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Post by Cat on Oct 24, 2016 21:05:41 GMT
Well we've dug them all  half are in newspaper and stored in a cardboard box. The rest are drying. We don't wash our tubers normally. We have about 10 tubers with no labels (long story) which was not the plan but there we go, these will be kept to be ID then saved for 2018. We have eek'd out another small border for dahlias next year but our neighbours are putting up a 1.8m fence so shade may be an issue from next year we are changing our ground control layout to make it more user friendly and we are going to save up for new greenhouse staging to maximise productivity. The boss has saved up for his own choice of tubers for 2018  he has hopes for Barbarry dahlias so we shall see what can be arranged. He also wants others but I. General he wants to "try as many new ones as he is old -8" but he needs ones that fair ok outdoors (we are still convincing dad that covers won't be an eye sore  ) If any of you have exhibition types you can recommend that weather well please do let us know I had hoped to take Che to Wisley or Harrogate in 2017 (even my oh was up for the trip!) but the Dahlia days are mid week so Che can't have time off school and I work in the school too so no go for me I'm really disappointed because we would have loved meeting many of you and would have enjoyed the experience, never mind. Here's to planning next year!! |
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Post by johndoe on Oct 26, 2016 14:08:28 GMT
Nearly done now. All but a row of miniatures left to cut down to 6 inches. The next job is the one I think a lot of us hate the most, digging up. Will start lifting the ones I'll not be keeping, then in about 7 to 10 days, will get the keepers up. Once that's all done, I can get the old wood frame down, rotovate the manure in, and set the ground tubes in for the new polytunnel frame. That will be my Christmas present to me!!
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Post by johndoe on Oct 26, 2016 14:13:03 GMT
Oh, and I forgot to mention getting my new plot up to scratch as well. Very handy as it's next door to my old one. I must be blooming mad.....Jill says I'm obsessed 
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Post by Cat on Oct 26, 2016 21:50:18 GMT
Nearly done now. All but a row of miniatures left to cut down to 6 inches. The next job is the one I think a lot of us hate the most, digging up. Will start lifting the ones I'll not be keeping, then in about 7 to 10 days, will get the keepers up. Once that's all done, I can get the old wood frame down, rotovate the manure in, and set the ground tubes in for the new polytunnel frame. That will be my Christmas present to me!!
All sounds good |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 27, 2016 21:59:46 GMT
Looks like you're going to be mega busy JD! Good job you've started early and a full plot to cultivate in addition. Putting up (I'm not getting into 'erecting' things unlike Mr. Sutherland!) that 90 foot tunnel will be a challenge for sure, I hope you've got some help with that. I've got a delivery of manure on Saturday, 5/6 tons to barrow depending on how wet it is. Never a dull moment for us Dahlia growers eh? Anyway, Dahlia growers obsessive? heaven forbid, never! haha |
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Post by johndoe on Oct 28, 2016 16:01:09 GMT
Yer, but it's a great obsession to have though . We went out today for a lovely lunch for our daughter-in-laws birthday, and I found myself drifting off, thinking I should be up the allotment digging the new plot. How bl**dy sad is that!!!!
Definitely need to get out more  .
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Post by robh on Oct 28, 2016 16:26:39 GMT
I've been in London and said to the wife these days have been lovely I could have been lifting dahlias got a cple of hundred to lift some to dump lift the mypex and turn over before I get 10ton of manure plus a new shed to put up
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Post by Deleted on Oct 28, 2016 16:44:12 GMT
I'm hanging on a bit longer, hoping for a hard frost in a week or two before starting to lift. Always seems a shame when people dump tubers in the compost, though at 80ish only I'm not on the same scale as you Rob or JD. Besides Dahlias I've had a good veg season and as well as freezer stuff (peas, runners tomato soup)I've got potatoes, beetroot, baking apples and chillis in store. Give me a couple of pigs and chickens it'd be like the 'good life' |
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Post by dahliaholic on Oct 29, 2016 9:11:12 GMT
I'm a long time member of a dahlia discussion group on yahoogroups, which is very popular with dahlia growers in the USA.
The Americans think it's best to cut dahlias down to half size in mid October then fully down a couple of weeks later. They reckon this helps tuber growth.
Do UK growers do this and, more to the point, is there any evidence that it works?
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Post by Deleted on Oct 29, 2016 10:57:05 GMT
I've done this for the first time this season. seems to be the modern school of thought. Normally I let my plants continue flowering till the frost hits but cutting them back does make sense. Instead of the plant putting it's strength into more and more buds and poor quality small flowers, the tubers should build up for their winter rest. Will it make any difference? I don't know yet.
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Post by diggie on Oct 29, 2016 11:08:36 GMT
I'm a long time member of a dahlia discussion group on yahoogroups, which is very popular with dahlia growers in the USA. The Americans think it's best to cut dahlias down to half size in mid October then fully down a couple of weeks later. They reckon this helps tuber growth. Do UK growers do this and, more to the point, is there any evidence that it works? I give my tubers a high potash feed before lifting and cut the stems back to 6-8 inches. That works for me. I did not lose any tubers over last winter. |
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Post by johndoe on Oct 29, 2016 13:32:09 GMT
I'm a long time member of a dahlia discussion group on yahoogroups, which is very popular with dahlia growers in the USA. The Americans think it's best to cut dahlias down to half size in mid October then fully down a couple of weeks later. They reckon this helps tuber growth. Do UK growers do this and, more to the point, is there any evidence that it works? This is the method I've settled on, after 3 years of experimenting. I was losing too many tubers, and after asking many peoples advice, I decided to cut down in October, 2014. The only trouble was, I cut down to far, and the tubers started to sprout from the neck, so I was losing most of next years cuttings. But by cutting back early, the tubers seemed much plumper, and I didn't lose any tubers that winter. So, last year I cut back, mid October to about 18", fed with potash, and left them for 2-3 weeks. I then cut back to 6-8", and leave for another week or so, depending on the weather. 2nd week November I started to lift, I do this over a 2 week period as room, makes trying to dry all the tubers as once impossible. Again, I found the tubers better equipped to get through the storage period. So for me this system works well. And as you can see from my recent photo's, I'm carrying it on.
Some will say it's a bit early to lift, early November, but I think by the time you allow for drying the tubers, some up to 2 weeks, you'll virtually in to December. For me, this means, roughly 8-9 weeks of storage in slightly moist peat.
So to my mind, this method works well.......for me
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Post by alan0747 on Oct 29, 2016 23:20:01 GMT
All mine have been cut down to about 12 inches for about 10 days now , lifted half today and the other half tomorrow
I need to get them up because the council turn the water off for the winter on the allotment next week, and its a pain washing 250 tubers with a bucket
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Post by ian on Oct 31, 2016 8:57:48 GMT
Nice one JD, all mine a cut down ready for the lift in a few weeks. I will dig some up and leave some until towards Christmas then dig some more then probably dig some after Christmas hehe. Its all good fun.
I had a trip out to Barry Davies yesterday to get next years world beaters hehe.
If you are in need of anything just ask.
Ian NC
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Post by diggie on Oct 31, 2016 15:38:23 GMT
Nice one JD, all mine a cut down ready for the lift in a few weeks. I will dig some up and leave some until towards Christmas then dig some more then probably dig some after Christmas hehe. Its all good fun. I had a trip out to Barry Davies yesterday to get next years world beaters hehe. If you are in need of anything just ask. Ian NC Hi Ian, what's new from Barbarry HQ, or is that a closely guarded secret? |
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half are in newspaper and stored in a cardboard box. The rest are drying. We don't wash our tubers normally. We have about 10 tubers with no labels (long story) which was not the plan but there we go, these will be kept to be ID then saved for 2018. We have eek'd out another small border for dahlias next year but our neighbours are putting up a 1.8m fence so shade may be an issue from next year 
he has hopes for Barbarry dahlias so we shall see what can be arranged. He also wants others but I. General he wants to "try as many new ones as he is old -8" but he needs ones that fair ok outdoors (we are still convincing dad that covers won't be an eye sore 
) If any of you have exhibition types you can recommend that weather well please do let us know 
.
