To clarify-he stored them in a box with vermiculite and he damped the vermiculite-he did not say keep them moist -just not to completely dry out-I find they seldom completely dry out and I cover mine with newspaper
His were kept in frost-free greenhouse where the temperarure did not drop below 5c as I recall so pehaps a tad warmer than usual and he also said to inspect them occasionally-good advice
If you think about if kept in the ground they are never going to dry out and always be moist
It is as usual what works for you-ignore what you l like-but why "as ever" Hostafan 1?
By contrast, I've never had any problem with rot in an airy garage, but I have lost them through drying out. As Geoff says, they never dry out in the ground.
I thought you waited untill the frost has killed of the folige and then dig them up turn them upside down for a week or two and then store them in a cool dark place in a brown bag or straw.
turning upside down to let the water drain out so they don't root
My dahlia is still flowering and new buds are still coming through. Should I cut them all down. And put thick mulch to cover in winter as I am not planning to take them out from the ground.
I welcome all your advise as this is my first year in gardening.
I'm planning to do as green gardener has suggested, the first frost turns them dormant. I would def dig them up, here in the midlands mine wouldn't make it through the winter.
Hi there. I planted out 4 Grandalia Sunrise dahlia plants 23rd June in Scotland.(56.1964º). They bloomed well throughout the summer. It is now 17th October and we have had our first frost. Not a very hard frost and none of the leaves or stems have blackened.
I lifter one plant and washed the root system. No tubers - the plant maybe too young or grown for flowers only. If there are no tubers to die while in ground over the winter - which may or may not be heavy (climate change!!) - will I lose the remaining three plants.
Will I cut them down to the ground when they have blackened, cover the roots with winter fleece and a heap of mulch? Will leave the one I lifted to dry off and then store in the shed up off the ground in a tray with bulb fibre to cover the roots? Should I sprinkle with sulphur in case of rot?
I come from the tropics and here ... I have no experience with these plants.
Posts
Don't - dahlias can dry up and die if they get too dry.
To clarify-he stored them in a box with vermiculite and he damped the vermiculite-he did not say keep them moist -just not to completely dry out-I find they seldom completely dry out and I cover mine with newspaper
His were kept in frost-free greenhouse where the temperarure did not drop below 5c as I recall so pehaps a tad warmer than usual and he also said to inspect them occasionally-good advice
If you think about if kept in the ground they are never going to dry out and always be moist
It is as usual what works for you-ignore what you l like-but why "as ever" Hostafan 1?
By contrast, I've never had any problem with rot in an airy garage, but I have lost them through drying out. As Geoff says, they never dry out in the ground.
I thought you waited untill the frost has killed of the folige and then dig them up turn them upside down for a week or two and then store them in a cool dark place in a brown bag or straw.
turning upside down to let the water drain out so they don't root
James
My dahlia is still flowering and new buds are still coming through. Should I cut them all down. And put thick mulch to cover in winter as I am not planning to take them out from the ground.
I welcome all your advise as this is my first year in gardening.
kind regards
I'm planning to do as green gardener has suggested, the first frost turns them dormant. I would def dig them up, here in the midlands mine wouldn't make it through the winter.
Sorry, I meant clueless gardener. I've bought sawdust to store mine in.
Hi there. I planted out 4 Grandalia Sunrise dahlia plants 23rd June in Scotland.(56.1964º). They bloomed well throughout the summer. It is now 17th October and we have had our first frost. Not a very hard frost and none of the leaves or stems have blackened.
I lifter one plant and washed the root system. No tubers - the plant maybe too young or grown for flowers only. If there are no tubers to die while in ground over the winter - which may or may not be heavy (climate change!!) - will I lose the remaining three plants.
Will I cut them down to the ground when they have blackened, cover the roots with winter fleece and a heap of mulch? Will leave the one I lifted to dry off and then store in the shed up off the ground in a tray with bulb fibre to cover the roots? Should I sprinkle with sulphur in case of rot?
I come from the tropics and here ... I have no experience with these plants.