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Post by Moonlight on Mar 12, 2013 23:02:16 GMT
We had a delivery a couple of days ago.
Dad ordered Clearview David, Clearview Debby, Clearview Misty, Clearview Sundance, Clearview Orca, Clearview Louise, Clearview Irene and Clearview Tammy were for my Dad. Clearview Jenny and Clearview Arlene are for me and we had two extra tubers sent  so Dad had one and I had the extra Clearview Orca.
Dad offered to take them with him to nurture for me but I said that I wanted to have ago myself but when I've mulled it over I've worried have I done the right thing. Maybe I should have let him take them, especially now that he has discovered that his heating cable that he used all those years ago still works. (He has re-earthed it or something technical like that) but for now I have not bottled it. I wanted these dahlias; I know that they are sitting in my lounge (no surprises there) and have not got a clue what I am doing but the flip side of that is that he comes here twice a week, if I am doing something hugely wrong (as opposed to just being different) Dad will tell me.
Dad won't take over but he will rescue the tubers if I think that I am doing it all wrong. Ultimately I have my Dad at the end of the phone and the dahlia forum here (my 24 hour helpline  ) whenever I need a bit of help from the experts and I already know that I get a lot of moral support here. 
Fingers crossed for my 3 American babies along with my Downham Royal and Happy Halloween. Tiny steps forward but need buckets full of confidence to do more.
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Post by grindle on Mar 13, 2013 5:39:20 GMT
thanks moonlight You'll whip that garden into shape in no time 
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Post by Geranium on Mar 13, 2013 6:10:49 GMT
As you say, you have lots of help, and access to very experienced Dahlia growers on the forum, so worry not! I think you should get them planted ASAP though.
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Post by sweetpea on Mar 13, 2013 13:16:55 GMT
See you got 'Chicken legs' ML. that's the typical American way.
Over this side of the pond we tend to use the whole tuber but as long as it works it matters not.
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Post by Moonlight on Mar 13, 2013 22:43:58 GMT
See you got 'Chicken legs' ML. that's the typical American way. Over this side of the pond we tend to use the whole tuber but as long as it works it matters not. 
Actually they look more like bones sticking out of the compost. Fossil hunting anyone? |
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Post by Geranium on Mar 14, 2013 6:11:06 GMT
They do, rather ;D - keep us posted about their progress!
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Post by Moonlight on Mar 14, 2013 13:35:15 GMT
Dad asked me to order a propagator for him yesterday he had read a review in my Amateur Gardener . I asked him why he needed one now that he has got his heated cable in his greenhouse. He said that he was going to put his expensive USA tubers in it.  When I told HH about it, he said well, order one for you then.
I love my husband. Gosh these dahlias had better grow.
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Post by Moonlight on Mar 14, 2013 14:31:02 GMT
My husband has just laughed at me, whilst muttering something about nappies. No, I'm not pregnant but apparently my Dad and I are treating these tubers like they are our babies. humpf
He also told me that I should have researched other suppliers for the propagators. Apparently they are a lot cheaper on Amazon. >:(grrr
:-/Oh well, live and learn.
Moving on with tiny steps.
PS Well Downham Royal is one of my Dad's babies.
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edwin
Full Member
Posts: 133
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Post by edwin on Mar 14, 2013 14:34:27 GMT
See you got 'Chicken legs' ML. that's the typical American way. Over this side of the pond we tend to use the whole tuber but as long as it works it matters not.
Actually they look more like bones sticking out of the compost. Fossil hunting anyone? I cant really see to good on the picture but the top of the tuber with the eyes should be above the compost and then keep the compost moist and on about 20 degrees and then it should work out fine |
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Post by Moonlight on Mar 14, 2013 14:44:13 GMT
Actually they look more like bones sticking out of the compost. Fossil hunting anyone? I cant really see to good on the picture but the top of the tuber with the eyes should be above the compost and then keep the compost moist and on about 20 degrees and then it should work out fine |
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Post by Moonlight on Mar 14, 2013 22:59:25 GMT
Been working on making my 'path' a trenched lined with tarpaulin and filled with gravel ballast which has also had rain and water on. Unfortunately when it has rained and snowed on it the water can't drain away so when I tried walking on it my purple wellies and I sank into it (a bit) like you do on a muddy wet beach (well like I do). Not the desired effect but good fun. I had a few big patio slabs that I have put down but it is not right. A bit better but not right.
Reached a point where I am left thinking we won't ever clear the gravel ballast and I can't make my raised beds until I have done that. If I don't get the soil dug I can't plant the dahlias. Better crack on tomorrow but it is just nicer doing it with my little gardener helper Fairy Pink Wellies.
Tiny steps with very muddy purple wellies.
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Post by Geranium on Mar 15, 2013 6:40:10 GMT
It sounds as though you're making a pond! Why is there a tarpaulin under it all?
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Post by Moonlight on Mar 15, 2013 10:33:34 GMT
We had our old shed knocked down and our greenhouse moved, so that a smaller shed could be built more or less where the greenhouse was and a cabin built across the bottom of the garden. We were left with a heap of ballest which was sitting on tarpaulin.
I wanted to have a path running straight down to the cabin, so in my infinate wisdom I dug a path (aka to my Dad and HH a trench which looked almost deep enough to lower a coffin).
So we had been left with a heap of ballast in the corner and a trench running through with a mound of earth like a mountain because I wanted to give the worms a fighting chance to escape the beaks of the mob of birds watching me dig (alternitvely they had just come to have a laugh at the mad woman digging a trench).
That patch is actually the best bit of the garden because the neighbour with the overhang has a shorter garden than ours  and so that is where I want to grow my dahlias. HH has pointed out that I would have had more light growing space if I had not of wanted the cabin built where we have.
Obviously I can't plant the dahlias until I shift the ballast and as I wanted a path both HH & my Dad thought that the logical thing to do would be to fill the trench with the ballast. I agree with them totally except I don't know if that is exactly  where I want the path to be (the alternative would be where I currently have slabs that run around the side of the shed, they stop at the shed so don't go as far as the cabin or anywhere near my greenhouse) and I didn't want to be digging back up what I have just moved because I have changed my mind, so I had the  of laying a 2nd tarpaulin over the trench so that it would not mix with the soil. Now I have realised that it will in fact be impossible to move that 2nd tarpaulin with its load, so basically I am currently stuck with 2 tarpaulins with grit on + the mound of earth next to it which I have to lug the ballast round because it is totally in the way.
The plan had been to have raised beds but it is actually a total impossibility because I am going to end up with a mountain path like the Great Wall of China, that you can walk on because by then it will be like sinking mud.
Hay hoe, attempt to live and learn but I have to carry on or I'll never clear any patch for my dahlias. I was right when I called this my:
Diary of a bizarre erratic gardener.
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Post by Moonlight on Mar 15, 2013 10:52:50 GMT
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Post by Moonlight on Mar 15, 2013 12:08:56 GMT
I am being mugged by two fat robins. trying to shovel and they keep hopping in the way. I keep telling them that it isn't soil but one of them has found one whilst giving me a 'look'
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so Dad had one and I had the extra Clearview Orca. 
) whenever I need a bit of help from the experts and I already know that I get a lot of moral support here. 
When I told HH about it, he said well, order one for you then.
