Written by: Ashley Edwards
April is the moment when spring truly lets herself be known. Blossoms dust the trees and the dawn skies are full of the sound of birdsong. Much like March however, April too can bring a surprise frost and even on occasion snow. So don’t be fooled into planting your tender plants out too early, protect them under cover until the end of the month at least and don’t get caught out by late frosts.
A beginner’s guide to Dahlias
Dahlia popularity has exploded over the last few years, and once you’ve grown them, you can see why. With glamourous-looking blooms in all colours and shapes, they provide late colour for hot sunny borders, containers, as well as providing armfuls of cut flowers in the home. If you’re growing dahlias for the first time, or are a little unsure on what the best way to treat them, then follow these steps to get the best results.
When your dahlias arrive, carefully unpackage them straight away and make sure they haven't been damaged in transit. The tubers may look dry and slightly wrinkly, but this is perfectly normal, they are full of potential. If you can't pot up your tubers straight away, then keep them somewhere dry, cool but frost-free.
Pot your tubers up as soon as possible in a free-draining compost. Use a 2-3 litre pot depending on the size of your tuber. You don’t want the tubers swimming in compost or they can rot, it’s better to start small and work your way up. You should plant your dahlias with the neck of the old stem just above the compost level, this is where the new shoots will form.
Place the pots somewhere bright, cool and frost-free: a greenhouse, cold frame or sunny windowsill. Water lightly at first as they rot far more easily than they dry out at this stage. Once shoots appear, you can gradually increase watering. When the shoots of the plant have reached 30-40cm, cut back the tops of your plant to 2-3 pairs of leaves. Although this can feel counter productive, this actually encourages the plant to branch, which will mean more flower buds. You can use the tips that you’ve cut off to create new plants. Place them in a well-drained compost, keep humid but not wet, and they will produce roots of their own and become whole new plants, genetically identical to the parent.
