I'm just not a very good gardener 😆. I've been vigilant on water but probably not feeding enough - i wasn't really sure whether I should mix it in with grey water.
In my opinion, feeding doesn't help dahlias survive but it helps them thrive and flower more. Not feeding a dahlia wouldn't kill it. You'd just get more flowers with a feeding regime.
Some sites seem to suggest that, like tomatoes, dahlias need steady and consistent moisture. It might be an issue if planting into clay.
I do have clay though it's not too heavy. The water does run off a bit so that won't help. I'll see how they are come autumn but I won't put them there again. I have a couple just to the right, not in the pic, which have been slightly protected by an eryngium that grew taller than I was expecting (more of my rubbish skills), they're not doing as badly, not flowering much though.Â
@punkdoc do yours get some shade for some of the day?
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My four tree dahlias are going to have to stay in pots until next spring. Between travelling, drought and the hosepipe ban moving them into the ground was not going to work. Hopefully the tubers have been bulking up nicely in their pots and will rocket away next year. They are all looking healthy, just small, as expected - about five ft in pots.
That’s an interesting link @fire, thank you for posting.  Depth of planting seems a relevant factor to lessen fluctuations in temperature and moisture.  The heat has definitely given my Bishop of Llandaff group in the ground a boost.  Perhaps that’s due to a genetic disposition to thrive in heat, unlike other more recent varieties that may have been overbred for flower size, form and colour.  Just my theory, no proof!
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More and more people seem to be having success with tree dahlias, although all seem to be in the South. I think you should get flowers, @Fire
When you don't even know who's in the team
S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border