You will be relieved to know that there is also an empty dalek bin up there somewhere too.. there's a big compost heap and some of the leaves land on it and some don't. I leave it up to fate.
Ok Chaps. We are GOS members, but we are also gardeners.
In closing down for winter, what is the minimum effort we can get away with and still have the springtime gardening experience ? - think Jamie's 15 Minute Meals.
Novice gardeners need to know that it is not all about control. There is an alternative to double digging, fleece and pot-washing.
Lift the dahlias when their leaves go black, hang 'em upside down in the shed until they're dried out a bit then cut the top off and stick the weird, nodular roots in straw or wood chippings in a bucket and label it (the label for me usually says the colour and size and is important).
Spring
=============
In about March, pot them up in compost, give a little bit of water and keep in the conservatory/covered cold frame/greenhouse/windowsill in back bedroom until shoots start to come up.
"Baby" the shoots over the next month or two (treat them like a houseplant) until you're happy that there won't be frosts again outside and plant out the young plants in a place where you want them to flower (give them room - remember their size is on the label from last year).
It's a great idea to label them but then you lose the serendipity. The only one I made sure to identify was a huge, vile acid yellow dinner plate specimen that a person of questionable taste wanted.
I will also admit to instructing the undergardener to move the odd container to a more sheltered position.. It doesn't count if you get someone else to do it.
I'm of the opinion that the dead tops of plants provide a microclimate for the roots to overwinter. That is of course a very good reason/excuse for leaving well alone until spring comes.
When spring comes, what hasn't blown away/been eaten/rotted can be left in place or moved to the compost heap/pile of dead stuff.
Posts
You will be relieved to know that there is also an empty dalek bin up there somewhere too.. there's a big compost heap and some of the leaves land on it and some don't. I leave it up to fate.
Ok Chaps. We are GOS members, but we are also gardeners.
In closing down for winter, what is the minimum effort we can get away with and still have the springtime gardening experience ? - think Jamie's 15 Minute Meals.
Novice gardeners need to know that it is not all about control. There is an alternative to double digging, fleece and pot-washing.
I thinking along the lines of hoiking out the dahlias and bunging them loose in the shed -that kind of thing.
Now
=============
Lift the dahlias when their leaves go black, hang 'em upside down in the shed until they're dried out a bit then cut the top off and stick the weird, nodular roots in straw or wood chippings in a bucket and label it (the label for me usually says the colour and size and is important).
Spring
=============
In about March, pot them up in compost, give a little bit of water and keep in the conservatory/covered cold frame/greenhouse/windowsill in back bedroom until shoots start to come up.
"Baby" the shoots over the next month or two (treat them like a houseplant) until you're happy that there won't be frosts again outside and plant out the young plants in a place where you want them to flower (give them room - remember their size is on the label from last year).
This is what I do but I'm open to correction.
Hope this helps.
Ha ha, you wrote your "hoiking out the dahlias and bunging them loose in the shed" message as I was writing that response B3
It's a great idea to label them but then you lose the serendipity. The only one I made sure to identify was a huge, vile acid yellow dinner plate specimen that a person of questionable taste wanted.
That's pretty much ALL I do at this time of year - slacker that I am!
I will also admit to instructing the undergardener to move the odd container to a more sheltered position.. It doesn't count if you get someone else to do it.
I'm of the opinion that the dead tops of plants provide a microclimate for the roots to overwinter. That is of course a very good reason/excuse for leaving well alone until spring comes.
When spring comes, what hasn't blown away/been eaten/rotted can be left in place or moved to the compost heap/pile of dead stuff.