dahlias ?

[manicscousers]

can I plant these out yet, I'm trying them for the first time  :)

[manicscousers]

[betula]

Think you have to wait for frost risk to pass :)

[manicscousers]

thanks, betula, I've really no idea about flowers  :)
will wait it out for a while

[betula]

I have just had a look in my plantsmans guide and it says you can put them in a cold frame to harden off till early summer. :)

[manicscousers]

right, another job for the weekend  ;D

[springbok]

I have done mine from seed, and they currently in a coldframe.  I am hardening them off first.  Tonight I covered them in fleece coz its going to be -2 here.

Plant out after the last frosts in your area is the safest bet :)

[Baaaaaaaa]

I planted my 28 tubers at the week end.

If its ok to plant potatoes, its ok the plant Dahlia tubers.

Just plant them with the top of the tuber 2-3 inches deep, by the time they surface, the chance of a damaging frost will gone.

[manicscousers]

brilliant, thanks for the advice  :)

[teresa]

I have some down lottie which are left all winter in the ground as long as they are deep enough and when new shoots come through I do use slug pellets, Slugs just love the new shoots.
At home they are potted up and grown on shoots are larger when planted after risk of last frosts and the slugs dont like the large shoots? but I still use some pellets just in case.

[Larkspur]

Hi, if you are planting tubers the traditional time is six weeks before the last frost since that is how long it takes them to come up. In my case that is now but the ground is currently too wet to work :(

[manicscousers]

I'm thinking of black buckets, d'you think they'd be okay, 1 per bucket ?
ran out of room in the beds  :)

[Larkspur]

Never heard of anyone growing them in buckets but worth a go. Remember they are gross feeders ;)

[manicscousers]

okay, well rotted manure needed then  :)

[Baaaaaaaa]

... and lots and lots f watering  :(