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Post by sweetpea on May 19, 2011 19:52:01 GMT
sowed 40 seeds of the freebie packet from GN a while back and a bit disappointed that only 11 grew.
Coltness mixed so I intended to use them for a few containers around the place.
I can only put it down to the seed as everything else I have sown has been fine.
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Post by Tel on May 20, 2011 6:05:50 GMT
Out of the seeds i saved from last year, only 20 germinated.  |
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Post by Lou78W on May 20, 2011 6:16:27 GMT
Whats your normal germination rate Tel. I must really try saving seed this year...whats the best month to collect?  |
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Post by Tel on May 20, 2011 6:44:07 GMT
Whats your normal germination rate Tel. I must really try saving seed this year...whats the best month to collect? There is no set answer to the germination rate it can vary from year to year. I normally collect the seed heads with long stems in late Sept early Oct, i put them into bunches and hang them in the greenhouse for a few weeks until dry. The thing i have to remember and forget on a lot of occasions because i am busy with the shows, is to squeeze the moisture out of the seed pods on a regular basis while they are still on the plant. |
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Post by Lou78W on May 20, 2011 16:16:00 GMT
Whats your normal germination rate Tel. I must really try saving seed this year...whats the best month to collect? There is no set answer to the germination rate it can vary from year to year. I normally collect the seed heads with long stems in late Sept early Oct, i put them into bunches and hang them in the greenhouse for a few weeks until dry. The thing i have to remember and forget on a lot of occasions because i am busy with the shows, is to squeeze the moisture out of the seed pods on a regular basis while they are still on the plant. I'll have to remember to do that |
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Post by Tel on May 20, 2011 18:38:22 GMT
Made a start on planting the dahlias. This first row i am planting is what i call my multi purpose pot tubers, they are planted still in their 3in pots. The holes that i have dug for them have been puddled with water to encourage the roots to come through the pots drainage holes in search of moisture.   The rest of this variety are planted without pots but i puddle the planting holes, but i do not water the plants before planting or after planting. They are left to search out the moisture at the bottom of the planting hole, they will only be watered now if they show signs of stress.     The first variety is now planted, the first row on the left is the plants planted in their pots, at the front of that row i have stuck a label in the ground with pot written on it to remind me which row is the pot tubers.  |
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Post by wildlifefriendly on May 20, 2011 18:58:29 GMT
Is the green mesh around the outside for a wind break?
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Post by Tel on May 20, 2011 19:04:37 GMT
Is the green mesh around the outside for a wind break? It is WF it helps a lot, it helps to stop the wind bashing the blooms together. |
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Post by Lou78W on May 20, 2011 19:16:27 GMT
That is very interesting Tel...I've been thinking today about pot tubers for next year.......Brian is going to rig up some covers for me..for "at risk" blooms......we only have the capacity to "cover" one bed. He wants to know how high to have the posts ?...we have been talking about "the sides" of the beds.....We have some mesh we could use, if necessary.... |
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Post by Tel on May 20, 2011 19:24:50 GMT
That is very interesting Tel...I've been thinking today about pot tubers for next year.......Brian is going to rig up some covers for me..for "at risk" blooms......we only have the capacity to "cover" one bed. He wants to know how high to have the posts ?...we have been talking about "the sides" of the beds.....We have some mesh we could use, if necessary.... My main bed the covers are 7ft at the highest point and i think they are about 5ft 6ins at the lowest point i know i have to watch my head has i go under them, but i can guarantee i will bang my head 3 or 4 times if not more in a season. but i only say flipping eck has i rub my head. ;D |
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Post by Tel on May 20, 2011 19:28:57 GMT
The what i call my Kiwi bed is only narrow and the kiwi's do not grow very tall and i do not really need to get under the covers because i can cut blooms from either side. the height of the posts at one side are 4ft 6 and 4ft the other side or there abouts.
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Post by wildlifefriendly on May 20, 2011 19:32:32 GMT
There are advantages to being short ;D Is the green mesh around the outside for a wind break? It is WF it helps a lot, it helps to stop the wind bashing the blooms together. I put ordinary netting around mine (to keep the wildlife out) but could change it for the green mesh (I have many meters of it in the shed). |
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Post by Lou78W on May 20, 2011 19:51:51 GMT
There are advantages to being short ;D It is WF it helps a lot, it helps to stop the wind bashing the blooms together. I put ordinary netting around mine (to keep the wildlife out) but could change it for the green mesh (I have many meters of it in the shed). How short would that be WF?....  |
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Post by Geranium on May 20, 2011 20:50:34 GMT
She's smaller than me, and I'm 5'4-and-a- bit. ;D
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Post by (DahliaMan) Cornish Paul on May 20, 2011 21:14:54 GMT
Ive planted out 96 dahlias today between my 'home' plots and my plots at parents house. In the planting hole I added a heaped trowel of Groworganic and another of Erin mp compost, and lightly mixed it in. With any dahlias that are a little tall I broke off bottom pair of leaves and planted with the soil level at the next pair up (I do the same with any dahlias having bottom leaves that are past their best). I watered each in with 2 pints of water plus additives (1 gallon of water containing a scoop of Phostrogen Lawn Feed, a scoop of Epsom Salts, 10ml of Maxicrop Bio Stimulant). I then scattered the slug pellets around the dahlias, and placed mothballs around each of them as well. Weather dependant, I will not now water for 12 to 14 days to encourage the dahlias to 'seek out' the water in the ground.
Regards, Paul
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