Topic: Dhalias under straw mulch

[worldor]

When should I look for signs of life from Dhalias covered in straw at the end of last season? We inherited these from last plot holder so not too familiar as we have never grown them. I am worried that slugs might move in while we are not looking and eat our treasure.

[sunloving]

Dahlias left in (in the uk )are always a bit tricky,since they are really not hardy. Its likely that the previous owner found a nice dry site to over winter them otherwise they would have never have survived it. But still i wouldnt expect to see anything at least until the end of march early april and i wouldnt take away the mulch until youve had the last frost maybe mid april?
and to give yourself a bit aof insurance with them both re the winter and viruses i would take a few of the first shoots as cuttings which you will be able to plant back in around may time and will flower this year.

hope that helps

[louise stella]

I reckon it's too early for signs of growth just yet!

Where about you live depends on wether they are hardy or not - I live in Kent and never dig mine up or cover them in any way and they are just fine!

Louise

[worldor]

Thanks both of you. We are in the Midlands.

[Good Gourd2]

Goodness, I am getting worried now, for the last 4 years at the end of the season I just dig up my dahlia tubers that were getting too big chopped them in half with the spade buried them again and piled a heap of manure on the top of them and then in late April I lift the manure and if they are shooting which they have been then I just lay the manure at the side of the rows to be dug in.  I have to say not blowing me own trumpet I have a great show every year.  After listening to everyone else I think  I could be in for a shock this year,  (I did know that you are supposed to over winter them indoors, but  with over 40 plants its a  problem.) by the way I have taken cuttings and that also works.

[Ceratonia]

I've left them in the ground for the last few winters, without any problems (and we've had down to -6C in previous years). They won't appear until it gets a lot warmer - late April/early May, here. They do come to life a few weeks earlier if you lift them over-winter, due to having been warmer.

It's rot, through being wet, that you have to worry about, rather than cold per se. They come originally from the highlands of Mexico, where it does get reasonably cold in winter, but stays dry.

[GRACELAND]

I have left mine in the ground for at least five years now every end of season let the frost turn um black ,then clear all the top rubbish ,
cover um with compost ,straw,  leaves , sawdust, shavings anything really then cover with black plastic sheeting  :) I have at least 30 plants on plot and have only lost about 2 in five years !

As for uncovering not till last of frost sometime in May i will !!

Hope this helps  :D

[Slug_killer]

As Ceratonia said, its the wet that really kills the tubers, not so much the frost.

I live in Birmingham. Every autumn I dig up the Dahlias from the garden and store them in the garage, because my garden has a poor drainage with a clay subsoil. Very few survive a wet winter.

Less than half a mile down the road in the allotment, Dahlias can be left in the ground all winter, because there the subsoil is sand.

This last week I have been cleaning a few tubers up to put in damp compost, in a propagator, to force them to start shooting. Im hoping to take a few cuttings by mid April and get them to flower this year.

[froglets]

Ditto Slug Killer, cheap dahlias in pots in South Chesire lasted the winter fine, just turned them on their side to aid drainage & my soil, which gets used in the pots with a manure mixer, is sandy.

[Garden Manager]

I normaly lift mine and store them in the greenhouse. This year decided to leave a few in and see what happens. I mulched them with some woody shreddings, however my garden is mild so maybe they would have been OK this last winter. I do wonder though if they have survived the wet over the winter.

Last year was the first time I planted the tubers out in the garden, ( i normally grow in pots). I put the tubers in in mid april and nothing appeared for the next month. Come mid to late may shoots had just started to appear. Ok I might have been late planting out, but it shos you should have patience waiting for them to appear.

[Slug_killer]

The giant types, for the garden, are crammed into a large shallow trough (36"long, 6"deep) in April, watered regularly and  placed in a sunny frost free spot (porch or conservetory). Then by the time of planted out in lthe garden, late may, they are already a good 6"-12" tall. They then go on to produce a good long flowering period.