Some of my Dahlias were helped along and forced by a small one with a
watering can. I used them for cuttings and still they insisted on
getting big. So last week, I started to harden them off and even planted
a couple out since I needed greenhouse space. I fleeced them up every
night and one of them developed a flower bud.

I fed them and cared for the poor things and then last night there was
nor frost forecast so I didn't smother them.

Bugger.

It would have been laughably silly to have Dahlias in bloom in mid May
outside, but I was kinda hoping for it.

No great loss even if the plants don't recover since I have more than
ample replacements coming on in the greenhouse.

I'm intending to do the same thing *deliberately* next year, but there
won't be so much pressure on the greenhouse so I should have the room to
manage it.

Warwick

Warwick wrote:
Some of my Dahlias were helped along and forced by a small one with
a
watering can. I used them for cuttings and still they insisted on
getting big. So last week, I started to harden them off and even
planted a couple out since I needed greenhouse space. I fleeced
them
up every night and one of them developed a flower bud.

I fed them and cared for the poor things and then last night there
was
nor frost forecast so I didn't smother them.

Bugger.

It would have been laughably silly to have Dahlias in bloom in mid
May
outside, but I was kinda hoping for it.

No great loss even if the plants don't recover since I have more
than
ample replacements coming on in the greenhouse.

I'm intending to do the same thing *deliberately* next year, but
there
won't be so much pressure on the greenhouse so I should have the
room
to manage it.

Didn't Monty and Rachel leave some of their dahlias in the ground all
winter?

I've just had a look at
http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/tv_an...rdeners_world/
but I didn't find any obvious reference.

--
Mike.