As well as veg I have been dabbling in growing dahlias for exhibition last year. I actually started off 25 years ago growing dahlias but moved quickly on to veg. However where I grow there are 2 good growers of dahlias who are amongst the best in Scotland - so I think their enthusiasm has rubbed off a bit on me. I grew 24 poms and 24 collerettes last year and managed a fair bit of success,particularly with the poms - including the 3 vase pom championship at the Fife and Kinross Dahlia show and some other good wins..
Last year I grew Willos Violet,Monicas Willo,Hallmark, and Moor Place - with Willos Violet producing the best of all. So this year I am expanding - no collerettes and increasing to 72 poms - which to get to a good show standard take an incredible amount of time. So this year my poms will be 9 x 8 varieties.These are:
Willos Violet
Gurtla Twilight
Lakeland Polly
Minley Carol
Lismore Carol
Noreen
Rhonda
Ivors Rhonda
Hallmark
Most will be cuttings from tubers apart from a couple of varieties where I will buy in plants - so watch this space for the trials and tribulations of growing poms!!!!
I love Dahlia's
ReplyDeleteI have some I save and replant every year
I had a fantastic red and white one but I failed to keep it alive over one winter
Haven't been able to find one since
I don't know the varieties but it wasn't quite a pom pom type but was of a more rounded shape rather than open
just a quick note to say we enjoyed your article in the NVS mag simply veg. nice to read other peoples ways of growing show veg
ReplyDeleteRayden - Nice that you enjoyed it - Hope you enjoy the blog as well
ReplyDelete