Steve, Do you subscribe to Growing for Market? We wrote an article titled, "Dahlias All Summer" in the September 2007 edition. It is still available to order on the link I have provided. So, to answer your question. Yes, there are definitely varieties that have longer stems. And, there are techniques that can be used to promote long stems. We grow a in a hightunnel/hoophouse from which we start harvesting toward the end of May. These take us up to the time our field crops start producing. And, actually, at that time, we are cutting from both the hoophouse and the field. The dahlias in the hoophouse go from this: To this: To this: In the field they go from this: To this: To this: I cannot believe it is overcast in Virginia. We have family in the Richmond area. Sorry about your weather. But, honestly, we need a break from all the overcast and snow we have had this year. Trish

I made one very similar to hydrostacker and have been using for two years now growing strawberries and am going to try spinach soon. I used the 3 gallon square 10" maxi pots.... They are square but have the corners flattened, so they actually have 8 sides, in addition there are holes in the bottoms. These are the only pots I found that would slip inside each other while rotated 45 degrees, but there may be others. I drilled a hole in the bottom of each bucket and used a piece of 3/4" schedule 40 that runs vertically through each bucket to keep the stack together. I only put 4 in my stack, but more would work, just need to support from top so it does not tip. The bottom square pot sat inside a 3 1/2 Gallon round bucket (5 was to tall). Cut a square hole in the round bucket lid for the bottom square bucket to slip in, to keep out light and keep the stack from shifting. The round bucket at the bottom was fitted with a drain which returns to the reservoir. I setup poly drip tubes to each plant site for better watering...I started with just watering at the top bucket and middle bucket and letting the water drain down, but had better luck with each site getting a drip tube. Last year I grew in a 50/50 mix of rockwool/grodan croutons and hydroton clay balls and this year switched to straight perlite and is working great.

Sativa, have you actually compared 2 node cuttings to 4 or 5 node cuttings taken from the same plants and grown under the same conditions? The node count won't make a noticeable difference by the time the plants are 6 months old if the rose is a sort takes off relatively quickly after rooting, but with other, slower building roses it can make a huge difference. The problem with starting all roses from undersized cuttings, whether or not a short supply of propagation material makes it necessary, is that you'll never know whether a lagging cutting is inherently less vigorous than the others or just needed an extra node or 2 to kick start new growth at the beginning. I rooted cuttings under close, 24/7 lights for a while when I first developed an interest in this hobby, but have since found that starting them under mist out of doors and then growing them on in real sunlight yields better results in my southern zone 8 climate. And it's a lot less of a hassle. The growing season is long here, and I'm usually ready to take a break from all things roses by the time winter rolls around. If I lived in zone 4b I'd probably be doing it the way you do, though.

I am on a single-bin system and it's been awesome. Personally, I didn't want the hassle of having to monitor bin moisture too closely, so I built an in-ground system outside. Way easy. I took an 18-gallon rubbermaid roughneck, cut the bottom out, and dropped a piece of cardboard in, like a false bottom. I also drilled holes throughout the lid for air flow. Then I buried the tote up to its neck in an especially shady area of the yard. From there I layered compost, hay, peat, cardboard, and newspaper and soaked it down. That's it. I water if the bedding gets dry, but I've only had to do that once to remedy an ant invasion. I've since learned to bury and cover my scraps well, and the ants haven't dared to go in since. My worms are extremely happy, and moisture is never a concern for me. Also, the bin is always at least 10 degrees cooler than the ambient temperature. If you have the room, I would definitely suggest you go in-ground.