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Dahlia

Salvia JenSalvia Jen Posts: 8
edited April 2018 in Problem solving

Hello,

First time growing dahlias, I started them indoors and have potted them on, keeping them in the unheated porch. I stand them outside sometimes during the day.

They are now nearly as tall as me (I did pinch out the tips!) and one has several flower buds.

They are obviously desperate to be planted out, but is it really too early? I have a fairly sheltered garden but cold clay soil!

Any advice much appreciated!

Thank you.


I'm just wondering whether I should have posted this in the plants forum instead..

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Posts

  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 29,189
    It would be better to pot them on and keep sheltering them at night until all risk of frosts has passed.  It's a late spring so that may be late May this year and bunging them into cold clay won't help either.  Give it another month to warm up. 

    They are originally form Mexico so a bit nesh about cold and certainly don't like wet so make sure you improve their planting area with plenty of garden compost and a bit of grit.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 16,721
    I would certainly stand them outside every day, but bring them in at night, at least for another couple of weeks.
  • Salvia JenSalvia Jen Posts: 8

    Thank you both, not wanted I wanted to hear, but unfortunately very much what I expected to hear!

    I always improve the soil as much as possible, so fingers crossed they'll do ok when they eventually go out.

    In the meantime the family will have to put up with the triffids.

     

  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 16,721
    May is usually the hokey cokey month here. In, out, in , out. for most of the month.
  • Mary370Mary370 Posts: 2,003
    I grew dahlias from seed last year and they grew quite tall and lanky too.   How can I stop this year's plants being so tall and leggy?
  • LynLyn Posts: 22,014
    Good advice above, but I do pick out the middles but from the start. I don’t know what yours look like, have they taken on the palm tree effect. Or have they got pairs of leaves all the way down. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,063
    @Obelixx, that's a new horticultural term " a bit nesh" I've never heard that before.  ;)
    Devon.
  • Salvia JenSalvia Jen Posts: 8
    I started my three at the same time and they are now at various stages of 'out of control'.
    Just wondering whether I should do anything about the flower buds i.e. Remove them??


  • Salvia JenSalvia Jen Posts: 8
    You can see I also have curled leaves, I'm assuming that's all part of the general protest at not bring planted out yet!?
  • Mary370Mary370 Posts: 2,003
    Gosh they are tall 
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