Floppy Dahlis

I started my dahlis indoors and several have become large and bushy.

The problem is that unlike last year, they are ridiculously tender! Some of the leaves are a little pale and if you brush past some side shoots they can snap!!

Is it time to harden off outside or do they need a good feed? I’ve not fed them with anything yet!

 

I would pinch back those sappy shoots Kriss
No, don’t feed them right now ...they are already growing well enough. Hold back on the watering ...have you been watering enthusiastically ?
Yes, harden them off now.....put outside during the day and bring them indoors again over night.

 

What kind are they? How tall, dinnerplates or parrots or small ones? Do they get enough light? Overwatering can cause feeble growth if they are very warm.

Mine are all very sturdy at the moment, they are mostly dinnerplates with a specimen pompom (Kafka) and a new purchase of a tall smaller flowered one. They are fine at the windowsill, but following Verdun's advise I'll start the in-and-out-and-in-and-out routine fairly soon, like tomorrow.

It's so difficult to get the timings right, and as the plants are big they do take a lot of room and effort on carrying them in and out. Well worth the trouble though!

 

I’ve already had them out 3 or 4 days. In at night.

They are just very floppy!!! Er... I confess these where in my hallway which gets sunlight from above the stairs but not direct sunlight.

I’ll take a pic tomorrow!

 

This is where a cold frame comes in handy, growing them in the house is not a good idea.
They need full light and some direct sun.

Even a few bricks or concrete blocks with some glass on top works, and a blanket thrown over should we get a frost.

 

We’ll wait for the pics, but I suspect what you have is very spindly growth, brought about by a lack of light and relatively high temperatures.