Produce > Non Edible Plants

Dahlias & 'mums'

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Mrs Ava:
Complicated just for some big blousey flowers huh  :o.  Mind you, I can see why people get addicted to growing them and showing them.  I adore Dahlias, not so into 'mums'.  Got me tempted I have to say.

Hugh_Jones:
Back again Jethro. Mesh sides? Those aren`t tunnels, they`re umbrellas.  If you`d said that in the first place you`d have saved me 10 minutes typing.

Now as to Dahlias:-
Planting distances vary as to height, so you have to check your variety. Under outside conditions Large Decorative and Cactus require 3ft minimum each way. Medium varieties will manage with 6ins less each way.  Needless to say, your stakes should be firmly placed before planting, but as you`re growing for cutting etc and not for garden display you can simply wire the canes in lines with just a strong post at each end.  
Earwigs, admittedly, are a pest. Bred in the soil they climb up the plants or the stakes, and they can get inside a paper bag from underneath unless it is secured tightly around the stem (not recommended). Traps consisting of upturned pots full of straw or shredded paper on the tops of stakes will catch them but have to emptied regularly and the earwigs dropped into a container part filled with water with a thin layer of paraffin on top.  If hollow canes are used to support the plants the earwigs will hide inside them, and a few drops of paraffin will bring them out for destruction.

Chrysanths:-
I`m still not keen on permanently housing these in your tunnels, but if that is what you want to do prepare the soil with as much compost as possible, aiming for a pH of about 6.5 and using a balanced fertilizer a few days before planting out. Allow a 15inch square for each plant.  Supports should be in place before planting - the simplest method is 2 strong posts at each end of the bed; wires then run along the length of the bed attached to crossbars wedged behind the posts and lightly tied on and the height of the wires can be raised as the plants grow by simply sliding the bars up the posts; string tied across the wires will then form a wide mesh net through which the stems grow.  Once established the plants should be fed with balanced feed until the flowering shoots are established, when a specialist Chrysanthemum fertilizer should be used.
The biggest pest with `mums is eelworm.  It is vital to start with clean stock, and to remove and burn any `poor doers`
Stopping dates will depend on flowering time.  November flowering are usually stopped around the end of May/1st week in June and only the one stop used.  However plants rooted in early February, and growing very strongly, can be stopped twice - mid April and early June.  The plant will indicate when it is ready for a first (or only) stop by the appearance of shoots in the leaf axils, the centre bud is removed and only the number of side shoots actually required retained, all lower shoots being rubbed out - the same process being used with a second stopping if this is required.  Once the shoots which are to produce the blooms are established all side growths or side buds are removed and only the crown bud allowed to develop.  You would be best to use only one stopping at first until you have more experience of growing and flowering unless you experiment on just a few plants.  I think December flowering would be too late without heat in your tunnels, so little point in dealing with that. However, has it occurred to you that your turbine might well drive a low power fan? This would give a big boost to the ventilation on hot days in summer and on damp nights in the autumn.

Anything else, just ask

jethro:
Cheers Hugh, printed off your reply and put it in the lottie shed for future use and advice, i've heard about the 'pot method' of getting rid of earwigs.
Any advice on the latest development on the turbine 'thread'? or should i just shoot myself now?

The gardener:
A big subject !

I grew Chrysants & Dahlias for years,I even had a go at exhibiting them. I still grow around 150 sprays and a few pot mums each year, have given up with the Dahlias.

As I said its a big subject so perhaps if I were to direct you to the Chrysant & Dahlia pages in my website it would save me a lot of typing here, particularly as I only use one finger and one thumb when typing  ;D

In there is the summation of around fifteen years of growing them

http;//thegardenersalmanac.co.uk

Muddy_Boots:
Your wife has very good taste Jethro!  Mums have the most wonderful smell, always makes me think of gardens!  Also, they must be one of the longest lasting cut flowers around!

Kate

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