Hi,

I wonder if anyone can give me some advice.
I live in Essex & this year I have 12 Dahlia and 18 Begonia bulbs/tubers to plant.
This is the first time at planting bulbs (I am a relatively new gardener) and have read conflicting arguments on various forums.
I would like to get the best and earliest start to my plants. Currently I do not have a greenhouse or a coldframe. I do however have a 5 tier growhouse (It cost me £30 from the local Garden centre).
I have read that I can start the begonia bulbs indoors about a month before the last frost.
Is this true, and when do I know that the last frost has gone?

I have not found any decent advice when it comes to the dahlia's.
When can I start these tubers indoors?
On the instructions that came with the Dahlia's it say's 'plant from March onwards' , but then further on, under EXPERT ADVICE, it say's 'for early blooms, start the bulbs indoors in April' ???????

Can anyone give me any advice on when's best to start these two plants indoors and any general advice on planting.
I have already planned my garden plants this year and the Begonia and Dahlia's are a big part.
I was hoping to put each tuber/bulb in a pot, keep it indoors and when I start seeing activity, plant it outside in the final position (obvioulsy as long as it isn't too cold).
Am I wrong in thinking that I can get away with doing this?
If I do plant them in pots and keep them indoors, do they need to be on a windowsill, or just is a warmish room?

Sorry about this, but this really is only my second year of gardening, last year I bought all the plants from the Garden centre and it cost me a fortune. This year I'm hoping to save money and also put on a better show of flowers.

Also, I've found some good advice on planting the begonia bulbs (on the surface with the 'hollow' part facing up, but strange advice with the dahlia's.
I've read that they need to be planted horizontally with the eyes facing up. What are the eyes? I don't think mine have them, although they are still in the packets though.

Thanks in advance.

PLEASE HELP.

Regards

"Bashy" wrote
,

I wonder if anyone can give me some advice.
I live in Essex & this year I have 12 Dahlia and 18 Begonia
bulbs/tubers to plant.
This is the first time at planting bulbs (I am a relatively new
gardener) and have read conflicting arguments on various forums.
I would like to get the best and earliest start to my plants. Currently
I do not have a greenhouse or a coldframe. I do however have a 5 tier
growhouse (It cost me £30 from the local Garden centre).
I have read that I can start the begonia bulbs indoors about a month
before the last frost.
Is this true, and when do I know that the last frost has gone?

These tubers are not frost hardy so any frost will kill them and the plants
that grow from them. The last date for frost is normally accepted to be
about the same time as the Chelsea Flower show ( end of May) but we had a
bad grass frost a few years back on the 9th June, killed some of our
cucurbits and damaged other stuff.
It is typical of a new gardener to want to start stuff into growth asap,
don't be hasty, you may get away with it a couple of times but then one year
it will all be killed.


I have not found any decent advice when it comes to the dahlia's.
When can I start these tubers indoors?
On the instructions that came with the Dahlia's it say's 'plant from
March onwards' , but then further on, under EXPERT ADVICE, it say's
'for early blooms, start the bulbs indoors in April' ???????

I'd go with mid April.
If you live in the south you could get away with planting these new Dahlia
plants extra deep in early June, then after the growth is killed by the
first frost next winter leave them in the ground with a covering of straw
over the top. Just do not forget the slug pellets under the straw in the
following spring or they will eat all the new shoots before they show and
you will think the plant has died and curse me. :-)


Can anyone give me any advice on when's best to start these two plants
indoors and any general advice on planting.
I have already planned my garden plants this year and the Begonia and
Dahlia's are a big part.
I was hoping to put each tuber/bulb in a pot, keep it indoors and when
I start seeing activity, plant it outside in the final position
(obvioulsy as long as it isn't too cold).
Am I wrong in thinking that I can get away with doing this?
If I do plant them in pots and keep them indoors, do they need to be on
a windowsill, or just is a warmish room?

A cool room! The coolest room you have that is frost free or they will bolt
and grow weak and leggy.


Sorry about this, but this really is only my second year of gardening,
last year I bought all the plants from the Garden centre and it cost me
a fortune. This year I'm hoping to save money and also put on a better
show of flowers.

Also, I've found some good advice on planting the begonia bulbs (on the
surface with the 'hollow' part facing up, but strange advice with the
dahlia's.
I've read that they need to be planted horizontally with the eyes
facing up. What are the eyes? I don't think mine have them, although
they are still in the packets though.

In the center of the tubers are the remains of last years shoots, point
these upwards.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden

Thanks Bob

On Mar 6, 1:41 am, Bashy wrote:
Thanks Bob

--
Bashy

I would certainly agree with Bob's advice, as I usually follow it
too! However, I have found that with Dahlias if you plant them twice
the recommended depth, on sand, that they do not need lifting. You
say you are in Essex, I was in Norfolk and my garden was in an exposed
situation, top of a hill with no surrounding houses to provide a
windbreak from the vicious East wind. Good luck and let us know how
it goes?

Judith

Hi all,

I've just bought a little 6'x2' greenhouse which I'm gonna out against my back fence.
Will this make a difference as to when I can start my Dahlia's and Begonia's?

I've also got 5 seed trays which are currently being stated indoors on windowsills (Delphinum, 2x Viola's, Pansy's & Ladybird Poppy's). These seeds have germinated and are starting to sprout. Once the greenhouse arrives and has been erected, I will transfer these seed trays in there.
Does this still mean the resulting seedlings will need hardening once the last frost has gone, or can I plant them straight into the ground.
Also, I have 30 individual pots of 5 differnet sunflower varieties. They are also growing in my dining room (my wife hates it, there are plants everywhere), these will also be transfered to the greenhouse (I hope there's room). Can I get away without hardeing these off too.
Sorry I have so many questions, but I really don't wanna make any mistakes otherwise it will ruin my garden for the whole summer.
P.S. I have bought a little parafin heater for the greenhouse :
http://www.norfolk-greenhouses.co.uk...?longref=132~0

Will this be sufficient, or should I buy two?

Thanks for your patience and help

Regards



Bashy

Excuse my logic if it were incorrect about factual gardening related knowledge (i would love to be corrected) but it would be possible to grow the bulbs earlier if you were planning on only keeping them inside the greenhouse the whole time, as with a greenhouse, the advantage lies in the fact that you can maintain a set climate? So technically this means you can make it whatever season you really wanted, apart from the fact that the real seasons that are occuring naturally may be limiting or increasing the amount of sunlight that is provided directly to your plants.

"Maxim" wrote in message
...

Well i was very keen into planting something as soon as i could because
i love doing it soo much! So i decided to plant as much as i could with
the label "Sow March - (whatever month)" So i decided to have a go with
sweet peas, however, they have already sprouted as i propagated them
indoors. Its still quite cold outside and soon the peas will begin to
grow out those long winding support lines. I purchased one of these off
ebay recently:

http://tinyurl.com/2ht3pb

Would this be enough to shield the peas for a while? But problem also
is, what happens when the supports start to grow from the sweet pea
stems..?

Sweet Peas are very tough and should not be mollycoddled. I sow mine
outdoors in pots in October/November and add a few extra sowings in January.
They appreciate a bit of wind protection but yours should be hardened off to
go outside by putting them out in the day and bringing in at night for a few
days, and then put them in a sheltered outdoor spot before planting out. I
have a few self sown sweet pea plants that have been out on the allotment
all winter and they are looking good and healthy.


--
Rowdens Reservoir Allotments Association
www.rraa.moonfruit.com