Scarlets Cut Flower Patch 2022/23/24

Yes. I lift them all. I read all the time that people leave them in but even if they do come back, they flower too late, send up too many shoots so they all get spindly and the flowers are smaller/poorer quality.

Cut down foliage when they've been frosted/gone over. Leave some short stems poking out so you know where they are. I often leave for a week or two. Dig up, shake as B much earth off as you can. Leave in the greenhouse to dry off, I put mine on racks, stems down so they drain/dry out. I then wrap in newspapers and pack in cardboard boxes. Check now and then that you haven't got a damp one in there as one wet:mouldy one will turn all the others. If you got those packing noodles/spare vermiculite etc - that would work brilliantly but I've too many and it's too costly.

#some people recommend washing the mud off but this can lead to rot if they haven't had enough time to dry off before packing. Don't rush packing up... the tubers take days to dry out. Cut any bits off that look rotten/old and any of those long straggly roots.

# I also find they keep better as a large clump - split in Spring.

Sounds like too much work for me.
That’s probably why I’ve never been successful with dahlias!

Sounds like too much work for me.
That’s probably why I’ve never been successful with dahlias!

Same here, FEW. I have some dahlias that have been in the ground for a couple of years but they're not the fancy ones that Scarlet grows.

Sounds like too much work for me.
That’s probably why I’ve never been successful with dahlias!

I actually like the time outside in the greenhouse when it's cold and raining outside?

Can’t get in my greenhouse for dead stuff in pots!!

I chuck it all out onto the garden! Greenhouse cleanup job this week - not one plant or pot in there.

....tell a lie, I have some geranium in the borders - for filler.

I’m so jealous! I’m still hoping for signs of life - so can’t throw anything!!

I don't faff with my dahlia tubers that much. My process is: dig them up, leave them somewhere to dry a bit until most of the soil falls off, trim off the straggly roots then chuck them in a cardboard box, store them in the house somewhere cool, give them a half-hearted check at some point if I remember, replant in spring.

I don't faff with my dahlia tubers that much. My process is: dig them up, leave them somewhere to dry a bit until most of the soil falls off, trim off the straggly roots then chuck them in a cardboard box, store them in the house somewhere cool, give them a half-hearted check at some point if I remember, replant in spring.

That's pretty much what I do.

Seeds sown and Cuttings taken for flowers in 2023
I'll update this List as I go -

Biennials-
Foxgloves white - 40 seedlings planted
Foxgloves apricot - still in the tray... dithering in where ti put them
Canterbury bells - about 60 seedlings planted
Sweet Williams - about 100 seedlings planted
Sweet Rocket- about 40 seedlings planted
Wallflowers white and pink

Seeds sown September
Cornflowers
Cerinthe
Daucus
Ammi Visnaga
Green Twister - Echinacea
Sweet Rocket - for the garden
Bee balm - Lambada
Nigella - midnight
Nigella - green Pod
Nigella -black pod
Poppy - giganteum
Lavatera - silver cup
Lavatera - mont blanc
Lavatera - lovliness

Gypsophila
Covent garden white
Kerminsena - pink

Chinese forget-me-nots pink

Scabious
Salmon queen
Black Knight

Marigold - canteloupe - I dont like the sticky feel of these but I may be able to use one or two.

SnapDragons
Potomac lavender
Potomac orange
The rose
Madam butterfly mixed
Madam butterfly orange

Cuttings taken in September
Taken roots from Apple mint
Would also like to do curly and lambada

Perennials
Echinops - star frost... no show so far
Lady Jane - lysimachia
Veronica - blue
Greek Oregano - I have to try it!
Achillea - summer berries. Sown more as the ones I have seem to be mostly white.
Salvia caradonna

Successional sowings to do:
I found some things tired early from cutting. Next year i will try 2or maybe even 3 sowings of some things

Snapdragons - sow mid Feb