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Post by candyblue on May 22, 2017 11:49:02 GMT
At last our plot is ready for planting out! We have our new tanks ready as well as we are going to put soaker hoses on, just the wire and posts to go in now. |
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Post by ian on May 22, 2017 16:15:03 GMT
Hi JJ Yes you will need to double stop it, it is a very early variety anyway so will need a chop you want to be looking at 16 up I used to treat it similar to a pom keep nipping it out until about the 6thjuly. Good luck
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Post by johnjess on May 22, 2017 17:34:50 GMT
Thank you ian , much appreciated.
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Post by Cat on May 23, 2017 21:32:11 GMT
Pollinator friendly varieties (collerettes etc) have been planted at home and the school donations are doing well. 6 have gone up to the school so the kids can see the progress as they are so big already. they only had 5 no shows which is great  |
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Post by johnjess on May 24, 2017 17:09:17 GMT
Hi, I'm back with more beginners questions. This Dahlia growing is a lot more complicated than you guys make it look!!
So I had a Kenora Challenger plant from Halls of Heddon, beautiful healthy plant so I took the tip as a cutting and it has grown on nicely. My dilemma is with the mother plant, I think I took the cutting too soon ( 2 pairs of leaves left on the mother plant) but anyway it is growing 4 lovely health branches but each branch now has three pairs plus the tip. How do I get it down to growing 8 to 10 up?
Do I have to cut it back to two leaves on each branch or is that cutting back too far?
This is me assuming that if I remove the tip on each branch the three pairs on each branch will produce a shoot making it if my maths is correct 24 up.
Or would you remove two of the 4 branches all together?
I hope this all made sense and someone can advise me how to do it!1 Thanks again in advance
johnjess
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Post by johndoe on May 25, 2017 19:40:33 GMT
Finally started my erection today, what an effort it was to in the heat. One plot covered, one more to do. Only glitch, have had to hire a tall platform ladder for the weekend to fit the ridge bars as its 13ft high. 
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Post by Cat on May 27, 2017 21:09:33 GMT
That looks awesome! Top job, share some pictures please when it's filled |
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Post by johnjess on May 28, 2017 20:02:46 GMT
Some of the setup photos shown on here and the NDS Facebook page are just superb and leave me feeling very envious!! It leaves my 20 odd dahlia s I have in my garden completely in the shade!!
I'll be watching and learning (hopefully)throughout the summer, good luck all!
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Post by Cat on May 28, 2017 20:34:07 GMT
We are all in it for the love of dahlias. I say look where we were a year ago to where we are now. We have had a tricky start to the season but with the generous help of fellow growers we are getting ready to plant some plants. We are constantly learning. So much advice is out there it is also finding what works for you. Today I was reminded that different techniques are called different things by different people in different areas!! I still find certain techniques tricky. Whatever you do this year just Enjoy your season johnjess HAPPY DAYS |
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Post by johndoe on May 29, 2017 16:41:24 GMT
Thanks Cat, will now be able to start planting out later this week. Finished both polytunnels now, just need to put the mid-rails on both, but can do that at a later date, really need to get the plants in, also need to move the shed off the old plot, onto the new one as it wouldn't fit with the framework. Will post some pics when that's done.
Don't worry about what others have JJ, I only started with 5 tubers. And managed to drown them into a mush!!! That seems a good while ago now, but it was only six years ago. As Cat says, just enjoy growing your dahlias to the best you can .
 
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Post by Cat on May 29, 2017 21:11:03 GMT
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Post by johnjess on Jun 2, 2017 21:05:04 GMT
So all my dahlia s are planted , beds were given some Fish blood and bone a couple of weeks ago and then on planting I added a sprinkle of Vitax Q4 to the planting hole. Do I need to give additional feed through the summer and if I do how often would you recommend? Weekly, fortnightly?
Thanks
Johnjess
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Post by johndoe on Jun 3, 2017 14:23:19 GMT
So all my dahlia s are planted , beds were given some Fish blood and bone a couple of weeks ago and then on planting I added a sprinkle of Vitax Q4 to the planting hole. Do I need to give additional feed through the summer and if I do how often would you recommend? Weekly, fortnightly? Thanks Johnjess Hi JJ. Feeding of dahlias is very subjective, it totally depends on who you talk to!! Some will say that if you've got your ground in tip top condition, you should have all the food you need, already dug in. To the other end of the spectrum, where they will tell you to feed every week. Starting with a high nitrogen feed, something like Chempak 2. Moving on to a balanced feed as the plants grow on. Then once the buds start to open then change to a high potassium feed. My personal opinion is somewhere in between the two. Given that you've already added fish, blood and bone, plus Q4. You've covered fast and slow release food, so pumping them with even more feed will only cause you problems further down the road. I give mine one nitrogen feed 3 weeks after planting out, I then give them one balance feed second week in July, with a Epsom salts watering in between. At the beginning of August I water with an iron/Epsom salts mixture, 1 tsp of iron, 2 tsp of salts per 2 gallons of water. After the buds start to show, for me the 3rd week in August, they'll get a potassium feed at full strength, then a half strength one which covers the Harrogate show. The one thing that I never skimp on is water, especially the large and giants. Of course, there will be plenty of others who will have a different regime to me, and that's what makes growing dahlias so bewildering  . Find a feeding plan that works for you, and stick to it.........
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Post by johnjess on Jun 3, 2017 16:05:53 GMT
Thanks johndoe,
I think last year I fed them with Miracle Grow Liquid until buds started showing and then gave them some Tomorite, I must have read it on the internet somewhere! Would I be best to give the Miracle Grow a miss as I have already fed them and just give them some Tomorite when the buds start appearing?
I don't want to overfeed and do the plants harm at this stage!! I'd never forgive myself!!
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Post by johnjess on Jun 3, 2017 18:45:34 GMT
Hi again johndoe,
I've seen epsom salts mentioned a few times when reading up on growing dahlia s, can you tell me what it does for the dahlia?
It really is quite a science growing for showing!!
Johnjess
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Sept 6, 2018 17:58:08 GMT
Sept 6, 2018 17:58:08 GMT
Aug 10, 2019 9:01:47 GMT