I had really good success at shows in 2010 with my pom dahlias so I am growing more of them this year. The pom tubers have been started off a couple of weeks ago as I am looking for early cuttings to allow me to have a couple of stops in them to produce bushy plants for planting out - and they will give me flowers a bit earlier than I had last year. The tubers have been in a frost free but cool greenhouse in boxes of peat. They are then taken out and put into cat litter trays with about 4" of Levington M3 at the bottom, The tubers are just sitting on the compost. At this stage little water is needed or given until they have started to get a grip in the compost. The trays are sitting on top of a heated bench - in this case one made from a 24 metre soil warming cable. I think this type of bench is better than the soil warming blankets as you have to keep it continually moist - which I think helps propagation. I have been lucky not to have lost any tubers so far- dahlia growing friends have had some of theirs decimated this year. However I have still to recieve more tubers I have ordered - hope they come soon as poms really need an early start
Ian, do you have a write up on Dahlia's and what to do and when?
ReplyDeleteMine are still wrapped up and not sure when to take them out and what to do
Darren If you have a heated greenhouse you should get them going now.I hope your tubers are OK as the cold weather has decimated a lot of growers stock.Rather than me give chapter and verse I have attached a link to Station House Nurseries which gives you a lot of good info.Anything you need clarified from there just ask
ReplyDeleteDarren forgot link!!! http://www.eurodahlia.com
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