The idea that water drops on leaves might burn them is a myth - ye canny beat the laws o' physics. Water droplets do indeed act as lenses but their shape determines the focal length of the lens and therefore the point where it would concentrate enough light to cause burning. In order to work as a magnifying lens capable of scorching leaves it would have to be suspended several millimetres above the lens. In fact it is more likely that water drops on leaves help cool the leaves through evaporation.
Normal transpiration also gives rise to water drops on leaves, easiest to spot in the morning before it evaporates.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
@Ann85 They do look very dry. Submerging the pot as@Fairygirl suggests is best,you should see lots of air bubbles then you know it has had a good soak. Have you got water on the leaves in strong sun maybe. I would water at the roots and keep it off the leaves.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
Mine get the breakfast wash up water and the tea time wash up water and are fine . I think yours look as though they’ll come back again now .Just keep up with the water while you can ,other than that I reckon you’ve caught them in time .
I'm also in Kent, and my south-facing potted dahlias are doing fine this year (Bishop of Llandaff and Mignonne Mixed) so I don't think it's the heat or the sun. I water generously every evening, but sometimes skip a day if it's been cloudy (not very often this summer). I feed about every 10 days: mostly a diluted tomato feed (diluted 50%) but I use liquid seaweed for 1 in 3 feeds. For what it's worth, Monty Don said on GW he feeds his pots weekly with liquid seaweed.
Last year I did find that any dahlias in a pot smaller than 30cm started to fade by about now.
Mine are planted in multipurpose compost with a bit of John Innes #2 (about 25-30%) and grit added in.
On the other hand, the ones I planted in the ground are quite stunted this year.
Hello Fairy, I didn't say anything about watering leaves in sun, just that my potted dahlias weren't doing very well this year. I think I heard on Gardeners Question Time on the radio that it was a myth. I don't do it of course, because it would be pointless,hubby waters at dusk.
Apologies @Nanny Beach - although I was really just talking about the overhead watering with foliage etc. I only grow them in containers, simply because I'm too lazy to dig them up in autumn Easier to keep on top of slugs and earwigs etc too, which is the biggest problem with mine. Very difficult in these parched areas though, especially if it's hard to find a spot for them with a bit more protection from searing sun for weeks on end. Glad we don't have that problem here. If we go a week without rain, it's rare, and we get a lot of cloudy days which helps too. I only water the pots, and that's been at night this past few days. I can't go out in that sun for more than a few minutes, and it's not anywhere near as hot as the south. You couldn't pay me to live there.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
No thanks love. I can't go out in the temps we've got here, never mind down south! At least it was misty all morning today, so I didn't have to go out quite so early for a walk either I think people forget that the temps given in forecasts aren't in direct sun either. They should give both, and maybe folk would take more precautions. Mind you, on looking at some of the dumb things they do, maybe they wouldn't...
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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I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Water Drops Magnify Sunlight and Burn Leaves | Live Science
I think yours look as though they’ll come back again now .Just keep up with the water while you can ,other than that I reckon you’ve caught them in time .
Last year I did find that any dahlias in a pot smaller than 30cm started to fade by about now.
Mine are planted in multipurpose compost with a bit of John Innes #2 (about 25-30%) and grit added in.
On the other hand, the ones I planted in the ground are quite stunted this year.
I only grow them in containers, simply because I'm too lazy to dig them up in autumn
Easier to keep on top of slugs and earwigs etc too, which is the biggest problem with mine.
Very difficult in these parched areas though, especially if it's hard to find a spot for them with a bit more protection from searing sun for weeks on end.
Glad we don't have that problem here. If we go a week without rain, it's rare, and we get a lot of cloudy days which helps too. I only water the pots, and that's been at night this past few days. I can't go out in that sun for more than a few minutes, and it's not anywhere near as hot as the south. You couldn't pay me to live there.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
At least it was misty all morning today, so I didn't have to go out quite so early for a walk either
I think people forget that the temps given in forecasts aren't in direct sun either. They should give both, and maybe folk would take more precautions.
Mind you, on looking at some of the dumb things they do, maybe they wouldn't...
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...