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Original poster

Who’s growing Dahlias this year

490 replies

Onionbhajisandwich · 26/03/2022 20:40

What varieties are you growing this year? I’ve got some Babylon Bronze and Kelvin Floodlight (among quite a few others) that I’m really looking forward to growing this year!

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119
IcakethereforeIam · 28/11/2022 16:50

I've finally caved and pulled mine out of their pots,I think it might be frosty tonight as it's been cold all day and there isn't a cloud in the sky. Two were just sticks, the other three had sparse but healthy leaves. As pp said big variation in the tuber size.

I've found it impossible to get all the compost off them, the tubers are too congested. Is this likely to be a problem? They're in a cardboard box in the kitchen. I'm thinking they'll have to go in the loft. I don't have a greenhouse.

daisychain01 · 30/11/2022 05:25

I've found it impossible to get all the compost off them, the tubers are too congested. Is this likely to be a problem? They're in a cardboard box in the kitchen. I'm thinking they'll have to go in the loft.

Do you have a garden hose @IcakethereforeIam ? I would put a nozzle on the tubers and wash off as much of the soil as possible, to avoid disease forming through the winter. Get them as clean and soil-free as possible.

Also I would try to find somewhere accessible for your box of tubers because it's advisable to check them several times over the coming months, to ensure no disease or rot has set in. If you put them up in the loft, it could be out of sight, out of mind. If you have a loft ladder and don't mind nipping up there maybe once monthly that's fine (Reminder on mobile phone helps). You can tell how seriously I take my tuber health - mainly because they aren't cheap, CoL and all that, it means next year there's no need to outlay a lot of £££ replacing them.

Also I will do a post in Spring about how to separate tubers to double or quadruple your stock, another recession busting tip. 👍

BarrelOfOtters · 30/11/2022 07:43

mine are mostly in pots so I’ve usually let the pots dry off and put them somewhere dry in the compost left in the pots and that’s worked. This year either the pots are now too big to move or the compost has been too sodden so I’ve taken the tubers out and washed off and dried them. Other years I’ve not washed as it’s been a dry year and they’ve been fine.

the 2 I left in the ground last year didn’t do well this year….

IcakethereforeIam · 30/11/2022 09:28

Thank you @daisychain01 I've got a loft ladder, but the reminder on the 'phone is genius. I'm going to try eeking out the compost with a bowl of water and wooden skewer.

I found some zantedes calla lily tubers, I'd shoved in a pot with a dahlia and totally forgotten about. If they all survive I'm gonna need a bigger pot!

daisychain01 · 30/11/2022 18:18

@BarrelOfOtters youve been lucky with your tubers, I've had mixed results leaving them in the ground and it does entirely depend on the outside conditions as to whether they survive unscathed!

@IcakethereforeIam glad the mobile phone reminder works for you 😊 I'm sure if you treat them like scrubbing the skins of jacket potatoes you'll be fine, it just puts them to bed in a nice clean condition to maximise their chances.

you may need a bigger pot, or if you split the tubers in Spring, you may want to divide them into multiple pots and enjoy more splashes of colour 👍

StrikeandRobin · 09/12/2022 08:50

Hoping for a bit of advice.

I lifted half of them a couple of weeks ago, they have been sat on scrunched up newspaper in the garage to dry out.
I lifted the rest yesterday (-2 degrees and hosing off tubers!) but when I went to put them in the garage to dry, and finally wrap up the first lot, I see that some of the first lot are a bit wrinkly and soft in places.

Are these going to rot or are they just drying out? They were planted from seed and I can’t recall what dahlia tubers feel/look like before planting.

Also, in spring do you plant in pots first or straight in the ground? Bit concerned about the amount and size of pots I’d need if they have to start in pots! Although the slugs will have a feast if straight in the ground.

daisychain01 · 09/12/2022 17:31

I lifted the rest yesterday (-2 degrees and hosing off tubers!) but when I went to put them in the garage to dry, and finally wrap up the first lot, I see that some of the first lot are a bit wrinkly and soft in places

Are these going to rot or are they just drying out? They were planted from seed and I can’t recall what dahlia tubers feel/look like before planting.

Dahlia tubers are like swollen roots so they should look plump and feel firm to the touch.

The ones you've hosed off will be nice and clean, so if I were you, I'd bring them indoors for a few days, lay them on newspaper in a spare room (away from animals) and when they've dried off, put them in crates or boxes lightly wrapped in newspaper with some balls of newspaper around them so they don't touch. You can store them in a dry shed, garage or greenhouse over the winter checking them every 3-4 weeks to ensure no rot.

As I always say "they've got 2 chances. they'll either live or they won't" Smile - caveat is that I'm not as familiar with seeded dahlia as I am with the tuber type. I don't think the seeds grow to the big, full, plump version but someone may want to correct me on that.

StrikeandRobin · 09/12/2022 17:51

as they are going soft and wrinkly I’ll assume the garage is too cold then.

They have formed full on tubers, I am so amazed (& weirdly proud) that so many tiny seeds produced such big plants and now they are big tubers, that’s why I will be sad if they rot. I’ve put a lot of love into them. I will try to find somewhere more suitable to store them tomorrow.
thanks.

PoppySeedBagelRedux · 10/12/2022 02:28

I have two dahlias that I grew from seed and they (now) have enormous tubers.

daisychain01 · 10/12/2022 06:17

@StrikeandRobin I think the wrinkly appearance might be a sign that the tubers have a bit of dehydration going on. I wouldn't worry, just store them carefully and keep a watch over the winter and hopefully they will be fine.

daisychain01 · 10/12/2022 06:19

PoppySeedBagelRedux · 10/12/2022 02:28

I have two dahlias that I grew from seed and they (now) have enormous tubers.

Off to look up suppliers of dahlia seeds .... I bought mine as fully fledged tubers, so I may try to grow some from seeds.

PoppySeedBagelRedux · 10/12/2022 07:11

I got a packet of mixed seeds from Wilko's end of season sale a few years ago. They cost about 20p, I think. I was amazed at the huge plants, and tubers, they produced. And it was fun seeing what colour and size they were. Go for it!

PoppySeedBagelRedux · 10/12/2022 07:13

I should add that I only realised they'd produced (small) tubours when I dug them up at the end of their first year, and they've grown more since obvs.

Harrysmummy246 · 10/12/2022 13:00

daisychain01 · 10/12/2022 06:19

Off to look up suppliers of dahlia seeds .... I bought mine as fully fledged tubers, so I may try to grow some from seeds.

Show quote history

No guarantee of what it'll look like but I've seen plenty of beauties from seed

StrikeandRobin · 10/12/2022 17:14

Thanks @daisychain01 I will keep hopeful then & will keep checking on them.
I bought my seeds -mixed cactus varieties-on ebay for about 80p. Out of around 28 seeds planted, I got 24 HUGE plants that have given loads of beautiful blooms this summer. They have performed far better than the very expensive 3 Dahlia plug plants I ordered from Thompson & Morgan. I can’t wait to plant them in spring and see how they do next summer.

StrikeandRobin · 06/01/2023 18:39

Help!

I’ve been to check my tubers in the garage and I saw a bit of mould on a couple.
I brought them inside and went through the whole lot. I’ve had to throw 6/7 out. The others I spread out on a wire rack on top of the tumble dryer to air them before wrapping again and finding a place to store inside. They are still on the rack but I’ve just had a look and I can see mould on a few more.

what do I do???
do I have to dump the whole lot? Or can I brush or cut it off?

I’m so upset after I’ve grown them all from seed. I’d have been better off leaving them in the ground to take their chances. Actually, I’m now tempted to get the ones I dumped out of the compost bin and plant them.

Any tips please?
TIA.

Nachtvlinder · 06/01/2023 21:43

Two out of three are still in the ground. Not had the chance to lift them due to the amount of rain and frosts. I can't remember what varieties (Totally Tangerine comes to mine - all bought from Farmer Gracey). I do hope they survive, though, but I'll lift them tomorrow.

Nachtvlinder · 06/01/2023 21:44

They didn't do brilliantly due to the heatwave and only one managed to flower but very poorly, though.

Sunflowersinthewind · 07/01/2023 08:23

I love that this thread has been going for nearly a year!

I chucked last year's dahlias. I wasn't overly enamoured with them. I have picked up some pom pom varieties from Wilko. Has anyone had success from Wilko ones at all?

I have completely forgotten when I should start these off inside. I think it was March last year

daisychain01 · 07/01/2023 08:33

@StrikeandRobin how have you stored the tubers? Difficult to advise without seeing them as to the cause of mould but it tends to be when they are stored touching each other and mould from one transfers to the others. Or when the environment doesn't allow sufficient air circulation.

I've packed mine with newspaper around them in crates that have lots of holes around the crate walls for air circulation. Also I'm really fussy about washing off every tiny bit of soil when I uprooted them in autumn as another safeguard against mould. Then there's the other risk of them drying out too much ('desiccating'). Dahlia are very high maintenance I'm afraid! I noticed in Wilco they are selling a small bag of 3 tubers for £4 which is quite reasonable as they can be as much as £5-6 in garden centres.

daisychain01 · 07/01/2023 08:40

@Sunflowersinthewind I planted them in 3's in several pots around April last year and put lots of mulch around the roots which helped protect them from the drought all year. They did very well.

this year I have a space all ready for them in an area of our border, to see how they fare in the ground. A very enthusiastic gardener in our village grows them in huge groups at the front of his bungalow and they are stunning. Just a big informal mix of varieties, including pom-poms and those lovely spikes ones, so I'm going to try that for a change.

Harrysmummy246 · 07/01/2023 09:01

I'll only be growing them at home this year. The job where I was growing them has ended and new job, won't be this year.

I have promised not to buy any tubers. But that leaves a lot of wiggle room e.g. for vouchers or gifting. Going to give them a go from seed

Tubers I already have are staying in boxes til my greenhouse is done in march

IcakethereforeIam · 07/01/2023 12:18

Mine are in the loft, I'm going to keep checking on them and, if they survive, I'm planning on potting them in March. I'm tempted to try growing some from seed but I don't like growing mixed seeds. I like the surprise element, but I've found if there's one variety in a mix that I'm not keen on that's the one that will dominateAngryConfused

StrikeandRobin · 07/01/2023 15:14

@daisychain01 i stored mine in newspaper in crates too.
I think the garage must just be too cold and, although there’s no obvious damp, the air must be damp and the newspaper has absorbed it. I did wash every trace of mud off and waited for them to be dry before wrapping.

If they survive and I manage to plant them out I shall be storing them in the spare bedroom next time I lift them!

superdupernova · 07/01/2023 17:12

What do you all have growing in your dahlia spot while waiting for them to be ready to go outside?