Newbie Gardener Alert! -Reply

Hi Nina, welcome to the PNW.  I'm not sure
where Silverdale is.  SilverTON, but not
Silverdale.

I've just moved to the Pac NW (Silverdale)
from Galveston, Tx.  

Wow, is that a change or what?

1.	I rescued several pots of mums; were so
root bound it was pathetic.  I transplanted them
to clay pots
(because my dad always said clay or nothing...),

You will not find clay such a great choice here. 
They have to be brought in every winter or
they will shatter with the expanding and
shrinking that the cold causes.

Is it ok to fertilize them, do they need
fertilizer, can they be

As long as you are sure they are not just
"florist" mums versus hardy mums (mums
meant to grow outside), you can plant them
out, pinch back and fertilize.  Here you
typically pinch back until 4th of July to get
flowers for the fall.  Otherwise you get them all
earlier and not when you want them.

Dahlia tubers, 

Dahlias are practically bullet proof, but they do
have to be dug in the fall and stored or they
will rot over the winter (more to do with wet
than cold, depending on the year).  I just plant
them 6" deep, sticking in the stake at the same
time so that I don't puncture it later.  You can
throw in some compost and bone meal if you
have it.  You won't need to water it until it
starts getting dry around here, our ground is
usually wet enough at 6" to start them growing.

Where is Silverdale?
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