On Mar 28, 1:18*pm, gingerbrad
wrote:
Hi All
I am a newbie to the site so hello to you all and a here's a bit of info
about me.
I have a reasonable size plot round the back of the house and its south
facing (Leeds, North England) so we get a decent amount of sun.
Currently, mainly lawn with a border round much of it. We have a
greenhouse and wood store in the bottom of the garden. I have helped out
for a friends gardening business mainly landscaping so not afraid to get
my hands dirty. I have big plans for the garden, my wife has just not
told me what they are yet!
Anyway, i was watching Monty on gardeners world on friday and was taken
by growing dahlias from seed rather than tubers. Now i have always
steared clear of growing them from seed as i had it into my head that
they were biennial from seed (not sure why or where i got the idea
from), and i was not keen on having a section of the garden used for
this alone. Anyway, not sure who the guy was but it sounded to me like i
have been very wrong and that it is perfectly possible to grow from
seed.
Does anybody have any experience of growing dahlias from seed and if so
can you advise on which would be good ones to go for? My wife really
likes the big pompon type blooms and i really like the idea of getting
lots of seed for the same price as one tuber!
Any help or advice is appreciated.
Thanks
Brad
--
gingerbrad
Well lets start from the begining, Dahlias come in many types and many
sizes.
You say your wife likes the big pompon types. Pompon in the UK are
under 2" whilst the Dutch (Who are responsible for most of the pre
packed dahlias also call minature Ball and Minature Decorative dahlias
Pompon)
Have a lok at this item, lower down there is an explanation of types
and sizes.
dahlia types
Now to your question re seed / plants / tubers.
Seed is the cheapest way though the larger the dahlia the longer to
come into flower from seed, most dahlias from comercialy available
seed gives you either single or semi double flowers.
From cuttings/plants you will get much better quality flowers,
normally of named varieties, as you will from Tubers, though plants
will flower a little later than tubers, but you will get better
flowers.
With tubers you can take several cuttings and still have a plant to
put in the garden.
I was sowing dahlia seed over the weekend, around 1200 of the things,
these are from named dahlias, but what comes will still be an unknown
till they flower, I should have done this 4 weeks ago.
Decide what type of dahlias you want then it will be easier to decide
how you go about it.
I'd say try all options, seed for dwarf and singles but plants or
tubers for the good flowers.
Dahlia flowers can range in size from just over half an inch with some
of the Liliput types to over 14 inches with some of the Giant
Decorative dahlias sich as Bryn Terffal.
Do some reading, dook at pictures on line then come back with more
questions.
David Hill