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Dahlia - still flowering
i have my first small dahlia in a pot - it's still got lots of buds and is flowering its socks off - do I really have to lift it yet? Seems a shame as it's now at its best ! Some neighbours have theirs planted in our clay soil, all year round, would It be better to plant if? I can't decide what's best.
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Dahlias will continue flowering until they get frosted. It's at that point the leaves turn black and you cut them down to the ground. Some folk then lift them (I leave mine in the garden and many come back the next year.) As yours is in a pot, just enjoy it for now and when the frost kills it, cut it back to about 2 inches above soil level and stop watering it. Keep the pot somewhere frost free over the winter and when you see new shoots in the spring you can either plant it in the garden or refresh the compost and keep it in a pot.
I wouldnt plant it out now, just enjoy the flowers, it will show you when it wants lifting and tucking up for winter, it will go black and soggy.
Some leave them in the ground over winter, most store the tuber and start it off in a pot next Spring when you can also take cuttings.
No need to lift it yet. It is better to wait until after the first frost, which will blacken the leaves. Apparently this sends sugar (energy) down to the tuber as the plant thinks it is in danger of dying.
Once the dahlia is really past its best, you could just keep it in the pot and put the pot on its side to stop too much rain getting in, which might cause the tuber to rot. If you have a garage to put it in, that would be perfect.
I leave some dahlia tubers in and they come through the winter ok but there is more chance of them being attacked by slugs when the new growth starts. Better if possible to start them off in pots under cover.
As above, leave it grow as long as possible, this will make the tubers fatter and help it stand a better chance of surviving if you do decide to lift and store it.
Make sure to leave an inch of stem when you cut them down as this is where next seasons growth will appear from.
My dahia (Twinings after eight or similarly named) went in very late this year and has only just started flowering. Living in Cornwall I think I will just cut it down and mulch heavily over winter.
Thanks for all the advice - shall lift, trim when black and pop in garage