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Do you pinch out dahlia seedlings?

mchuamchua Posts: 210
I did so with cosmos last year and they turned out great. So I was wondering if the same principle applies here. I’m growing from seed, not tubers. 

Thanks! 

Posts

  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    You can do if you want, although I don’t.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    I have a small bed of mostly dahlias and I grow a few Bishops Children from seed most years to replace any that don't make it through winter or to replace colours I'm not keen on.
    The form of the seedlings varies quite a lot once they get above 3-4".
    Some seedlings grow upright naturally, others send out side-shoots naturally, so I wait to see what the seedlings are like.
    I usually pinch out the tops of those seedlings that are just a single stem reaching for the skies when they are around 6-8" tall to encourage more side shoots and leave the others that are naturally bushy.
    By the 2nd year they have decent tubers and they don't need any pinching.
    Some of mine have been in the ground for about 4 years now and are substantial plants getting to around 5ft.


    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • mchuamchua Posts: 210
    Thank you. Mine vary too like you say. I’ll pinch out the taller ones. 
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