Who’s growing Dahlias this year

[Onionbhajisandwich]

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!

More questions from me! If your dahlias go into pots, how did you keep the slugs off them? I have an army of slugs in my garden

Can I join the club? I’m growing sone from seed. I think I started in late January because I was too impatient. Never grown them before so I’m grateful for all the tips on here. I think they’re doing alright?

They look happy, AR77 but I'm new to the club too so i actually know nothing!

A question for the experts: is there a max number of shoots that should be allowed per tuber or clump? Mine are in pots* and seem to be racing along, but there are lots of shoots and I'm very tempted to try some cuttings...

• OK I've only actually received 2 varieties thus far . Most of mine are going to be arriving very very soon i hope.

I have stuck a load of mine straight into the garden today. Will try and pot another load into starting pots tomorrow to see which do better.

My Sarah Raven tubers arrived in the post today. Thankfully all in one delivery, as I’ve had problems with Sarah Raven delivering one order in lots of dribs and drabs before. I will plant them in pots to start them off and then harden them off in May, I think.

@Sunflowersinthewind

More questions from me! If your dahlias go into pots, how did you keep the slugs off them? I have an army of slugs in my garden

Definitely not an expert!

But last year I found both of these helped massively to keep slugs away. They don't like crawling over uneven surfaces.

www.easymulch.co.uk/slugless-organic-slug-and-snail-deterrent-2/

www.strulch.co.uk

@Sunflowersinthewind

More questions from me! If your dahlias go into pots, how did you keep the slugs off them? I have an army of slugs in my garden

I check the pots in the evening, go around with torch and cup of tea/glass of wine ….and pick the slugs off the pots of things they love. Pick the pots up if not too heavy….look underneath.

I did use a v small amount of organic bird and hedgehog friendly slug pellets round the ones in the ground as they just were getting battered by slugs.

You are supposed to pinch them out to get bigger flowers, I never have done but may try this year, it just seemed like one more thing to do and they always look great anyway.

Thanks both! Excellent tips. This is my new favourite thread

That slugless stuff looks great, I have some wool pellets that I had moderate success with when around the base of plants but the slugless stuff will double up as mulch so perfect. Also I might buy some copper wool for around the base of ny greenhouses and veg patch

Thanks to you all I am back in the dahlia game!

Moving house to a very dilapidated one with a giant garden all old shrubs and lawn. Sarah raven wont deliver to here (NI) and tbh dahlias don’t seem to do as brilliantly but I have bought a lot of cheap home bargains/Lidl tubers in mad colours and some seeds so away I go! Just a few pots required to cheer me up.

Yay, meloncolic ! OP is VERY persuasive I think.

I still am hankering after more. And I keep on getting emails from Farmer Gracy making me browse for more, yet I haven't received what I've already ordered from them so I just don't know. It's a gardening dilemma!

PS Farmer Gracy is free shipping until Sunday. And they DO ship to NI...

I am, I was tempted by a Sarah Raven offer despite knowing that yet again it won't work out.

They will likely make a nice snack for the slugs.

Have also planted all my tubers straight into the beds. Got them from crocus. They had 20% off offer.

Dahlia Bayou
Dahlia Rebeccas World
Dahlia Orfeo
Dahlia Belfloor
Dahlia French Cancan
Dahlia Cornel Brons

Looking forward to seeing what they turn out like and hoping for lots of gorgeous blooms.

@Sunflowersinthewind

That slugless stuff looks great, I have some wool pellets that I had moderate success with when around the base of plants but the slugless stuff will double up as mulch so perfect. Also I might buy some copper wool for around the base of ny greenhouses and veg patch

It does really work. My first attempts last year were devoured. Put this around them then they grew back and flowered beautifully.

It may be harder in beds than in pots, but it seemed to keep them off if there's a decent covering of this around them!

@TheSpottedZebra

Yay, meloncolic ! OP is VERY persuasive I think.

I still am hankering after more. And I keep on getting emails from Farmer Gracy making me browse for more, yet I haven't received what I've already ordered from them so I just don't know. It's a gardening dilemma!

Everything I've ever ordered from Farmee Gracy has been fantastic. Such healthy bulbs, roots etc. They really are brilliant and so helpful too if you email them with any queries. Sarah Raven I've found a bit hit and miss depending what I order.

I'm so excited about this. 😂

I'm growing these and 3 random ones from Wilko. 3 of the Farmer Gracy ones have signs of life but nothing from the others yet. I've had the Wilko ones potted up for ages and I don't think they're going to do anything. I was hoping to grow the Wilko ones in some large pots and plant the others out.

@astersugar

I'm so excited about this. 😂

Yay, life!

Exciting news Chez Zebra, my Farmer Gracy dahlias have been dispatched. So do i buy more onnthe free shipping before I've seen the quality of the tubers that I've already got, or do I just buy more because - dahlias?

Also I went to B&Q yesterday and a 5 pack of mixed ball fascias fell into my basket. The meanies had fenced off most of their naicer varieties, and when I barged past the barrier they told me off

I'm a newbie and brought some in the sale from crocus. Should I plant them in a pot and put on the windowsill now and then plant out later?

My Farmer Gracy tubers were chunkier than my Wilko ones if that helps you to decide. It's my first year growing dahlias so not much to compare them to!

@astersugar

My Farmer Gracy tubers were chunkier than my Wilko ones if that helps you to decide. It's my first year growing dahlias so not much to compare them to!

Ah thank you. I've been a bit not-wowed by my 1 order from FG that I've received so far (not dahlias!) but maybe a few more would be good? The ones i bought the other day from B&Q were pretty shrivelled and single tubers, but the ones I got from Dobbies were absolute clumpy whoppers, with loads of tubers per cluster so maybe my hopes are set too high? My Aldi ones were smaller but still nice.

@Jammallama

I'm a newbie and brought some in the sale from crocus. Should I plant them in a pot and put on the windowsill now and then plant out later?

I'm a newbie too but very keen and have watched loads of YouTube videos You don't need to pot them up, you can just plant the tuber when it's warmer, BUT you get flowers sooner if you do pot them first, and allegedly/hopefully you can get ahead of the slugs and snails a bit as they prefer softer newer growth.

My seeds have sprouted!

Thanks @TheSpottedZebra - my aim is to try and outdo the slugs so will be planting in pots tomorrow until this crazy weather is done. Good luck with yours!