Gladi and dahlia fail

Heartinthedirt

I planted a handful of Gladis in a nice, sunny border in late March. Followed all the instructions and have zero to show for it. Sad, as of all the things I'm planting in my new garden these were the one thing I really wanted. I've also had no luck with the four dahlia's I was trying. Started them in pots, followed all the advice but not a sausage. Anyone have knowledge/advice on what might have gone wrong? (It may be beginners luck, but the rest of the garden is romping - can't keep up with the spuds!) Thank you.

Fairygirl

Gladioli aren't hardy, apart from one or two of the perennial types, and that depends on the site and location. They need protection until the temps are suitable for planting outside.
What method have you used for the dahlias, and how/where have you grown them? From tubers or seed? 

Heartinthedirt

Fairygirl said:

Gladioli aren't hardy, apart from one or two of the perennial types, and that depends on the site and location. They need protection until the temps are suitable for planting outside.
What method have you used for the dahlias, and how/where have you grown them? From tubers or seed? 

Morning Fairygirl, got tubers from a reliable garden centre, had them in individual pots. I wonder if I should have kept them in the green house for a while (I left them outside in a sheltered spot). Is it too late for me to plant some more Glads, do you think?

Fairygirl

Dahlias aren't hardy and need frost protection, and low temps and cold wet days are no use for them either. People are only just putting them outside on good days - and that's only if they've got decent top growth. 
In parts of the country which don't get frost, and are generally drier, they can be left in the ground, but it can be hit and miss. It still depends on the site etc   
I bought some new tubers fairly recently - they were all sprouting as they'd been undercover. They were potted up, and went in the growhouse with another plastic box over them to create more protection. Only a tiny amount of water. They've all got decent growth now [around 10 - 12 inches or so] and have been put out each day when it's been suitable ,for the last coupe of weeks or so. They'll get planted up in final pots in a week or two. Last year's are at the same stage, having been brought into the house in April from the shed. 
Not too late to get more gladioli, if any are available, but they need protection for a while yet. 

Heartinthedirt

Thanks @Fairygirl, I appreciate you taking the time to share your knowledge! Have a great day

Allotment Boy

Garden Which have just published a trial of how late you can plant both things and stll get a decent display.  They say for gladioli,  you are still OK in May but only just, don't leave it any later. For Dahlias it's less important,  they will flower till the first frost,  whenever you can get them going, obviously they will be earlier if you get them in now.

Posy

I wonder what you did with the dahlias. If they were outside and you had frost, that might have done for them, but otherwise, did they get any moisture? Many growers on this site advise potting tubers up but not giving any water until you see shoots. This doesn't work for me at all. I find that I get best results if I mist the tubers or plant them up and water sparingly.
Next time, keep them indoors until all the frost is gone. Mine have been planted out for two or three weeks, now and are about 9-12 inches tall.

Fairygirl

Most people here would only just be planting gladioli around now - maybe a week or so earlier if conditions are suitable.
As with so many plants - the timing depends on location and conditions. 

Dahlias vary, and people use differing methods  - again depending on their situation. Having them too wet at the early stages certainly isn't ideal, the vast majority of the time.
In cooler damper climates, they stay damp longer too. In warmer drier ones, they might need a bit more water and they'll tend to start into growth more quickly. It's about experimenting according to those scenarios. 

Lyn

I would plant gladioli corms in a weeks time,  dig a deep hole, at least 6” then put an inch or two of sand in the bottom.  Helps with drainage and slugs and bugs eating them.

Dahlias are stored in newspaper, in the dark, indoors until they shoot,  I don’t go by dates but by shoots.  Pot them up in any old compost, I save from last year’s baskets, only just under the compost, the old stalk above.  When the shoots get bigger, start to water but not drown.   Then pot on or plant out in decent compost (if in pots) at the end of May. 

Obelixx

I had gladioli and montbretia corms hanging around since last November.  I only planted them up outside - in window boxes and a pot - about 3 weeks ago.   Shoots only started showing a week ago and then just one or two.  This morning, after 3 days of almost 30C and nights above 10C, a few more shoots are just showing.

I have dahlias in all sorts of stages from just budding to 2' high already with flower buds.  The differences can be explained by the late showers having been lifted and stored all winter and the others out in the ground and covered by straw or in pots in the polytunnel.  No doubt some varieties are more keen to get going too.

As long as your corms and tubers haven't been frozen or water-logged you may well see growth so be patient but maybe plant some new ones in pots as back-up.

Fairygirl

The only gladioli I grow are the little acidantheras. They've been undercover, in dry-ish compost, in the growhouse since I bought them ages ago. The shoots have only just started appearing in the last few days.
Like dahlias, they're later flowering plants, and very useful for the later summer/early autumn bed or border, or in pots.