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Post by johndoe on Oct 16, 2018 9:46:33 GMT
Glad to hear you've survived the awful weather you had down your way, Cat. We had some bad gusts, but nothing compared to others on the west side of the country. Sounds like you're really getting your plot into shape. I've managed to get the first cut done, well, Jill's done that to be honest!!. I've been trying to lay a base for a bigger shed, but it's rained for the last 4 days so hopefully get it finished this week in time to start lifting in a couple of weeks. How's Che, is he still keen for all things Dahlia, you've both had a very good showing season so hopefully he'll keep the buzz  . Lovely gesture with the tubers, I bet the school really appreciate it, plus, that get to see the lovely blooms in the summer. Glad to see the OH stepping up to the dahlia plate. A good watering system can save so much time, no more lugging watering cans around!!
If there's any plants I can help you with, don't hesitate to ask.
All the best
Mark
P.S I've got Blyton Garnet if you're interested...
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Post by jaimelebird on Oct 28, 2018 8:31:08 GMT
Hello everyone,
I am new here so apologies if this has already been asked.
I have grown a few dahlias for the first time this year and am hooked.
I’ve read quite a bit about overwintering, and am going with digging out and storing.
My question is that as my Dahlias are still blooming can/should I leave them be for now? I live on the south coast and whilst the temperature has dropped, there’s not been a frost yet.
Any advice gratefully received.
Thanks
Happy Sunday
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Post by Cherry on Oct 28, 2018 9:37:45 GMT
Welcome jaimelebird. I am not a dahlia expert, but we have the best on Garden Friends to give you the advice you are looking for. |
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Post by johnjess on Oct 28, 2018 16:47:35 GMT
Hi jamiebird, welcome aboard. You'll get some good advice from some top competitive growers who are on here.
johndoe- Blyton Garnet is very nice. Is it a small or miniature?
johnjess
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Post by sweetpea on Oct 28, 2018 17:09:37 GMT
Having tried different methods over the years trying to store tubers I have come to the conclusion that the BEST way is to plan ahead and grow pot tubers. I grow mine in 4" plastic pots and when the tomatoes are finished in the g'house I just lay all the pots on their sides and cover with whatever is at hand, usually some peat or hessian sacks. Unlike the field tubers which always had losses or some damage I have never ever lost a tuber and there have been some cold winters.
G'house unheated and only when bringing them into growth is heat used.
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Post by SueA on Oct 29, 2018 8:10:34 GMT
Hi jaimelebird & welcome. I only grow one or two dahlias & usually keep them in pots so I can easily move them from the border & put them in the greenhouse over winter but I think most growers wait until they've had a frost which blackens the foliage until they lift their dahlias from the ground. Waking up this morning to a hard frost here it might be time to lift them in this area but if yours are still in bloom you might get to enjoy them for a while longer yet. |
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Post by johndoe on Oct 29, 2018 14:52:50 GMT
Hi jaimelebird. While your dahlias are still blooming and you haven't had a frost yet, let them carry on. Keep dead heading. The days are getting shorter now, so you'll see that the stems are getting weaker and the blooms not so firm. If you haven't had a frost by the middle of November, you can start to cut them back so the energy gets put into tuber making, and not the flowers. It can be a fine balance in how long you leave the tubers in. The longer you leave them in, the less time you have to store them, but the longer you leave them in, and it rains for a period, the more chance they have of going to mush. For me, I lift from the 2nd to 3rd week of November before the ground gets too wet. I normally find it's easier as the ground is not claggy and stuck to the tuber, making them easier to clean and trim.
Storing tubers is always a big debate. Everybody has different methods, and it can get very confusing to a newcomer. I took three winters before I found a storing system that worked for me. I tried shredded paper first, no luck. Then sand, followed next year by vermiculite. Each winter my losses were bad. A lot of the problem was the tubers were still a bit damp before storing, especially the big tubers. So seeking more advice, I gave the tubers longer to dry out(two weeks upside down), and drilled a hole through the stem right out the bottom of the tuber, on the big tubers. This let the air flow through and dry out the tuber better. I then give the tuber a nice dusting of yellow sulphur powder to help against moulding. They're then placed in slightly moist peat with just part of the stem sticking out, and not forgetting to place the label with the tuber!! Mine are normally in storage for about six weeks, and in that time I pull out the tubers from time to time to inspect them for mould. If any show signs, I slice off the infected area and re-dress with yellow sulphur powder. In the last three years since using this method, I've not loss a single tuber.
Hope some of my ramblings make sense. Any questions, just ask.
All the best |
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Post by johndoe on Oct 29, 2018 15:02:55 GMT
Hi jamiebird, welcome aboard. You'll get some good advice from some top competitive growers who are on here. johndoe- Blyton Garnet is very nice. Is it a small or miniature? johnjess Hi JJ. Blyton Garnet is a fabulous flower. Great miniature dec form, with strong stems. Takes the weather really well with no fading. I grew it 10up and disbudded three breaks down. Sadly, Halls won't be releasing it, as they say it's to close to George Marston, which they already have in their catalogue. I've spoken with David Hall, and Les Stothard, the raiser, and they've given me the okay to pass it on if the tubers are okay and cuttings are plentiful. I'm planning to grow it in large numbers next year.
Hopefully will be lifting in a week or so, so will see how the tubers are then.
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Post by johnjess on Oct 30, 2018 13:00:32 GMT
Hi jaimelebird,
I'm pretty much a newbie and I find the storage of tubers tricky . The past couple of years I have stored them in compost in my garage with about a 50% success rate.
I think possibly I haven't let the tubers dry out long enough before covering with compost.Strangely it always seems to be the ones you want to get through to next summer which rot !!
So this year I have given them an extra week of drying out time and I am trying storing some in perlite as well as some in compost to see if this improves my success rate.
johndoe- good luck with the tubers!
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Post by Cat on Nov 9, 2018 19:04:19 GMT
With all the torrential rain we are having i am so glad we stored our dahlias when we did. Only problem is now I have nothing gardening to do! So i guess this weekend the boss and I will update his dahlia scrap book and make our first rough of what we hope to grow next year. No Wisley for us because he is going to next school that week so not possible to take the time off. Therefore a better focus on our local main show bank holiday weekend I think. We are going to see if we can get to Yeovil show the week after Wisley even if just to visit. It will be our 3rd year trying to make it. johndoe Blyton Garnet looks good. |
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Post by derekbrooks on Nov 9, 2018 22:43:00 GMT
I have been reading what some of you have written about storing tubers. I have told you on my diary page this week how I store mine and I hardly ever lose a tuber. I don't store them in any material. They are just left upside down in boxes under the greenhouse staging till I want to start them into growth again in the spring.
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Post by johndoe on Nov 11, 2018 10:34:46 GMT
With all the torrential rain we are having i am so glad we stored our dahlias when we did. Only problem is now I have nothing gardening to do! So i guess this weekend the boss and I will update his dahlia scrap book and make our first rough of what we hope to grow next year. No Wisley for us because he is going to next school that week so not possible to take the time off. Therefore a better focus on our local main show bank holiday weekend I think. We are going to see if we can get to Yeovil show the week after Wisley even if just to visit. It will be our 3rd year trying to make it. johndoe Blyton Garnet looks good. As you've got spare time on your hands, maybe you could pop up and wash and trim a few tubers, if you fancy   .
Hopefully be able to sort you out some plants of Garnet if you have the room. Let me know if you want some.
Take care.
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Post by Raymond on Nov 18, 2018 20:32:38 GMT
Hi everyone not been on for ages . Johndoe and cat well done . Superb giants mark and i think you are on to something cat with the min cactus. Did well myself this year won kent won wisley intermediates again both 2nd year running . Various other wins and won the kent fed championship one i really wanted to win.. I am happy . Recovering from a broken foot at the moment . Here is my national win. Was lucky i cut jubilee boy at the back as ryecroft helen spotted on me between cutting and staging . Will post most pictures later ![]()  |
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Post by Raymond on Nov 18, 2018 21:40:48 GMT
 Kent fed best vase of dahlias for my hapet dianes. Super pleased as not covered. And my winning championship entry  |
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Post by Raymond on Nov 18, 2018 21:46:44 GMT
Wisley 3rd small semi cactus champs . First attempt. 2 points off the win. I am happy .   |
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. Lovely gesture with the tubers, I bet the school really appreciate it, plus, that get to see the lovely blooms in the summer.
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