Dahlias

[andrewo]

Pinched out the top of my dahlias to make them bushy, do they look okay? First time I've grown them from seed.

[Alice]

Yes, Andrewo, they look allright. I haven't planted mine yet but will do so in the next few days. I usually plant them about this time as its about May before I can start puting them outside during the day and in the green house at night. I plant them out about the end of May after the last frosts and they flower end June beginning July and keep going if dead headed regularly until first frost (sometomes in Sept) or if lucky until they run out of daylight in November. When will you be able to plant out?

[andrewo]

I wil wait until they get bushy and then transfer to coldframe, and plant out early May.

[nick the grief]

Are they the dwarf bedding job Andrew or are you trying some of the larger ones from seed?

[andrewo]

Larger ones, they are heirloom and Pompom.

[nick the grief]

Be inter esting to see what comes out Andrew. As they are the big jobs, any you like you can save the tubers of and take cutting from next year.

[bramble]

Nick, just been looking at the dhalias on your home page, they're truly gorgeous. Have a few in the garden (large ones) and have sown some for this year as well.

[nick the grief]

Hi Bramble, They a nothing compared to some of the one the guys in the club grow.. They are mainly Miniature Cactus & semi Cactus ( to do with the petals) and the flowers are between 2" - 4" across & flowered from about July till November last year.

The flowers don't last in water like Chrysanths, but you can cut a fresh bunch 2 or 3 times a week !

[eskymo]

Can you guys clarify something for me...I planted a load of dahlias from seed, then saw posh bird Raven talking about dahlia tubers on Gardeners World. Will the plants I've got from seed develop tubers and will I have to dig them up over winter? I'm one of those types that just likes to leave things to do their thing and wondering if I can leave them in the ground...

[WiZeR]

i have 12 dahlia plants raised from seed this year, was wondering the same as eskymo

[bramble]

Hi Eskymo and Wizer, I never lift my dahlia tubers, just cover them with a mound of soil and they always come up fine the following year. Mine are already up since last year and I have planted out my bedding dahlias that i sowed from seed this year. They are out a week and are doing fine.

[Lesley Jay]

Bramble what is the difference between dahlia tubers and bedding dahlias?

[eskymo]

I'd like to know the difference too...

[Alice]

The dahlias you grow from seed this year will make tubers and will flower this year. Whether you lift the tubers at the end of summer to keep for next year is up to you. Personally, I never lift them as I find about 50% get through the winter and come back on their own and its as easy to grow from seed as to lift, dry and store the tubers. Bedding Dahlias is just a name for mixed varieties most of which don't grow too tall, maybe about 18", and will include all the different styles. Sometimes people prefer to buy tubers from a nursery because they want a particular named variety to get a colour or style eg Bishop of Ladaff to get red ones.If this is what you're after you can buy seeds for named varieties. Or if you grow from a mixed packet of seed you can lift and store the tuber if you get one you particularly like. Hope this makes sense an helps.

[eskymo]

yup - totally. thanks!