Advice on Planting Dahlia's and Begonia's

Hi all,

I've just bought a little 6'x2' greenhouse which I'm gonna put against my back fence.
Will this make a difference as to when I can start my Dahlia's and Begonia's?

I've also got 5 seed trays which are currently being started indoors on windowsills (Delphinum, 2x Viola's, Pansy's & Ladybird Poppy's). These seeds have germinated and are starting to sprout. Once the greenhouse arrives and has been erected, I will transfer these seed trays in there.
Does this still mean the resulting seedlings will need hardening once the last frost has gone, or can I plant them straight into the ground.
Also, I have 30 individual pots of 5 differnet sunflower varieties. They are also growing in my dining room (my wife hates it, there are plants everywhere), these will also be transfered to the greenhouse (I hope there's room). Can I get away without hardening these off too.
Sorry I have so many questions, but I really don't wanna make any mistakes otherwise it will ruin my garden for the whole summer.
P.S. I have bought a little parafin heater for the greenhouse :
http://www.norfolk-greenhouses.co.uk...?longref=132~0

Will this be sufficient, or should I buy two?

Thanks for your patience and help

Regards


Bashy

 

Hi Bashy. I can't see your greenhouse via the link, but from the look of the companies site it doesn't appear to be one of those very cheap floppy plastic ones. Even those will work but I suspect the plastic will tear in a high wind.

As long as it doesn't blow away it will work well especially if you are using a heater. I doubt that you need more than one heater. The principle of hardening off seedlings is to aclimatise them slowly to the lower temperature outside. I would be tempted to do this by first not using the heater and then a bit later leaving the door open at night. That should aclimatise them to the cold. Personally I would pot them up individually and keep them in the greenhouse. I would never put a seedling from a seed tray into the ground. But that's just me. Maybe others do it differently. The reason I would pot them up is to make them into bigger plants. Seedlings will never grow very big in a seed tray. The larger the pot the larger the plant will grow. But they always say move them up in stages - not in just one go.

 

intresting, after this years have flowered think i will try daiths method and get some sulphur.as i now know that paper shreddings is no good , what would an expert suggest i have been told very dry peat but also sawdust ..please help as i dont want to lose any more tubers

 

FYI
Link to my new greenhouse:
http://www.norfolk-greenhouses.co.uk/shop/shop-infopage.php?longref=86~0~SEARCH

 

Bashy - that looks absolutely fine. Do be careful about securing it. The wind can be a serious problem.

Intermiplants - I think that the principle is to keep the tubers in suspended animation and frost free. Therefore it doesn't matted if they are in peat, sawdust, sand, shredded paper or just bare in a paper bag - they will all work. They must be kept dry to prevent them rotting. But not absolutely bone dry or they could shrivel up and dessicate. I have kept Dahlia tubers before in shredded paper and it has worked well. I think you were unlucky. They either got damp during storage, or maybe started off damp. The actual storage media is not important, but you musn't use polythene bags, as they sweat ie hold the moisture in contact with the tuber.

 

I was still picking armfuls of dahlias in September here in N Lincs.Ileave them till the frost blackens them and apply mulch,some of mine are 20 years old.Joyce42