Dahlias

Yes, leaves that are small and distorted. Also, emerging buds that don't look right.

 

Ah OK. Sorry, I don't know what it is. One of mine does have a mix of normal and distorted buds. I've put it down to not enough sun for now. Every single one of mine has brown spots distorting the new shoots this week though.

 

Doh, one of my Hillcrest Royal Dahlias stem snapped off as I forgot to tie it in.

 

Freddy, look up what feed you should be using. When they are in flower they need more potash/phosphate (I use Tomorite).

If they get to much niotrogen/nitrates (miracle gro etc) then they bolt. The leaves grow too fast and they crinkle. It looks like a virus I know from my own experience.

I cut off the affected areas and tone down the feed. Effectively "stopping" them off causing more laterals and even more flowers. Dahlias are so vigorous they overcome any damage/prun ing astonishingly quickly.

My terminology is a bit off but if you follow my line of reasoning in a google search you will get some corroboration.

Good luck with it. PS those Kenora look great.

 

Here's some of the dahlias that I have managed to start this year. The minority of which happen to be in the earth!

 

Oh my goodness! You have tonnes!

I've got so many questions lol but promise not to bombard you.

How do you find growing them in pots, especially the large ones? I'm using three pea sticks and strong but I'm worried now that might not be enough.


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PS. Well over half of what I learnt about dahlias came from this man Dave Gillam. His vids on Youtube are very very good.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9W_0LqMAr2C6zoTSSgeC3w

 

I would only grow them in big pots Jack and even then I wouldn't choose that except for the dwarf varieties.

A lot of mine are in pots in a bid to keep them going as a temporary measure until I get my extra land. Even if they stay in the pots they will survive until going dormant at the end of the year and they can fight another day next season

Some people keep them going as "pot tubers" when they don't want to lose them but don't want to plant them out in the garden. When they want to give them another go they take cuttings and kick them off again.

 

Pkns - these cuttings don't look right to me. If you have included a leaf node below soil they could well take off but they don't look like growing tips.

Check out Dave Gillams videos (among others) and keep plugging away at it. It seems like a black art but when you get it right then its like having the keys to the sweet shop. Plants for free!!

 

@Paullypaul, i took a cutting just below a group of 3 leaves and then pulled off the 2 outer leaves to expose the leaf node (or what i guessed to be a leaf node?) I followed a couple of guys videos on YouTube to get to this point so i hope i've done it right?

They've all got a little "bobble" on the bottom of the stem that i cut off. I'm just worried now that i've not taken the right cutting ha ha

 

I find the best cuttings are ones taken when the tubers start sprouting. I just cut off one of the shoots with a tiny slice of tuber attached. Then pot it up.
These cuttings actually almost catch up with the mother plant in size and with plenty of pinching out you get loads of flowers albeit a bit later.

 

The leaf node is the key Dave. I just thought the remaining leaf on each cutting looked a bit big. The bobble is where the new roots wil come from. Once they do that you've cracked it

 

Meet Dave a couple of years ago at our annual Kent Dahlia Society show, where of course
he walked away with more then a few cups, the guy knows everything there is to know
about Dahlias, sadly he stopped growing them (for shows) for the last couple of
years now :(

 

Yes thats a shame but he really left a large legacy on his Youtube channel.

 

Hi.
I haven't watered much, but they have had a few feeds, I use Tomorite too They are though looking somewhat better now, less 'whippy'