Dahlias

[MrsBertBibby]

I grew some Bishops Children from seed this year. They are stunning! The packet suggested you could lift them in autumn and go again next year. I have never done dahlias before.

When do you lift the, what do you do with them all winter, and how do you start them off again?

Once all the green has died off lift them from the ground. Try to do it after a dry spell. I cut of the green and stand them on newspaper in a garage until they are dry. Some people store them on shredded paper or dry soil in a tray. Others just leave them on a shelf.

Next April get a tray of slightly damp compost and lay them on it, still in the garage. They will start the early shoots , then bring them outside and pot them up once it starts to warm up.

Brilliant, thank you!

I do it slightly differently. When the frost has blackened the foliage I lift them, let them dry out completely and remove the soil. Then I plant them in pots in DRY compost and leave them in the garage, in the cold and dark. In March/April I bring them into the greenhouse and water them, and off they go again.

The crucial points are to make sure they are dormant, and keep them dry.

the new shoots in Spring are great for cuttings and good way of multiplying the number of plants. Use a sharp clean knife and take a slice of the tuber with it. Them pot them up & put in a propagator or just attach a clear plastic bag over them.

I have also used Trethew method with good results. I think that might be best for you as you raised yours from seed and the tubers may be quite small and more prone to shrivelling. My tubers were whoppers, as big a dinner plates, so there was no room to pot them

All my Dalihas have been awful this year. The foliage was completely eaten by something and so they died off. Such a shame.

Of bad luck, Woods.

I have just found more of the dahlias seeds in my seed box. I thought I had used the lot.

Very pleased!