Forum home› Plants
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Buying dahlias

Rob LockwoodRob Lockwood Posts: 380
edited 11 February in Plants
Hi all.  I'm wanting a couple of dahlias for the garden, likely including "Cafe au Lait" and another named one.  Had an idle Google and the tubers seem to go for about £4 with postage being £5, which seems a bit over the top if I'm not buying anything else :)  Obvously, happy to pay this if needed but what do others do?  Is there any difference in quality / age / dryness etc between tubers bought at garden centres and the online bulb suppliers?
Thanks!

«1

Posts

  • PerkiPerki Posts: 2,527
    edited 11 February
    At least at the garden centre you can inspect the tubers, I root through them getting the biggest tuber. More variety online though.

    They are quite a few different cafe au lait now 
  • Rob LockwoodRob Lockwood Posts: 380
    Thanks @Perki .  Yes, I think I saw it at a garden show when it was a new release - assume most garden centres will have it now, sepecially if it's so popular it's got offshoots!

  • MatthewSMatthewS Posts: 8
    I agree with Perki, having both ordered online and bought in garden centres, at least you have options when buying in person, where as when they’re delivered you have to put up with what you get. I did an online order a couple of years ago and wasn’t that impressed - one variety didn’t grow at all.

    You should be able to find the original Cafe au Lait in most garden centres and nurseries, so if you can, I’d try having a look locally.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    I think £4-5 postage is pretty much the minimum to send a small packet over 100g. It maybe that you could find somewhere offering free postage, but that usually applies if there is a minimum amount spent.

    This is now peak dahlia tuber selling season. Going into June and July you can get cut price tubers on sale. If you have any neighbourhood plant sales locally in May, they often have potted up dahlias for sale, I find.

    But if you are looking for specifics - like a CaL now, then a GC might be the best bet.
  • PerkiPerki Posts: 2,527
    Yes I've had poor shrivelled / small tubers off reputable online retailers. As Matthews has mentioned Cafe au lait is easy to come by at garden centres , Royal should be there aswell . I grow Twist last year which is a newer variety . I'd recommended Thomas Edison if you are stuck , I call it Mr reliable always performs well . 
  • Rob LockwoodRob Lockwood Posts: 380
    edited 11 February
    Yes, @Fire, having sold stuff myself on Ebay, postage doesn't come cheap, and I wouldn't expect it to - just a bit of a pain spending more on the dleivery than on the plants :)
    Thos Edison's pretty close to the other colour we want actually, so a trip round the garden centres it is.
    Thanks all!
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    Rob Lockwood said:
    a bit of a pain spending more on the dleivery than on the plants :)

    Yes, it's a problem now with low cost items, esp on Ebay - the postage risks costing more than the item and often makes the transaction pointless

  • Wild_VioletWild_Violet Posts: 221
    I’m always tempted by money off offers from Farmer Gracy and Sarah Raven online but not all the tubers come good. My local garden centre is selling 3 Taylor’s tubers for £10 which is quite good and at least, as previously said, you can select the biggest tubers yourself. 
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    But FG and SR are very good for replacing any duff bulbs are tubers, right off the bat.
  • Wild_VioletWild_Violet Posts: 221
    Fire said:
    But FG and SR are very good for replacing any duff bulbs are tubers, right off the bat.
    Very true.  My problem is I lose track of what I bought from where but never had any problem getting a refund from either of them. 
Sign In or Register to comment.