Any dahlia experts out there ? Someone gave me some dahlia tubers on the weekend all nicely labelled but they look pretty shrivelled and dry looking. Should they be soaked or something before putting in the ground ?
Heather
Dahlias
I don't soak mine ever, Heather, and they do well every year. They can look a little shrivelled after lanquishing in peat moss (or worse) in a cold room or cellar over the winter. Can you see any new growth at all? Mine usually have a few tiny little sprouts by the time I take them from their cold storage, but I would plant them anyway, I have a feeling they are just wanting some moisture and good nutrious soil around them. Good luck!
Thanks, Donna. One of them has a little sprout so it should be ok. I have grown dahlias from seed and just left them in the ground to come back each year (you know, being in lotus land we don't have to lift them ! LOL) But I have never seen any that were this shrivelled. Anyway, into the ground they will go.
LOL, aren't you lucky duckys there in Lotus Land. I didn't know that you didn't have to lift them. But it certainly makes sense now that I think about it. Good luck with them, Heather. I planted a new Cactus Dahlia from Botanus a couple weeks ago, and I noticed it is up. I am glad about that!
I agree, lucky you guys! I drool over the glads in the catalogues every year, but can't stand the thought of digging them up every fall. There's enough work around the yard and precious little time as it is. But I saw some flat baskets somewhere, that were supposed to make it easier - the idea is to just plant the whole basket, bulbs and all, in the ground and dig it up again. Would be curious to know if anyone has tried those - ?
Shannon
I haven't tried them, but I bought them. I got some spider dahlia bulbs from Vesseys, and ordered the baskets from Lee Valley. They're supposed to make life a lot easier in the fall when digging them up in the fall. I've been warned, however, that some dahlia bulbs can get huge and grow through and rout of the baskets. Not sure what type of dahlia would get so huge though, never having so much as planted a tulip bulb in my life ....
Christine.
Dinner Plate Dahlias and some of the waterlily types get really big.
Last year I tried dahlias, and failed miserably, like I do with sweet peas. This year, I'm trying again, with both (I'm a sucker for sweet peas) and the dahilias look healthy.... the sweet peas, not so good. How come I can grow things like passifloras, brugs, banana, but not sweet peas or zucchini??
Life's a mystery.....
Sweet peas can be tricky.......when do you start yours Linda?
No answer for the zucchini tho.......here they grow like a weed.
re Dahlias My experience has been that any of the varieties that grow 3 to 5 feet develop large tubers quickly .
I grow Sweet Peas every year quite effortlessly, but I plant mine in the ground. I think you are trying to plant them in a pot, aren't you Linda? I watched that Gardening guy (with a mustache) on Global Saturday mornings and he was just demonstrating how to plant them in a large hanging planter. Made it look and sound like a cinch. Obvisously with your past experiences, it's not that easy. Good luck with yours this year. Do they have full sun?
I have Zucchini growing in may garden right now. Didn't have any problems last summer, hope I have the same luck this year.
Don't know if this will help you or not Linda:
Quoting:
Dig in plenty of manure and compost, because sweet peas are heavy feeders. You can either plant seeds direct in the garden in early March, or start them in pots indoors and transplant them out when they're about 2 inches tall. I sometimes use both methods. Spencer Mixed or Royal Family Mixed have been reliable performers for me. To start seeds, soak them overnight in warm water to soften the seed coat. If I'm putting them outdoors, I plant them three inches apart, and two inches deep. Indoors, I use potting mix in cell-packs, since sweet peas are a little fussy about being transplanted. In either case, once the stalks are 6 inches or so high, pinch out the tops to force side-shoots. You may need to tack a little chicken wire from the ground to the first crossbar, and they'll take it from there. Cut flowers frequently to prevent plants going to seed (as if you needed a reason other than a roomful of that incredible fragrance).
quoted from Rebar in the Garden by Jill O'Hara http://www.victoriagardenmall.ca/features/mar0501.jsp
This message was edited May 3, 2005 6:48 PM
thanks you guys, I have the SP's now in the ground. I started them on the deck,and they were ~6" tall/long. They are getting lots of sun, and lots of food. Time will tell.
Linda
Another idea to try, if you're doing sweet peas again next year, would be inoculant. It's usually added around the time of seeding, either by coating the seeds or just digging it into the soil. The bacteria in it take nitrogen fm the air and covert it into a form that the plants can use. Most legumes love it.
Shannon