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Dahlias

Mary370Mary370 Posts: 2,003
in The potting shed
Every single one of my dahlias were eaten before they got a chance to grow into plants, let alone flower.  Does that mean they are finished or will they grow next year?

Posts

  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719
    How do you mean, the tubers got eaten? who ate them?
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    I used to watch mine in the spring and as soon as I saw a sprout, I would stick a jam jar over it until it was big enough to look after itself.
    Now I grow them more safely in containers and stand  the container in a flowerbed. 
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • Mary370Mary370 Posts: 2,003
    @Nanny Beach the slugs savaged them as soon as they started growing........then the 4 in pots, were 18" tall when I planted them in the garden, same, devoured by slugs. I'm wondering if they will grow again next year or are they finished.......
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Best way is to keep them inside until they're growing well enough to withstand the onslaught @Mary370.
    Difficult though - we have the same problem here with hideous amounts of slugs and snails, but if you have them in containers, rather than planted in the ground, it's a wee bit easier to protect them. Not always ideal though. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719
    I grow them at first in pots, then planted out, have kept some in pots as well, because we have had such little rain, cannot get through the clay.  Hardly any slugs here, its afids instead.  Last year I did find some of the dahlia stems were chomped through at about 6 inches, but they grew back again.
  • Dirty HarryDirty Harry Posts: 1,048
    Surprised they'd be getting so much grief at 1.5ft.

    I grow all mine in pots so don't have an issue with slugs but that sounds odd.
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