Dahlia's from seed - pricking out question

[Protea]

my dahlia seeds have germinated very well, in fact far too well - i've got tons! my question is when do i prick them out and should it be into individual cells or pots, or can i cram a few in together (to save space) and then plant out into final position later?

the true leaves are just starting to show on about half the seedlings but are quite big enough to handle even with just the seed leaves. i have a distinct lack of space at the moment so they're still on a sunny windowsill, which probably isn't the best. If i prick them out - can they go into the cold frame after 'settling in' in the greenhouse for a few days?

[SueA]

Think Nick's the chrysanth & dahlia expert on here Protea, he'll probably spot your plea when he comes online.

[nick the grief]

Consider it spotted

If they are normal Dahlia's they will need potting on singly (24 cells will be OK for a start then into 15's or 3" pots. I should have warned you not to so them all Itried this one year and ended up with about 150 plants - people hid when they saw me incase I geve them a tray of the blessed things.

If they are specific crosses they will probably be 90% doubles ( like Cactus or Balls) but if they were an open pollenatin ( left to the bees) you will have a fair percetage of singles in there. Some people pull these out as they don't want them but you never know you may well end up with the next Bishop of Llandaff replacement ..... Now where did I put that Dahlia seed .....

[valmarg]

Protea, I usually prick dahlia seedlings into the standard plastic trays, 24 per tray (4 x 6), because you need to allow space for the tubers to develop.

Dahlias are very frost sensitive, so if you have no alternative to putting them in the cold frame, keep your eye on the weather forecasts. If there is a possibility of frost, chuck loads of fleece over them.

I would have to say, I think you were a bit early sowing them. When I've grown them from seed, the earliest I would sow them would be towards the end of this month. It's hard not to want to start growing early, though.

As you say the true leaves are starting to show, the sooner you get them pricked out the better.

valmarg

[Snadger]

Consider it spotted

If they are normal Dahlia's they will need potting on singly (24 cells will be OK for a start then into 15's or 3" pots. I should have warned you not to so them all Itried this one year and ended up with about 150 plants - people hid when they saw me incase I geve them a tray of the blessed things.

If they are specific crosses they will probably be 90% doubles ( like Cactus or Balls) but if they were an open pollenatin ( left to the bees) you will have a fair percetage of singles in there. Some people pull these out as they don't want them but you never know you may well end up with the next Bishop of Llandaff replacement ..... Now where did I put that Dahlia seed .....

I don't paricularily like Dahlias but I must confess to buying a Bishop of Llandaff plant when they were first bred (about 6 or 7 years ago if I recall rightly!) It was the first as near as dammit black leaved Dahlia plant and the red flowers really made it stand out from the crowd.
I may get a couple of tubers this year and take a few cuttings!

[nick the grief]

There are a few around snadger that are dark leaved try here

http://www.jrg-dahlias.co.uk/dark_leaf.htm

[Alice]

I think you've been a bit early Protea. I usually sow mine about the end of this month for the reasons you've discovered. They come very well, then you have to prick them out then they need a lot of space and it's too cold to put them outside or even in an unheated greenhouse if you start them too early. However, they are quite tough wee plants although they won't stand frost. If you prick them out into 3" pots, and put all the pots in a big tray so they are easy to move about, you can start hardening them outside during the day on good days and take them in at night, or put them in an unheated greenhouse or frame, whatever you have, and cover them with fleece. If the waether stays frost free, you might get away with it.

[Snadger]

There are a few around snadger that are dark leaved try here

http://www.jrg-dahlias.co.uk/dark_leaf.htm

Nice one Nick! How things have moved on, I didn't realise there were so many black leaved sorts. I'll just have to get to my local garden centre and see what they've got! Cheers

[nick the grief]

I don't paricularily like Dahlias but I must confess to buying a Bishop of Llandaff plant when they were first bred (about 6 or 7 years ago if I recall rightly!) ..........

1928 Bishop of Llandaff was bred but it has been re-discovered a few times. I have to smile at some of the seed companied selling plants especially Fuchsia's as "New" my dad had them over 20 years ago !!

Thats not new

[nick the grief]

Moonfire & Roxy are good ones Snadger as they are differnt colour to Bishop. Tally Ho is supposed to be a better red but I have a soft spot for the old Bishop, that and Willo's violet were the first two I ever grew as a tiddler and then I got Glory van Heemstede & Gerry Hoek to waterlillies.

I only got rid of GVH last year as I got a yellow that was a better colour called Cameo & for a pink I've got Bracken Ballerina if it starts to shoot.

[Snadger]

1928 Bishop of Llandaff was bred but it has been re-discovered a few times. I have to smile at some of the seed companied selling plants especially Fuchsia's as "New" my dad had them over 20 years ago !!

Thats not new

I must have bought it at its last re-discovery then as I remeber headlines in the paper about the local council planting up beds of this 'New' variety! Must admit, it now looks a bit bland compared to some of it's offspring! Didn't notice any with blue flowers mind you!

[Protea]

Thanks everyone, looks like i was getting ahead of myself again!

Not to worry - i just need to buy some more modules (oh Mr Protea won't be happy ) and they can be moved into the heated greenhouse. I need to have a sort out i think and move some of the things that haven't germinated (batch of Protea's funnily enough!) to the compost bin to make some space.

You're right Nick - i probably shouldn't haved sowed the lot, but having never grown them from seed before i had no idea what percentage germ i should expect! oh well - more prizes for the raffle this year! They're just normal dahlias - a packet of mixed doubles, a packet of mixed pompoms and a packet of bishops children i think. nothing too drastic, its just for a cutting garden i want to create up at the plot and i couldn't afford to splash out on tubers.

[Snadger]

Thanks everyone, looks like i was getting ahead of myself again!

Not to worry - i just need to buy some more modules (oh Mr Protea won't be happy ) and they can be moved into the heated greenhouse. I need to have a sort out i think and move some of the things that haven't germinated (batch of Protea's funnily enough!) to the compost bin to make some space.

You're right Nick - i probably shouldn't haved sowed the lot, but having never grown them from seed before i had no idea what percentage germ i should expect! oh well - more prizes for the raffle this year! They're just normal dahlias - a packet of mixed doubles, a packet of mixed pompoms and a packet of bishops children i think. nothing too drastic, its just for a cutting garden i want to create up at the plot and i couldn't afford to splash out on tubers.

The bishops children sounds interesting...might have a go at those myself!

[nick the grief]

The Bishop won't be pleased

OK Protea well you'll certainly have a patch!! Ideally you will need to plant them 2ft apart in both direction and then they will nee 3 canes around them with string round that to support them or some pea & bean netting is OK.

Take fotos of them through out the year and then come the back end only save the best ones as some of them just won't be worth the trouble - thats the nature of seedlings.

Most important of all is enjoy them but be warned it can be infectious and you could easily end up with another lotty full of seedlings

[nick the grief]

Well you set me off Protea, I foud some seed from my dahlias ( about 4 years old) in the Fridge and so I sowed it on Saturday. out of 40 seeds I've got about 30 come thru so far can;t wait to see what they are!