Dahlia tasks in March

If you haven't already done so now is the time to start taking cuttings in your heated greenhouse. 
When the shoots are sturdy with two or three leaf joints they are ready to use as cuttings. Use a sharp knife to cut away the shoots a little above their base, where they join the crown. Take care not to cut the crown itself, which would prevent further shoots forming. Trim neatly immediately below a leaf joint, dip in rooting compound such as Strike and plant in either seed trays or pots filled with a gritty seed compost (John Innes Seed) or an equal mixture of peat and sand or seed compost. They may look a little droopy for 7-10 days, this is quite normal! Three weeks on and roots will begin to form. Once the cutting is clearly rooted and showing signs of growth, prick out and pot up in 9 cm pots into a well draining potting compost such as John Innes No 1. We strongly recommend that all purpose or multi purpose composts are not used as they may contain materials that will kill the delicate rooted cutting.

 As you can see in the image some of the cuttings have two leaf nodes and some three.  I don't believe there is a "rule" for this, my own rule is to keep the stem length fairly short and not at all leggy.  Most of the cuttings I take are between 3 and 5 cm.  The exceptions to this are those cultivars that just do not behave and grow not only very quickly but with well spaced leaf nodes.
I have seen other people suggesting cutting most of the leaves away and trimming those that are left, I have no idea what this achieves as we have a success rate of well over 95% of our cuttings rooting when taken as shown above.  Also, I would caution against keeping the cuttings within a polythene bag as there is a real danger of damping off.

Seeds

Towards the end of March any seeds you have harvested should be sown.  Keep the convex side of the seed upwards.  If not the roots will shoot upwards and lose enegy resulting in poor germination.

For those that do not have a heated greenhouse tubers may be started of in trays.

Propagation Workshop

Wow!  What a  great time we had at the workshop, thank you all for getting there in such awful weather conditions and for your very kind comments.

"So lovely to meet you both this morning.  I enjoyed it immensely and now hope to grow some of your wonderful dahlias! "

"Thank you so much for the informative workshop this morning.  Both James and I enjoyed the opportunity to learn from you how to propagate dahlias successfully.  It is not often you get the opportunity to spend time with someone so passionate and knowledgeable about his subject.

It was a friendly atmosphere and Hazel was so welcoming - thank you for the lunch.  I am looking forward to seeing our cuttings grow into beautiful flowers."

"Just a brief note to thank you for the most instructive and also enjoyable course yesterday at Ardingly.  I had taken dahlia cuttings previously but never with much success.  Hopefully I now know a lot more and will be able to grow those that I started yesterday and also to take others from last year’s tubers."

"Just wanted to say thank you of a lovely time on Friday. It was a very pleasant morning and very interesting."

"Really enjoyed my morning in Sussex meeting Richard and Hazel @WithypitDahlias .  Take a look at their fab dahlias - they are gorgeous!"

"Just back from fantastic propagation workshop at @WithypitDahlias. Thank you Richard and Hazel!"

Relaxing before we get down to work.

Dahlia jobs in February

For those with a heated greenhouse who wish to propagate from their own stock February is the time to get started if you haven't already.   We maintain  a minimum temperature of 15C in our propagation tunnel.  Take from the winter store the tubers you will be using to to raise your 2014 stock.  I am asked many times how many cuttings will come off one tuber.  This is a very difficult question to answer as cultivars vary so much.   Something like Lavender Perfection, which has in my experience always been difficult to propagate, will generally yield 6-8 cuttings.  Another such as Taratahi Lilac may yield as many as 20 plus cuttings.

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 sparingly until the shoots begin to appear and then water normally.  Too much water in the very early stage before growth begins can cause tuber rot which is, obviously, not good, and rotting tubers smell horrible!

For many. or even most, cultivars shoots will begin to emerge in 2-3 weeks.

In the March blog I will describe how to take the cuttings that have grown and strike them.

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

Practical propagating workshop

Following a number of requests we are running a workshop on propagating dahlias from tubers.

Withypitts Dahlias Ltd

A practical Dahlia Propagation workshop

Friday February 14^th 2014

Turners Hill, West Sussex. RH10 4PB
Change of Venue !!
St Peter's Church Centre, Street Lane, Ardingly. 
West Sussex RH17 6UN

10:00 am	Registration, Coffee & biscuits
10:30 am	Introduction & overview
10:45 am	Course begins! Starting tubers into growth Taking cutting from the tuber Prepare cutting to plant Insert cutting
11:15 am – 12:45 pm	Take your own cuttings with tuition and guidance
01:00 pm	Course ends – PLOUGHMAN'S LUNCH

What's included

This fully interactive and practical workshop is designed to equip participants with the skills to raise dahlia plants from tubers and a chance to have a go at their own propagation. You'll take home the results of your work to grow on in your garden including the tubers you have used. Sufficient background information will be given enabling the plants raised to be grown on to produce high quality blooms for use either commercially or in the home.

Each participant will be provided with all the materials needed:

• tubers from which to take cuttings
• seed tray
• compost
• rooting compound
• plant labels

Who should attend

This workshop is for all who wish to raise their own cuttings including commercial cut flower growers and for gardeners who want to fill their borders with colour and flowers for their own cutting garden.

PRICE: £30.00 inclusive. Limited places available.

Email: courses@withypitts-dahlias.co.uk to book your place. Invoices will be issued in due course.

Field grown tubers for sale

The tuber sale has now started!

Buy now and grab a bargain! These are field grown and the same stock from which we raise our own plants. These tubers are sold in packs of 3 each and are priced at £6.50 a pack to clear as they are taking up valuable space. 

Full details on the web site Online Shop 

January jobs for the Dahlia grower

Happy New Year!

There is never a dull moment for a dahlia grower, now is the time to get the 2014 season under way.

The tubers that are in their winter store need to be inspected and any diseased or rotting parts removed.  Wipe away any mildew on the stems.  Dust with flowers of sulphur and carefully the tubers carefully in the   store.

January is a good time to plan your borders or cutting garden.

For people with heated greenhouses that are propagating and wish to get an early start remove the tubers from the winter store that you will be using.  Trim off any surplus fibrous roots and place in shallow trays on a layer of sifted compost.  Lightly cover being careful not to cover the stems or the crown and lightly water.  We maintain a minimum temperature of 15C and expect to begin to see growth in 2-3 weeks.

This year we will have tubers that are surplus to our own needs for sale.  These will be field grown and the same stock from which we raise our own plants.  Details to follow as soon as we have finalised numbers and will be available from the online shop.

National Dahlia Show

I received this copy email from Sion Jones today and pass it on to my dahlia friends.

Hello all.

Happy New Year.

If you aren't aware already, the National Show at Shepton Mallet has been cancelled due to the closure of the Show with which it was held in conjunction.
At the moment there are two potential alternatives on the table. Both will involve the NDS with a similar amount of additional expense, namely the space in which to hold the show and the set up of tabling etc.
The alternatives are Wisley RHS gardens in Surrey just off the M25 on the A3 or a Garden Centre near Atherstone in Warwickshire.just off the M42 and A5..
I think that most of you will understand where I'm coming from with this e-mail, namely that the EC need to get this right, otherwise our already flagging 'National' willl die a death altogether. I know of several exhibitors who have said that last year's Shepton was to be their last, and have subsequently stated that their feelings are just as strong about not attending if the Show goes to Wisley.
As I am not fully informed as to the ins and outs of the two venues, I cannot offer any sway other than to the Geographical advantages that Atherstone holds over Wisley.
I write this e-mail to you, to try to circulate it amongst your Dahlia contacts, as many will have no idea of the events of the past few weeks, and will have no opportunity to comment on them until the AGM in March.
The problem with this is that the decision meeting has been set for the 13th February, so basically if you don't know someone in the know, you don't have a say. (what ever happened to the sporadic newsletters ?)
The more of you who can respond to this, and air your views one way or another, the better as far as I'm concerned, given the lack of information afforded to you all by the Society.
I hope you can find time please to pass this round as much as possible, and dare I ask you send me your opinions so I can forward a file to the meeting in February.
I'm sorry to lump all the e-mail addresses together, but if you know someone not on the list, that's our target.
Once again please help with this, otherwise moaning afterwards is no use.
I look forward with trepidation to the 'flood' in my inbox.

Best Regards

Carl Hamnett NDS Harrogate Show Secretary