Dahlia growing for beginners.

I have loads of buds at all different stages.

This is the bed.


I have buds like this


and this


and this


and loads more coming.

I didn't manage a lot of gardening while the family were staying but I did manage to keep up with the de-budding. I had a bit of a hairy moment when my sister offered to help, she isn't the type of person you say no to (unless you have a death wish) or the kind you should allow near a plant. I suggested she picked peas instead which she was happy with.

Looking good WF, pics 3 and 4 are the ones that are more likely for the show, if there is any danger of the blooms being knocked together when they are more mature, try and tie them to one of the canes away from each other, carry on with the vaseline. your dahlias have more class than what i viewed last year on the bench.

I must admit i breathed a sigh of relief, when i saw your dahlias,
i had visions of getting the timing wrong.

Ps don't forget to show us all that dahlia cup.

Some good straight stems there WF

Here are the two I picked, the size difference is much less than the photo suggests






I have about 12 buds at this stage

They are looking very promising WF ;D ;D

It is, it improves the look of the bloom, big show, little show, we try to show our blooms at their best.