Down south it's been much warmer, with days over 20oC and nights over 10oC. Most of mine are fully leafed up now, but there is one species dahlia that is taking its sweet time - it has two little nubs. I have it planted in a large pot, at least two foot off the ground. It's fine from slugs. I find high pots puts slugs off, for the most part, though I'm not sure why.
I conclude that I am finding slugs 'sluggish'. At my place, they have so much other food, that they tend to stay right by their food source of choice and destroy that, at the leisure. They won't wander upwards unless pushed. But every garden will be diffferent.
My dahlias are always outside in tall pots year round. They have been notably untroubled by slugs. They wouldn't stand a chance in the ground.
My dahlias stayed in the borders in the winter and I think have made it through. I’ll have to remember to put a few slug pellets around tomorrow in case as the shoots are just showing up on some.
Have you got a photo @Kitty52? It's odd that they aren't growing. As @punkdoc says, they can get annihilated very easily by slugs/snails, so they need protection from that as much as from weather.
You must live in a very mild area @mac12. They wouldn't survive outdoors all year round here, or in many parts of the UK.
I live just south of the humber bridge but I lift them for the winter but I then plant direct as I don't have the space or time to grow them in pots first
I live just south of the humber bridge but I lift them for the winter but I then plant direct as I don't have the space or time to grow them in pots first
Ah - I thought you meant you left them in the ground
The thing to remember is - many places had a drier, milder winter this year. It's a case of being aware of your conditions and climate. Not every year will be like that, so only reliably frost free, milder, drier areas can safely leave them out. Wet cold ground is the killer - far more damaging than frost, which you can guard against much more easily
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Last question in this dahlia saga. They have all sprouted but some with no leaves yet so they are alive! Clearly they' re not going to come on enough to plant out I would say. They seem stuck!! My question is should I just leave them to do their own thing over the summer in their pots and put them away again in winter in the hope next year will be better? Any thought please?
There's still a lot of growing season left @Kitty52 - only just started I'd have them outside now. It's only the far north of Scotland that still has low, single figure temps overnight now. Mine have been outside for a while now, but they were growing well. It's been no lower than about 5 or 6 for the last couple of weeks, and- apart from a few days near single figs, there's been reasonable temps through the day. The last week has seen them put a spurt on. It's the combination of temps that helps with good growth - for any plant.
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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The thing to remember is - many places had a drier, milder winter this year. It's a case of being aware of your conditions and climate. Not every year will be like that, so only reliably frost free, milder, drier areas can safely leave them out.
Wet cold ground is the killer - far more damaging than frost, which you can guard against much more easily
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
When you don't even know who's in the team
S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
Last year I planted out some discounted tubers in late Jul, and they flowered in Oct!
I'd have them outside now. It's only the far north of Scotland that still has low, single figure temps overnight now. Mine have been outside for a while now, but they were growing well. It's been no lower than about 5 or 6 for the last couple of weeks, and- apart from a few days near single figs, there's been reasonable temps through the day. The last week has seen them put a spurt on.
It's the combination of temps that helps with good growth - for any plant.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...