2011 planting zone - update

As some of you know I have just taken 10 days out and spent some time in Dubai; sun, heat, sand etc etc

Not a place for growing dahlias methinks!  Water is prohibitively expensive to use in gardens and it does get hot in the summertime often reaching 50C.

Anyways, I did think that on return I'd get to grips with weed killing the grass ready to rotovate the planting area; it seems to have rained a lot, not only is the grass and weed very wet still but so is the ground, I think it needs to dry out some before weed killers will be effective.  Guess I'll have to put it off for a while longer.

Dahlia jobs in March

For those of you that are propagating from your tubers, they were, in  February, set down and by March should have shoots long enough to begin taking cuttings (75mm - 100mm).  Cut the stem a leaf axil or two above the "heel", or point where the shoot emerges from the crown; this will encourage further shoots to sprout from the leaf axils.

Before and After images; the cutting will then be trimmed below the leaf axil, the leaves removed, dipped in hormone rooting compound and "dibbed" into the John Innes Seed compost in the trays.

Avoid taking hollow, "pipey" shoots for cuttings as they tend to be more difficult to root.  The shoots that follow from the leaf axil will be of much better quality.  If you do wish to use these cuttings ensure that  when you trim the stem below the leaf axil it is solid with no hollowness at all; this will give the cutting a better chance of growth.  Water as necessary to keep from drying out but do not over-water as this will only encourage damping off.

Start dahlias from seed towards the end of the month in a heated greenhouse or propagator.

If you do not have a greenhouse March is the time to start off the tubers in trays as described in February and the time to prepare the growing area ready for planting out the divided tubers in April.

Taking cuttings

Dahlia season 2011 is really underway now.  I took the first cuttings today 4 weeks after setting the tubers down on the benches (in trays).

The first photo is the cutting as removed from the tuber.  When removing cut below a leaf axil leaving enough stem to trim and leaving a leaf axil on the tuber to produce more shoots.  Use a VERY sharp knife, if you do not have a gardeners propagating knife a modelling blade would be useful.  The knife I use is Victorinox and is Swiss.  The blade can be honed to razor sharp on a very fine smoothing/sharpening stone.  These may be purchased from any good garden centre and cost around £12 - £15 seem to remember.  

Trim neatly below the leaf axil and remove the two leaves.  Dip in water and then in rooting compound, I use Seradix / Strike as this is very reliable.  I did try an organic compound a few years ago and lost 85% of the cuttings I had used it for.

The first tray of cuttings planted in John Innes Seed compost.  If using JI Seed do try to obtain correctly mixed compost.  There are many on the market that may have the correct mix but are not using steralised loam and a good 'grainy' sand.

Dahlia jobs in February

For those with a heated greenhouse who wish to propagate from their own stock now is the time to get started.  Take from the winter store the quantity you will be using.  Trim off the fibrous roots and stems and place carefully in shallow trays on a layer of sifted compost.  Cover lightly, but not the stems or crown, and water well.

For those with no heated greenhouse: carry out routine inspections as for January.