I've bought some Dahlia seed this year for that purpose @punkdoc, and also some reddish double marigolds - not something I usually grow. No idea where they're going though, but probably pots as there's very little room elsewhere
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
@WAMS - thanks for this thread as your question is just what I wanted to know! I too saw that Sarah Raven video of basal cuttings which is what I am going to try first. I have for this reason left the tubers half exposed as she does to make the cuttings easier. She also mentions not allowing more than 3 shoots per tuber for larger varities regardless of whether you are going to root the excess. Wondered if anyone growing dahlias does the same?
@Fairygirl - that dahlia is lovely. Had not heard of it before.
@punkdoc - sounds like a great combination. I adore oriental poppies.
Nice one @punkdoc - it's quite similar in colour to the dark nasturtiums I usually grow- Black Velvet or Tip Top Mahogany. Didn't get any of those this year, and I doubt any of the seed I left in situ when they dropped will germinate. I should really do those marigolds - maybe next year Double Brocade Red is the marigold I've got. Should really sow some....
I've heard of people removing shoots to restrict the number of flowering stems @Alfie_, but it isn't something I've ever done. I've only just started growing dahlias again [last year] after a very long time. They get terrible slug damage here, and I think that's why I stopped!
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
@Alfie_, many of my Dahlias have far more than 3 shoots, I like a good sized clump.
Yes I do too. The three shoots per tuber Raven talks about is for dinner plates which I grow a lot of.
Last season Fire and I were pondering why one of my dahlias (Spartacus) had many buds but produced few blooms despite being in a border with other dahlias which didn’t have this issue.
Strange name but we discovered the term ‘Dahlia Grooming’ which is removing all the buds (usually two) at the top of the stem except the main one. Then, if you want it for a cut flower you remove the buds from nodes lower down to where you want to cut it. This ensures a nice large bloom for dinner plates.
This professional dahlia grower talks about it. Not saying I would go to that length unless I was cutting a lot of them for vases etc but I find it interesting:
I thought maybe Raven’s 3 shoots per tuber for dinner plates might relate to this in that fewer shoots mean more energy for larger blooms. Although I guess less of them. If you don’t cut them then I guess you would leave it to get smaller but more plentiful blooms.
Interesting, @Alfie_. I know people who show roses disbud but I was under the impression that that was to produce glorious clusters rather than single blooms... I wonder if I have that backwards.
And I'd be wary of "dahlia groomer!" becoming the latest insult to be hurled at me by my teenager. 😉
Removing buds from Dahlias is only used [ I believe ] for people who are showing them as cut flowers, although I can understand that if you are growing 9 inch dinner plates, more than 3 stems per plant would be an issue.
How can you lie there and think of England When you don't even know who's in the team
I seem to remember A. Titchmarsh talking about his time as an apprentice and being asked to disbud a whole area of dahlias being grown for various municipal applications. He wasn't sure what it meant, and removed ever bud on every plant...
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Posts
No idea where they're going though, but probably pots as there's very little room elsewhere
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
@Fairygirl - that dahlia is lovely. Had not heard of it before.
@punkdoc - sounds like a great combination. I adore oriental poppies.
When you don't even know who's in the team
S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
Double Brocade Red is the marigold I've got. Should really sow some....
I've heard of people removing shoots to restrict the number of flowering stems @Alfie_, but it isn't something I've ever done. I've only just started growing dahlias again [last year] after a very long time. They get terrible slug damage here, and I think that's why I stopped!
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
This professional dahlia grower talks about it. Not saying I would go to that length unless I was cutting a lot of them for vases etc but I find it interesting:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uKPhnkderDo&t=358s
I thought maybe Raven’s 3 shoots per tuber for dinner plates might relate to this in that fewer shoots mean more energy for larger blooms. Although I guess less of them. If you don’t cut them then I guess you would leave it to get smaller but more plentiful blooms.
And I'd be wary of "dahlia groomer!" becoming the latest insult to be hurled at me by my teenager. 😉
When you don't even know who's in the team
S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...