Dahlia Growing

Hi all I have checked the site and couldn't find Dahlia growing!!!! So I am asking, as I have never grown them myself. Are they difficult to grow? I live in a windy area (south coast) so can I still grow them if they are staked. I would like to try a variety of sizes and types... Your help is needed ... JB.

 

Hi

Just put "Dahlia" into the search and lots of different threads will pop up

 

Jono , Dahlias are a large family .
I have grown "Cactus Dahlias " for two years , and we love them . They flower quite late , but will flower into November. The ones I grow are about 4 feet tall . Wilkos sell the tubers in spring for £1 to £2 each . They are a big plant when grown , so very good value . Plus you can lift the tubers in autumn and grow on next year

 

Growing Dahlias can be as hard as you like, or as easy as you like. Most of the hard stuff only concerns people who grow them for showing. Getting a perfect bloom for a particular date requires a skill that you don't need to worry about if you just want a good garden display.

I have found them to be one of the easiest plants to grow from seed, and this is probably the cheapest way to start. You can of course keep the resulting tubers and grow them on year after year.

To answer your question about a windy site. It is always best to stake Dahlias on any site, but as long as you do this then the wind shouldn't be a problem.

 

I didn't stake mine (first year this year) and they were ok. I pinched them out a bit to make them stockier, they flowered later though. I also planted a few quite close and they held each other up. They are easy from seed though you will get bigger plants/more flowers the first year from tubers. Oh and watch out for slugs, they love them!

 

I grew Dahlias for a number of years for the show bench now I just grow for pleasure,I'm lucky as I have a friend who still shows a lot so I get some of his spare stock,also he grows sweet peas and again get all his left over;s.If you are growing for pleasure then just have a look at the garden center or shops in spring when they bring in the packs of tubers,buy which you fancy and start them of in the greenhouse,then when all fear of frost has passed plant out and enjoy.

If you go for showing them you have a complete different way of growing as you have to stop your plants to get them to bush out,depending what variety you grow then becomes a different game ,the large ones (like dinner plates) can only be grown 3 up(3 spikes per tuber ) down to the smallest pom poms no more than 2ins in diameter but these are grown 12 /15 per plant.

I hope this is of some help to you,have a go and enjoy.

 

Brilliant thanks all... I never grow anything for showing, as my garden is my hobby