I ordered a couple from Farmer Gracy a while back and they haven't arrived yet. Assuming they arrive this week and I plant them straightaway, will I still get flowers from them this year? I normally grow them from seed...
Brilliant, thank you! And if some more questions are OK, will ericaceous compost be OK for dahlias (it's what I have an abundance of)?
And what size pot would you bung them in? The instructions on the site say "a large pot"? Are these grey 40cm ones too big, or should I use a smaller (possibly dog-chewed) one?
I got 2 lots from farmer gracy. The first ones I got at very end of march and were slow to get going etc but are now in the ground and about 6". The others were an impulse buy that arrive 2 weeks ago and already have 2cm of growth, so I reckon they will catch up as the weather is better.
There's always a bit of debate on the forum re dahlias in spring. There's one elsewhere just now. It comes down to conditions, location, and soil, as well as tuber size/viability. They aren't hardy, so that's the first thing to consider, just as you would with any half hardy plant. Then it's a question of having the right type of soil and site, and making sure that they'll be ok once planted outside. That varies all around the country. If they're going in the ground, you need to be sure it's warm enough for them to thrive. Cold wet soil that's slow to warm up isn't good. It's why so many people grow them in pots. Timing is key. They're late flowering plants, so they're very useful when some summer planting is beginning to wane
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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And what size pot would you bung them in? The instructions on the site say "a large pot"? Are these grey 40cm ones too big, or should I use a smaller (possibly dog-chewed) one?
I'd start them in a smaller pot until you can see roots around the edge and then move into a bigger pot
They aren't hardy, so that's the first thing to consider, just as you would with any half hardy plant. Then it's a question of having the right type of soil and site, and making sure that they'll be ok once planted outside. That varies all around the country.
If they're going in the ground, you need to be sure it's warm enough for them to thrive. Cold wet soil that's slow to warm up isn't good. It's why so many people grow them in pots. Timing is key.
They're late flowering plants, so they're very useful when some summer planting is beginning to wane
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...