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Dahlias

Hi,

This year is my first year growing Dahlia's. Up until now they have been in my greenhouse.

I know I will need to harden them off before they're planted out but I'm unsure when to do this?

Some of them are getting quite tall now. I was wondering when other people do it? I understand it should be after the last frost - personally I'm in Sunny Suffolk and suspect (hopes) we have had that.... How is everyone else's coming along??

Any advice given would be appreciated :)

Kerri

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Posts

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,384

    I'm hardening off mine now and will be planting them out next weekend (Leics.)

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • CloggieCloggie Posts: 1,457

    Mine are out (Cambs) but I may have been a bit previous and I'm not seeing activity from two of them (same type).

  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,617

    The most advanced ones I have chucked out of the greenhouse, so I suppose they are hardening off. Smaller ones are still being cossetted. I will have to rip out some forgetmenots to make room for them.

  • wakeshinewakeshine Posts: 975

    Mine have been outside for a month but they were started inside house, followed by moving them into grow house, which is semi inside semi outside. So I suppose they got accustomed to the outside temperature earlier, therefore theyve been okay on the patio. 

  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039

    In cold greenhouse.

    Will be planted out in about 1 - 2 weeks. Big ones first, and hopefully small ones will then be bigger!

    aym280 I would disbud.

    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • wakeshinewakeshine Posts: 975

    If you have lots of dahlias, does anyone have ideas on how to plant them? Do you put 3 together in a triangle for better effect? I was thinking of putting them all around the garden in the gaps but someone else told me to put them all together? Pictures I see seem to have them all together. I have 7 unwins, 8 pom poms, 4 called 'giant' (which are actually the smallest so far of the lot haha!), 2 crazy loves and some fireworks. Shall I mix it all up?

    Last edited: 23 May 2016 11:54:34

  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039

    A lot depends on how big they get. Several of mine grow to  4 by 3 feet, so I don't think they need grouping.

    Small plants would look better in groups, but not all 20 odd together!

    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • Julie LanteriJulie Lanteri Posts: 133

    Mine are ready to go too. I managed to keep the ones from last year alive in a plastic greenhouse and my baby bishop's children are looking ok. They'll be better of in the ground than counting on me to water them anyway!

  • Rosie  BeeRosie Bee Posts: 32

    I'm jealous - my dahlias have barely reached 2" - and then the slugs get 'em! 

  • sanjy67sanjy67 Posts: 1,007

    i'm in the south east and left mine in the ground all winter, i dug them up in march and they had all survived, i replanted them in pots outside and all are growing well.

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