Forum home Plants
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Dare I plant my dahlias?

Rosie  BeeRosie Bee Posts: 32

Hello all,

After a slow start, my dahlias are about 1' tall and very healthy. They were slow because the snails chomped them. I put copper tape around their pots and that made all the difference. 

Now, after nursing them this far, I'm too chicken to plant them out because I know the snails will be all over them like a rash. If I leave them in their pots (3 litre), so I can whip them back to safety if need be, will they reach (near) their full potential? The pots wouldn't be visible - the bed is crowded with stuff - mostly with the dreaded montbretia (crocosmia), which makes perfect snail and slug cover! I know you're likely to ask, what varieties they are - I'm afraid the rain has destroyed their labels ...

Or should I man up and stand over them 24/7 waiting for the  enemy to appear?

Thanks!

Posts

  • Ladybird4Ladybird4 Posts: 37,905

    I would leave them in their pots or transfer them into bigger pots. Dahlias will grow quite happily in pots as long as they are fed and watered.

    Cacoethes: An irresistible urge to do something inadvisable
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505

    You could put the pots in your flower beds so you have the best of both worlds

    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • ERICS MUMERICS MUM Posts: 627
    B3 says:

    You could put the pots in your flower beds so you have the best of both worlds

    See original post

     This is what I'd do. The dahlia roots can push down into the soil in the bed if they feel the need, assuming there are big enough drainage holes in the base of the pot.

  • Rosie  BeeRosie Bee Posts: 32

    Thank you all x

Sign In or Register to comment.