Bishops and their children make small spindly tubers. Fergus Garrett , head gardener at Gt. Dixter ( I don't ever name drop , much) told me they grow their's in smallish pots for the first few years and this has the effect of bulking up the tuber. You can then plant them out in the normal way. I grow all my bishops 3 at a time in pots, not least because I think they make more of a show if not swamped by their more blousy cousins in the main dahlia bed.
Try to grow lots of single dahlias for the bees to enjoy. The decoratives and others are less good.
a variety of dahlia I have had for many years is Fascination an in your face bright pink, darkish foliage about two feet tall. They were planted in a bed off my patio. A double show, the dahlias were very floriferous the surprise? Queues of bees they were climbing over each other, very entertaining. I planted another variety, new to me, called Braveheart, a shorter variety, but again with singe flowers. The colour wasn't quite what I thought moe reddish than pink/ purple but strong growing it was smothered in flowers which the critters loved. I lifted the tubers yesterday and they we're very well formed so plenty for next year.
I shall be leaving all my tubers in the garden this year, for the first time. First reason, those left in last winter ( which was v. cold) survived and did as well as those that I lifted and replanted. Second, I am a year older. I shall mulch as best I can to help them survive.
My main failures on the dahlia front this year were all new tubers bought from the GC. They should be ashamed.
Hi Verd. Your local Dahlia National collection... is it Winchester growers? I think I have seen them at Hampton Court or somesuch. If so I will try to visit one day when I am in your neck of the woods.
Emma, like you I was a bit confused by Monty and his dahlias... I have never kept mine moist, whether they were lifted and stored, or left in their pots. Actually I am not confused because I shall ignore him.
I've just tried a tip I was given a couple of years ago by a dahlia grower/shower, I had grown some established tubers in pots this year and when I depotted them a few days ago the tubers were football sized! I was picking away at the compacted soil around them to little avail. SO remembering the tip I decided to give it ago. Using the hose and lance waterer I jetted the soil off, magic, it really worked. Obviously the jet of water wasn't too severe or it would have damaged them. They are now sat on the garden wall drying off all pristine and clean eating the next stage.
Posts
Bishops and their children make small spindly tubers. Fergus Garrett , head gardener at Gt. Dixter ( I don't ever name drop
, much) told me they grow their's in smallish pots for the first few years and this has the effect of bulking up the tuber. You can then plant them out in the normal way. I grow all my bishops 3 at a time in pots, not least because I think they make more of a show if not swamped by their more blousy cousins in the main dahlia bed.
Try to grow lots of single dahlias for the bees to enjoy. The decoratives and others are less good.
a variety of dahlia I have had for many years is Fascination an in your face bright pink, darkish foliage about two feet tall. They were planted in a bed off my patio. A double show, the dahlias were very floriferous the surprise? Queues of bees they were climbing over each other, very entertaining. I planted another variety, new to me, called Braveheart, a shorter variety, but again with singe flowers. The colour wasn't quite what I thought moe reddish than pink/ purple but strong growing it was smothered in flowers which the critters loved. I lifted the tubers yesterday and they we're very well formed so plenty for next year.
I shall be leaving all my tubers in the garden this year, for the first time. First reason, those left in last winter ( which was v. cold) survived and did as well as those that I lifted and replanted. Second, I am a year older. I shall mulch as best I can to help them survive.
My main failures on the dahlia front this year were all new tubers bought from the GC. They should be ashamed.
Hi Verd. Your local Dahlia National collection... is it Winchester growers? I think I have seen them at Hampton Court or somesuch. If so I will try to visit one day when I am in your neck of the woods.
Monty really confused me on the last GW re storing dahlias
Emma, like you I was a bit confused by Monty and his dahlias... I have never kept mine moist, whether they were lifted and stored, or left in their pots. Actually I am not confused because I shall ignore him.
I often ignore things that Monty says and does.
I've just tried a tip I was given a couple of years ago by a dahlia grower/shower, I had grown some established tubers in pots this year and when I depotted them a few days ago the tubers were football sized! I was picking away at the compacted soil around them to little avail. SO remembering the tip I decided to give it ago. Using the hose and lance waterer I jetted the soil off, magic, it really worked. Obviously the jet of water wasn't too severe or it would have damaged them. They are now sat on the garden wall drying off all pristine and clean eating the next stage.