These were started off mid to late March. I've been late with my Dahlias the past two years, maybe was a little bit early this time. Should be nice big plants by mid May though
"What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour".
Can just check... I started my dahlias off under cover. I take it it's ok to pot them on into larger pots at some point? i.e. they are not going to have a massive hissy fit...?! (Prevous two years, I have planted straight into their final pots later in the spring, so this method is new to me.)
REMF33 I would wait till they are a good size, Some of mine will stay in pots, some garden, I did a massive amout of research on here a couple of years back, because I just didn't have the room to overwinter them. There's a house near a level crossing, you can see owner looks after his garden, I went and knocked on the door, lovelly old chap invited me in, said in 8 years he had never lifted, or done any other thing, and they were fabulous.THEN I discover my neighbour 3 doors down, (has lived here since the places were build in 1965) HAS never lifted any of his. So I mulched with home made compost, put a wicker hanging basket on top, they survived but were later flowering than the ones potted up in Spring. Last year I forgot the mulch etc, BUT I lifted Sir Alf Ramsey because he was expensive. I wasn't so bothered about the ones that cost me£1 in Wilko, have just treated myself to FASHION MONGER, wanted that one for ages NIGHT BUTTERFLY,SEATTLE,REBECCAS'WORLDLINDSAY MCHELLE
Thankyou, @Nanny Beach. I have overwintered the onces that I have in big pots for the last couple of years, wrapped in bubble wrap jackets. Some survived year one. At least one didn't. No sign of any of them this year but I imagine it's too early. However, I bought quite a few (too many, arguably) new ones this year too and having watched the Sarah Raven video in which she puts them in pots not much bigger than the tubers to start them off under cover, I assumed that this was a way forward for me, with limited space, and all my pots occupied by spring flowering bulbs a while to come, and assumed I could pot them on later. But I am now concerned that I had got the wrong end of the stick. I don't have room to put them in the ground. I have very few areas in my garden with the right conditions. I might manage to put one in. I too have seen various houses round here where the dahlias almost certainly haven't been lifted, and possibly haven't been protected at all, but I guess those will be the types of dahlia that are very hardy! Those are lovely dahlias (I wonder if Rebecca's World was names after the children's book by Terry Nation?!? Probably not.) I think I have mostly gone for less subtle ones I do hope Show 'n' Tell comes up... and that Procyon and Penhill Dark Monarch have survived. Reminds me I still have one to plant up. Might do it straight outside, now.
Rem33, there's no such thing as a hardy Dahlia, just depends where you live.you can't have too many! Most years I did what Sarah raven did ( video online) which was to pot up in march, exclude light completely I put plastic plant saucers over the top,left in the green house 10 days,then have a peek if no growth, repeat. I found it works a treat, this year Hubby planted them up without covering. Some are 6 inches tall, some not showing yet,it could be the weather,I don't know
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These were started off mid to late March. I've been late with my Dahlias the past two years, maybe was a little bit early this time. Should be nice big plants by mid May though
Still confused as to whether a sunny windowsill is the right place for them. Seems there are lots of different methods...
Theee are mine at the moment, I brought them out to get some sun today :-)
However, I bought quite a few (too many, arguably) new ones this year too and having watched the Sarah Raven video in which she puts them in pots not much bigger than the tubers to start them off under cover, I assumed that this was a way forward for me, with limited space, and all my pots occupied by spring flowering bulbs a while to come, and assumed I could pot them on later. But I am now concerned that I had got the wrong end of the stick.
I don't have room to put them in the ground. I have very few areas in my garden with the right conditions. I might manage to put one in.
I too have seen various houses round here where the dahlias almost certainly haven't been lifted, and possibly haven't been protected at all, but I guess those will be the types of dahlia that are very hardy!
Those are lovely dahlias (I wonder if Rebecca's World was names after the children's book by Terry Nation?!? Probably not.) I think I have mostly gone for less subtle ones
Reminds me I still have one to plant up. Might do it straight outside, now.