Dahlia

[Paul_TT]

I am completely new to allotments but have taken a 16m x 14m from the parish council having semi retired this month

I want to grow vegetables for the family and friends. However I want a bed of dahlias. There is a simple reason for this . My grandfather was a hard working miner all his life and his dahlias were his pride and joy. Have always said when I had some time I would follow in his footsteps but I have no idea where to start.

I have made a 5 ft x 12 ft raised bed just for flowers which i have turned over and added some well rotted horse manure. I was intending buying dormant tubers from a dahlia specialist and planting them out late April The soil is relatively light and is well draining The plot faces south in an open allotment so should get good sunshine over the summer months.
Any recommendations please to change any of the above or does that sound OK for a first year attempt. When should I stake the plants and should I be OK it I plant them each in a 2 ft x 2 ft space to grow into

Any recommendations please as to what to plant I want to try and grow the different styles of Dahlia

[elsie-scot]

Welcome.

Ask the other plot holders as someone is likely to be a dahlia grower and they help with local knowledge. Are you going to show them or just for fun?

I saw a you tube video “how Geoff and heater grow dahlias” They grow for show but it gives a good account of how to grow them.

[bramble]

Hi Paul and welcome.
Have you decided what type of dahlias you want to grow.
There are a huge variety to choose from.
Small sing flowers, cactus, pompom and of course the big brash dinner Plate variety.
Go 9n line on some of the dahlia sites to give yourself a better idea..
If you have a good bit of disposable income then one of the dahlia breeders will suit your needs.
Lidl and Aldi and I'm sure other stores I am not familiar with will be selling them cheaper.
I bought a lot in Lifl a few weeks ago and have started thrm in pots in my conservatory and will 0lsnt them out when the risk of frost has passed.
You can also buy packets of seeds and grow from them.
When you're up and running you can save your own seeds.
I hope this may be of help.
They are a great flower and the bees love them.

[nickdub]

I am completely new to allotments but have taken a 16m x 14m from the parish council having semi retired this month

I want to grow vegetables for the family and friends. However I want a bed of dahlias. There is a simple reason for this . My grandfather was a hard working miner all his life and his dahlias were his pride and joy. Have always said when I had some time I would follow in his footsteps but I have no idea where to start.

I have made a 5 ft x 12 ft raised bed just for flowers which i have turned over and added some well rotted horse manure. I was intending buying dormant tubers from a dahlia specialist and planting them out late April The soil is relatively light and is well draining The plot faces south in an open allotment so should get good sunshine over the summer months.
Any recommendations please to change any of the above or does that sound OK for a first year attempt. When should I stake the plants and should I be OK it I plant them each in a 2 ft x 2 ft space to grow into

Any recommendations please as to what to plant I want to try and grow the different styles of Dahlia

A couple of years ago I bought a packet of Dahlia seed for under �2 and grew over 100 dahlia plants from it, some of which flowered the same year. I kept the tubers inside over winter and planted them out last year and had about 50 plants which flowered. I was intending to dig them up last Autumn to bring them inside again over winter, but I went down with the flu so they are still in the ground which is absolutely sodden after the deluge we've just had here - whether any will grow again this year I don't know.

[Paul_TT]

Dahlia

Many thanks for these insightful responses I really do appreciate the help and will get myself in the allotment once the weather improves

Again many thanks

[rary]

If you will be frost free from mid May you can plant your tubers straight into the garden, if not and you still want to plant at that time you will have to provide frost protection which could be a layer of straw, if using stakes for support these should go in at time of planting, as Scarlet has said some people use netting stretched over the bed which supports the plants as they grow through you could use wide spaced wire mesh nailed to a wooden frame for this the netting support would be your best option at the width of your bed as you could have difficulty accessing some of the plants to tie them in I have a friend who grows his plants closer together for support and just puts strong stakes round the outside and connects them with string