 28, 2025, at the Albuquerque Garden Center. This year, there will be several new categories to include the following:
1) Junior – for participants under 17 years of age
2) Novice – for adults who have not previously exhibited dahlias
3) Micro-blooms, with flowers under 2”
4) Dahlia design featuring the Eldon Wilson Dahlia

Edith has invited National Dahlia Society judges to serve as judges at our show.

NMDS President Edith Iwan

Pollinator Garden Tour

Sue Isley invited everyone to view her backyard garden while enjoying refreshments. Sue began growing dahlias in 2017, but has never done so on a large scale because of her “boutique” sized garden that has limited space. She also grows a variety of other plants, particularly ones that have been identified as attractive to pollinators, especially hummingbirds. As a result, most of the dahlias in her garden are either singles or collarettes, as these have “open” centers that attract pollinators. Many of the dahlias were planted in large pots, though several were also planted in raised beds along with other plants. The dahlias in Sue’s garden were in varying stages of growth and development, depending primarily on when they were planted. For those that were still small, Edith demonstrated how to pinch back the center stalk to encourage the plants to grow more full and bushy. As many of the dahlias were already blooming, and Edith took the opportunity to demonstrate how to deadhead and “de-bud” the plants to encourage larger (though fewer) blooms.

 Photo Credits:
Next (July) Meeting
July’s meeting is scheduled for Sunday, July 13, 2025 at member Miriam Anderson’s home and garden.

Photo Credits:
Aaron Greenwood except where indicted.
Sue Isley: Images #4, #5, #6, #7