Anyone knowledgable about dahlia?

[smellyfishead]

Tried to grow some last year in pots, no success. This year am trying again, I potted 12 last week in fairly big pots, sprinkled slug killer round the bases and haven't watered them as that's what online seems to suggest. they are in a sunny position.

should I water them at all? the soil looks very dry but what I read online seems to suggest I shouldn't water until they start sprouting shoots sometime in may/june?

That's weird advice. I usually start my new dahlias off in pots (then they get left in the ground to fend for themselves) but I always water them in to start them growing. Don't keep them too soggy in the pots but when in the garden they like more water than you might think.

I'm trying them for the first time this year. Have about 10, planted between two and six weeks ago - only two have shown signs of life up to now, but another one is just starting to look promising. Have waterered when they look dry, but not over doggies. Kept in one of those covered plastic shelving unit thingies (South Coast).

so when should they begin to show signs of growth? mine just look like stick tips out the soil

My experience is that dahlias like it warm, and reasonably damp certainly not dry, and they like feeding well -last year they were brilliant after this treatment. I also start off in pots. Most of mine are (just) through, but not all - don't panic and give them a water! And keep up with the slug pellets.

oh yes water but not too much because otherwise you could cause the tubers to rot. Once leaves start showing you could water normally.

As you can probably tell im quite a novice. Bought rose trees, azalea and a roddedendrun last year, almost lost the roddedrendrun and azalea as I didn't realise they needed specific soil, have re-potted this year in the special compost and bought specific granular feed for them too.

The roses looked so awful I had to cut them back to the main stem, they were covered in tiny pink bugs too, any idea what that was? hopefully they will come back!

Ive put woodbark mulch round the rose trees, azalea and roddedendron...

do dahlia like a specific feed?

If you don't water them they won't grow roots, and they will just die.
You need to water them asap
you need to water your roses as well especially in this warm weather. or they wont produce the growth they need to now to produce those lovely flowers in summer.

I meant to say, the pink bugs are aphids like the green ones! so you need to spray them with insecticide. Some people use washing up water but I don't think that's as good.

yes I pour a bucket of water at the base of every rose. and feed with a mixture of horse manure, compost and leaf mould
woodchip is for winter