GardenBanter.co.uk - View Single Post

Sacha[_3_] · 29-07-2008, 08:51 AM posted to uk.rec.gardening

On 28/7/08 22:25, in article
, "Dave
Hill" wrote:

On 28 Jul, 18:18, "Spider" wrote:
"Bald eagle" wrote in message

... Have just discovered some
dahlias and begonias in shoe boxes in the garage
where I put them to store last year. They all have 3 - 4 inch shoots on
them.

If I plant them now - in pots - will they do anything this season?

If I don't plant them will they overwinter ok for next year?

Any opinions gratefully received

JC

Goodness, you really *are* late! *I doubt you'll get much of a performance
from this this season but, all the same, I would be inclined to pot them up
and water them well and see what happens. *They should at least put on some
leafy growth, which you can feed with a high potash fertiliser. *Don't
expect flowers. *In fact, if they were mine, I would pinch any flower buds
out if they occur, with the idea of feeding up the plant in time for
autumn's die-back into the tubers, rather than stress the plant by asking it
to flower late. *This may sound rather rum, but the well-fed foliage will
naturally die back and feed the tubers in readiness for next year. *If you
*must* see what the flowers look like, just allow one bud to flower, then
nip out the rest.

At the end of the season (usually first frost for dahlias, slightly sooner
for begonias), stop watering and let the foliage die back. *I would be
inclined to leave the tubers potted up over winter, so you can store them
easily. *Similarly, you can bring them out in spring and start them in to
growth more easily, so you don't have the same problem next year.

Good luck.
Spider

I'd go along with Sacha,
snip

I'm delighted to hear it David but the credit goes to Spider, not to me!! I
know very little about Dahlias but I think she's probably grown one or two
and you're definitely a Dahlia expert. ;-))

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon