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Post by ian on Jan 28, 2016 13:03:47 GMT
Raymond, Ruskin Michelle don't worry about not having this now it is a very early variety so May cutting will be fine you see.
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Post by Raymond on Jan 28, 2016 16:05:56 GMT
All looks great jay65 just placing my halls order . Mostly bedding ones for top border some new for me but I have succumbed to the dark side and ordered 3 sheval Megan ! Hahaha I started Michelle early ian as the tubers where not good and starting to shrivel. Hope I get some mother plants on this . Would like to get a decent bloom on Michelle as I thought it was knock out as wisley and nobody else shows it in Kent. Set all three tubers up ranked them a b and c hope to get all from the "a" one as it was the best and biggest flower and biggest tuber. Was told later cutting from dcdahlia as well. |
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jay65
Junior Member
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Post by jay65 on Jan 28, 2016 16:10:07 GMT
All looks great jay65 just placing my halls order . Mostly bedding ones for top border some new for me but I have succumbed to the dark side and ordered 3 sheval Megan ! Hahaha I started Michelle early ian as the tubers where not good and starting to shrivel. Hope I get some mother plants on this . Would like to get a decent bloom on Michelle as I thought it was knock out as wisley and nobody else shows it in Kent. Set all three tubers up ranked them a b and c hope to get all from the "a" one as it was the best and biggest flower and biggest tuber. Was told later cutting from dcdahlia as well. Aaahhh! Good for you Raymond! IThough I don't blame you at all for ordering a few Sheval Megan. I think I will order 3 too. |
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dahliadave
Junior Member
"Chocolate" red seedling 5 plants in a 70cm pot in July.
Posts: 77
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Post by dahliadave on Jan 28, 2016 21:20:55 GMT
Oops again- posted the wrong picture yesterday- that one was the benches 1st week February last year. This is the one I meant to post-  Ian, I need to get up to our Ovington nursery and have another look to see about the De la Haye. All the Candy's grow well- can't get over how many we sell as the original has been in our top 10 for the last few years. Was up to Ovington twice last week to see how things were going. We have the Chrysanths at Heddon and at Ovington a 96' x 40' greenhouse for just the Dahlias. Sheval Megan is selling very well- I have been wanting it for a few years now. A proportion of the sales will be going to Cystic Fibrosis at Terry's request. |
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jay65
Junior Member
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Post by jay65 on Jan 28, 2016 21:40:13 GMT
That's pretty awesome Dave. I'll order me some Sheval Megan tomorrow from the website if that's okay with you? I'll also pick up some Westerton JWH too I think.
Can I ask you a question? Why do you mound up the compost like that in troughs? Is it to allow the roots of the tubers to spread into them?
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dahliadave
Junior Member
"Chocolate" red seedling 5 plants in a 70cm pot in July.
Posts: 77
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Post by dahliadave on Jan 28, 2016 22:08:24 GMT
That's pretty awesome Dave. I'll order me some Sheval Megan tomorrow from the website if that's okay with you? I'll also pick up some Westerton JWH too I think. Can I ask you a question? Why do you mound up the compost like that in troughs? Is it to allow the roots of the tubers to spread into them? Any orders welcome though we would be looking towards early-middle of April now for Sheval Megan due to the demand. Westerton JWH has excellent stems and we found it to be one if the most weatherproof mediums though it is a bit on the small side unless restricted to 4 or 5 up. The main reason for the troughs is mainly to separate the varieties though it does mean the crowns are less likely to suffer from overwatering and keeps the blocks of each variety more free draining. It might be easier to see in this picture from end February last year. There are always varieties that initially come away with pale foliage that soon greens up. 
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Post by Cat on Jan 28, 2016 22:12:50 GMT
dahliadave, thanks for this one I wont panic if mine look pastie now lol
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jay65
Junior Member
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Post by jay65 on Jan 28, 2016 22:22:52 GMT
That's good info Dave. Early to mid April is fine for me for Sheval Megan to be honest.
I also find that at this time of year with the shorter days that some of the varieties cutting material is slightly on the pale side. I'm finding Kenora Wow to be a little like that, but as you say I suppose they struggle a little for photosynthesis and therefore come out a little on the pale side. I fully expect the first few cuttings may struggle to root, but I think it's a variety well worth perservering with, as I think that as the daylight gets longer perhaps the cuttings aren't trying to put down roots and photosynthesize at the same time, suggesting the later cuttings will be more successful, and as long as the tubers of Kenora Wow keep throwing shoots, it'll get better and better as the cuttings season goes on.
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dahliadave
Junior Member
"Chocolate" red seedling 5 plants in a 70cm pot in July.
Posts: 77
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Post by dahliadave on Jan 28, 2016 22:47:21 GMT
That's good info Dave. Early to mid April is fine for me for Sheval Megan to be honest. I also find that at this time of year with the shorter days that some of the varieties cutting material is slightly on the pale side. I'm finding Kenora Wow to be a little like that, but as you say I suppose they struggle a little for photosynthesis and therefore come out a little on the pale side. I fully expect the first few cuttings may struggle to root, but I think it's a variety well worth perservering with, as I think that as the daylight gets longer perhaps the cuttings aren't trying to put down roots and photosynthesize at the same time, suggesting the later cuttings will be more successful, and as long as the tubers of Kenora Wow keep throwing shoots, it'll get better and better as the cuttings season goes on. If I had the choice I would want to send out all our cuttings mid April to May but with the volume we do that is totally impractical. My reasoning for this is as you mention related to day length and the resultant quality of cuttings produced. We only have lights over about 5% of our stock. We've never really needed them, but early cuttings never grow quite as well as those taken and rooted after the spring equinox. We allow about 28 days from taking the cuttings to them being ready to go out in the early part of the season. By the time end April and May comes we can be taking cuttings and they are ready to go out in about 18 days. What makes life even more interesting is that we can take a batch of cuttings one week and is not quite ready to go out when scheduled but the same variety, taken a week-10 days later is- and can quite often be twice the size! Its all down to the quality of cutting when it is taken which we have noted is very often due to the amount of sunlight in the few days before taking the batch. Taking as many cuttings as she does, my cousin who runs the Ovington nursery and therefor looks after the dahlia propagation, can "feel" whether the cuttings are going to root easily or not!
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Post by Raymond on Jan 28, 2016 22:59:01 GMT
This is fascinating dahliadave. I will be setting up my grow light shortly not all tubes as I found last year they got drawn up to it. Just get them nice a green and healthy I hope I have more success with rooting them this year than last. |
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jay65
Junior Member
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Post by jay65 on Jan 29, 2016 9:01:25 GMT
That's good info Dave. Early to mid April is fine for me for Sheval Megan to be honest. I also find that at this time of year with the shorter days that some of the varieties cutting material is slightly on the pale side. I'm finding Kenora Wow to be a little like that, but as you say I suppose they struggle a little for photosynthesis and therefore come out a little on the pale side. I fully expect the first few cuttings may struggle to root, but I think it's a variety well worth perservering with, as I think that as the daylight gets longer perhaps the cuttings aren't trying to put down roots and photosynthesize at the same time, suggesting the later cuttings will be more successful, and as long as the tubers of Kenora Wow keep throwing shoots, it'll get better and better as the cuttings season goes on. If I had the choice I would want to send out all our cuttings mid April to May but with the volume we do that is totally impractical. My reasoning for this is as you mention related to day length and the resultant quality of cuttings produced. We only have lights over about 5% of our stock. We've never really needed them, but early cuttings never grow quite as well as those taken and rooted after the spring equinox. We allow about 28 days from taking the cuttings to them being ready to go out in the early part of the season. By the time end April and May comes we can be taking cuttings and they are ready to go out in about 18 days. What makes life even more interesting is that we can take a batch of cuttings one week and is not quite ready to go out when scheduled but the same variety, taken a week-10 days later is- and can quite often be twice the size! Its all down to the quality of cutting when it is taken which we have noted is very often due to the amount of sunlight in the few days before taking the batch. Taking as many cuttings as she does, my cousin who runs the Ovington nursery and therefor looks after the dahlia propagation, can "feel" whether the cuttings are going to root easily or not!
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jay65
Junior Member
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Post by jay65 on Jan 29, 2016 9:06:11 GMT
I think this is always the gamble for the amateur. Do you set up the tubers early to get the numbers that you're looking for, and perhaps compromise both some early losses, and risk the little tubers running out of steam come March (In the absence of early mother planting of course). Or do you wait a while to get the length of days producing good quality cuttings, but then risk not being able to get the number you want/need.
For you guys it's a slightly different variation on a theme, but that same balancing act is more influenced by volume and practical business decisions.
Personally, I would love to drop by and nose around your set up and get some valuable insight, because I find the whole thing fascinating. Maybe one day, we'll drop by?
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jay65
Junior Member
Posts: 69
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Post by jay65 on Jan 29, 2016 13:53:08 GMT
Good news for me today. Red diamond tubers have finally started to show some signs of life with a couple of shoots on each, and also one of the Bracken Ballerina tubers is shooting from the bottom. Always a good sign I find as the quality of the cuttings always seem to be a little stronger than the smaller ones that shoot from last years stems higher up. Marys Jomanda showing signs of shoots too, as is Blyton Softer Gleam. Also managed to pot up another 14 rooted cuttings today. Currently at 29 mother plants. So things are coming on nicely
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Post by alan0747 on Jan 29, 2016 14:37:04 GMT
I have today put my tubers out on the benches of my allotment potting shed (no heat), some are budding and most are making root, so the light will soon boost them.
Today managed to order a couple of pot tubers of Polventon kristobel, really looking foreword to these
I get Clover compost from our allotment association for £5 bag, far superior to the usual garden centre composts, tried Levingtons and miracle grow, and full of rubbish, I suspect recycled household waste. Our recycling centre lets us put food waste, diseased plant material and all sorts of rubbish and once got a bag of their compost, never again. I am sur the councils are selling theirs to the compost makers
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Post by ian on Jan 29, 2016 14:55:42 GMT
Hi Alan welcome, you are dead right about the compost I think the compost makers have to include 20% household waste. clover compost is excellent and the professional is excellent.
Cuttings, most of the Dutch Dahlia men raise their cuttings in the dark which of course are yellowish when taken then when placed into the rooting medium they soon green up, quite a few use sand to root in.
Good luck and good fortune. Ian
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