Author Topic: Late planted dahlias  (Read 2615 times)

Digeroo

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Late planted dahlias
« on: July 31, 2018, 14:42:24 »
https://www.gardeningexpress.co.uk/garden-plants/black-friday-in-july-weekend/special-deal-the-summer-garden-mega-box

Came across this deal includes 50 dahlias.  Is it too late, have I wasted my money?




Tee Gee

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Re: Late planted dahlias
« Reply #1 on: July 31, 2018, 14:57:27 »
Well in my Dahlia growing day we kept what we called pot tubers which were just cuttings from good virus free stock that were potted up eventually into 5" pots and stored in these pot over winter to form the basis for the following years stock/cuttings.

So I guess you could do this and they would be ready for you in 2019.

Who knows subject to the size of the plants you get you might get the odd flower or two this year.

I leave you to think about it!

ancellsfarmer

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Re: Late planted dahlias
« Reply #2 on: July 31, 2018, 17:51:06 »
Yes, I think you have a good chance, would certainly plant them, probably in large pots so that , at least, the tubers re-hydrate and hopefully grow. Whether you get any to flower will depend on the Indian summer scenario. If not, you will be able to either do as TeeGee suggests, or dry them off again and store frost free until Spring. If upon receipt, they are 'not fit for purpose', back 'em for a refund.
Freelance cultivator qualified within the University of Life.

caroline7758

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Re: Late planted dahlias
« Reply #3 on: July 31, 2018, 18:15:51 »
Let us know how they turn out!

Digeroo

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Re: Late planted dahlias
« Reply #4 on: August 13, 2018, 19:53:26 »
The story so far...
Having picked and packed  my order they then waited two days for the courier to collect.  So come Friday they were to be delivered on Tuesday.  Early Sat it was still Tuesday but I luckily looked again and they were out for delivery.  I enjoyed tracking the Yodal driver round the neighbourhood.  I was very pleased they did not spend three more hot days in a warehouse.
So about lunchtime they arrived.  That evening I braved the heat to start planting them out, and it was Monday before they were all out.

I have been gobsmacked because only a week later more than half are already two or more inches high, and most of the rest have a small shoot or two showing.   Only a very few have no sign of life particularly the one I trod on.   So I have started to be more optimistic of getting flowers from some of them in October.   Dahlias certainly do not grow that fast in May.
They have been fed (bfb) and watered.  The advise on line is not to water between planting and the shoot appearing, but my soil sets like concrete but drains easily so I took the risk and kept the soil moist.   It will never be wet.
I seem to have a hedgehog, so slugs are having a very mean time.  I keep putting mulch round things and it tosses it about.   

Digeroo

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Re: Late planted dahlias
« Reply #5 on: August 19, 2018, 14:27:54 »
Two weeks after planting out quite a few are now little plants five or six inches tall.  Though some have barely started.  I noticed some shoots were disappearing and got out the slug pellets.  26 large snails and a huge red slug later I  regretted not deploying them before.  Quite a few have another shoot appearing. so not clear how many I lost.  Not had a red slug on  my plot before.   Some of the plants are already showing flower buds.  Not sure if I should remove the first ones.   

When I planted out the tubas  6 looked very poor, rather dried up and no sign of any shoots or eyes.  So I planted them in a row I dubbed Death Row.  To my utter amazement 5 including one which the tubas were totally dry and flattened have now got a shoot.
The one I trod on forgave me and put up a shoot only to be mown down by a snail.  But it is desparately trying again.

I also bought one potted plant: The Bishop of Landaff arrived the leaves very droopy with the root in bone dry wood shavings.  I am not sure it would have survived three extra days in transit. Planted, fed and watered is now looking quite bonny and is onto its 4th flower though something is eating the petals.  Pigeons? Earwigs?
The only other problem is that I had let some parsnips go to seed so some of the dahlias are now surrounded by thousands of seedings.  So frustrating when you sow them nothing happens but when they sow themselves everyone germinates with gusto.

I have now also got two amaryllis flowering included one which arrived with a right angle bend in the stalk, which soon righted itself.   And the first spears of gladioli shoots are beginning to appear.

ed dibbles

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Re: Late planted dahlias
« Reply #6 on: August 19, 2018, 15:38:15 »
One of my dahlias got snapped off  at ground level two weeks ago. The variety 'Pooh'. New shoots appeared about a week later. So with your experience and mine it seems dahlias really want to grow in the growing season or when the conditions are good. :happy7:

ed dibbles

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Re: Late planted dahlias
« Reply #7 on: August 19, 2018, 15:45:19 »
I also found some forgotten Dahlia Coccinea seeds last june. I thought it may be too late to raise dahlias but did anyway. Seeds sown, pricked out  and planted out after, they are just beginning to flower now at about eighteen inches.

Such flexible flowers that are easy to grow No wonder dahlias are so popular. :icon_cheers:

Digeroo

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Re: Late planted dahlias
« Reply #8 on: August 21, 2018, 15:34:44 »
I am truly amazed at the Dahlias tenacity for life.     The snails seem to be the biggest problem.  I gave most a sprinkling of BFB and think that kept the brutes at bay but I thought it was a waste for the poorest looking tubas so when they did produce shoots they got hoovered off. 
I am getting a seeming endless supply of snails.
Some of the tubas were very poor looking.   I cannot complain they were a job lot.  The question will be whether they produce enough fresh tubas to survive the winter.
It is interesting how late you sowed seeds.  I like Bishops Children but always go on holiday in early May.  It would seem from your experience that a mid may sowing will be fine.   
I was also given some cuttings early August and they are still alive and looking perky so I guess after nearly three weeks they may be thinking of rooting. 
« Last Edit: August 21, 2018, 15:44:01 by Digeroo »

Digeroo

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Re: Late planted dahlias
« Reply #9 on: September 02, 2018, 16:49:40 »
So they are now four weeks from delivery. 

The Bishop has two lovely flowers and they finally have the ring of yellow inside,
Amaryllis has been a real show, two more flower heads coming.  One bulb got  knocked over.  No wind that day....Maybe just top heavy. 

Some of the dahlia plants are now more than knee high and quite a lot have flower buds.  Only three out of 100 are still no shows.   The one I planted upside down is still not happy!!  And I managed to decapitate one which has already put up a new shoot.  I cannot belief just how resilient dahlias are. 

I was so pleased after the first two weeks that I fell for an ad offering 10 tubas for £1 and ordered 120  more tubers.  These are doing well, a little slower  than the first batch and more  taking their time so nearly two weeks after delivery 1/3 still not sprouted but they spent three extra days being delivered over the weekend, and the delivery co left the box in full sunshine where it spent the whole day.  But for the price I am still happy.    Everyday a few more plants show signs of life and once the first little shoot shows they seem to take off.

The rain last weekend got the whole allotment very excited especially the weeds.   The dahlias seems to grow a couple of inches in a couple of days.  I have started watering over the leaves and they seem to like it.   

Digeroo

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Re: Late planted dahlias
« Reply #10 on: September 13, 2018, 08:08:24 »
Not yet six weeks since they were delivered and I have already got four flowers, three pink and one salmon and a couple of yellows nearly.   :icon_cheers:   Earwigs have chewed one.  :BangHead:

Suffering from moles   :BangHead:, a nicely watered dahlia bed seems to be the nearest thing to mole heaven.

And now the blackfly are moving in as well.   :BangHead:

The Bishop is now adorned with six flowers and looks very bonny though the earwigs are there as well.   Though I have not seen one so perhaps a bird is chewing the petals.

Only three of the original batch did not show  and I did plant one upside down, seems this is the only thing that upsets a dahlia.   Rather more of the second batch are not sprouting, I think being left in the full sun by the courier might not have helped them. Unfortunately I was out all day so they had 8 hours cooking.  But were very cheap.   Though some are just late on parade.     However the  time for making new tubas is now not long.  Though weather due to warm up again next week.

I put some of the second batch under bottle cloches and they are doing really well, wish I had done it will all of them, have put a net over some now as well.

I was given some cuttings early in august and they are now producing side shoots and new leaves, and flowers which I am removing.  I thought it was time to move them to a sunnier location, but there is a major lack of roots.  I thought the new growth was a sure sign of rooting.   







 


 

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