I have planted many dahlia seeds this year. I have had very good success with the plants growing and flowering. The flowers seem smaller than the flowers from the bought tubers? Is this why people buy the tubers?
I planted quite a few dahlia seedlings last year, choosing the best plants I dug up their tubers for storing over winter and was amazed how big their tubers were. They're galloping away now with lots of good strong shoots. I can't really remember thinking their flowers were small. it's going to be interesting comparing my tubers with seedling dahlias and purchased dahlia tubers this season.
With a tuber you get a specific colour, flower size and type, height of plant, basically it's a clone. Growing from seed is more random. I chose five of the best dahlia tubers (imo) from seeded dahlias to store over winter.
You can keep the tubers of the ones you like, to overwinter as @Jenny_Aster says. It's just a different process. Sowing from seed is more random in terms of colour.
If you keep the tubers, they'll tend to be bigger, heartier plants by the time they flower, as opposed to sown from seed, but as always - it depends on the conditions they're being grown in, and the variety. If they're able to be kept in the ground rather than being lifted and stored, they're often bigger earlier on, assuming the slugs etc don't get them first
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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Cambridgeshire/Norfolk border.
When you don't even know who's in the team
S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
Cambridgeshire/Norfolk border.
It's just a different process. Sowing from seed is more random in terms of colour.
If you keep the tubers, they'll tend to be bigger, heartier plants by the time they flower, as opposed to sown from seed, but as always - it depends on the conditions they're being grown in, and the variety.
If they're able to be kept in the ground rather than being lifted and stored, they're often bigger earlier on, assuming the slugs etc don't get them first
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...