This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.
Dahlia treatment
Guernsey Donkey2
Posts: 6,713
in Talkback
My new dahlia tubers seem to be doing well & I am ready to harden them off before putting outside in their final position. Do they need to be pinched out - how should I treat them to get maximum flowers?
0
Posts
Some good tips there - thanks Verdun. I have never used seaweed - which is a bit daft when we live within 1 mile of the sea! However I do have some horse manure so would that be a good thing to add to the surface rather than wood chip which is what I usually use to top my pots & tubs. I will pinch out & hold on for putting the plants outside for a week or two - at present they are by the cold GH door which is left open when weather permits.
Perhaps a little wood chip? We do find that they help to keep the slugs away due to rough texture of chips - but my job for tomorrow is to nip off those top of shoots to help bulk up the plants before putting them out in a week or two. Thanks again.
I've done my best to research the whole "nitrogen robbing" of wood chip issue.
I have to say there's no clear consensus. On the surface seems to pose no risk, however some, not all, research suggests ( only suggests ) that digging in before they've rotted "sufficiently" " can " lock up nitrogen.
I compost tree chippings form a local tree surgeon and use it with gay abandon with no ill effects. To be fair, there's normally leaf and woody material in there which I reckon helps .
That's reassuring Hosta - as we use wood chip quite a lot over most of our flower beds & sometimes on the surface of potted up plants too. Our garden is quite big & as it is my job to maintain the flowers I find the chips help with the weed problem. I know gravel is also helpful but personally I prefer the more natural look that comes with using wood chip. I don't think any of my plants have died from using it, although I am not into the science of growing - so I found your nitrogen robbing of interest Verdun
My father was a very keen gardener & knew so much more than I will ever remember, so I understand about talking to the older allotmenteers to gain such knowledge Verdun - I usually but the wood chip down in the winter, but I was thinking of adding another layer. I do feed my plants - rotted horse manure & a proprietary plant food in the watering can, but of course like all keen gardeners I want the best display with as little disease/aphid attacks as possible - don't we all! Most of the wood chips are from our felled pine trees although we are now making our own with any woody bits we find in the garden after a strong wind or from pruning.