Gardening Page 9

Quote: Hercules Grytpype Thynne @ 2nd November 2024, 12:00 PM

Thank you

Yes, Ipswich - we don't get severe anything really, though they do on the coast which is about 12 miles to the East

And yes, that was going to be my next question regarding the dahlias - to leave in or store. The RHS says you can do both, but if you leave them in you must cover them in a deep pile of compost to prevent, of course, frost damage. I seem to remember many years ago the recommendation for storage was to cut the stalks back to about 6" and store them upside down in a box to drain indoors, which is no problem, but inconvenient.

Ah yes, I always buy pansies when they first become available, if only to provide colour but I see my Busy Lizzies in the basket are still flourishing, which I hadn't tried before.

So does you wife leave them in the trays she bought them in? And stores indoors or greenhouse?

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On the pansies, we buy as late as possible, plant out by end October, cut off all flowers and ling straggly stems. They then seen to go a bit quiet, bulk up a bit then flower.. winter pansies is a bit of a misnomer, they should be called very, very late winter pansies, because they don't seem to get going till well after Christmas.

On Dahlias wet is the biggest problem if you leave in the ground - so on the Welsh borders thats a no-no (though a really deep frost (-10 +) will kill pretty well anything - but we don't seem to get those anymore)
But where you are you usually have pretty well drained, dry conditions - so might be worth the slight risk.
Storing indoors is a faff - but we don't have the choice - the only plus side being they are easier to divide when out of the ground.

Quote: Lazzard @ 2nd November 2024, 12:12 PM

On the pansies, we buy as late as possible, plant out by end October, cut off all flowers and ling straggly stems. They then seen to go a bit quiet, bulk up a bit then flower.. winter pansies is a bit of a misnomer, they should be called very, very late winter pansies, because they don't seem to get going till well after Christmas.

On Dahlias wet is the biggest problem if you leave in the ground - so on the Welsh borders thats a no-no (though a really deep frost (-10 +) will kill pretty well anything - but we don't seem to get those anymore)
But where you are you usually have pretty well drained, dry conditions - so might be worth the slight risk.
Storing indoors is a faff - but we don't have the choice - the only plus side being they are easier to divide when out of the ground.

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OK thank you - I'll try that with the pansies next year, but I suppose I could cut them back hard now? And should I keep them indoors or greenhouse?

Good point about dividing the tubers, but do you store them upside down to drain as I remember reading about some years ago, so they stand on the 6" of stalk you leave on, like little legs 😊

Quote: Hercules Grytpype Thynne @ 2nd November 2024, 12:25 PM

OK thank you - I'll try that with the pansies next year, but I suppose I could cut them back hard now? And should I keep them indoors or greenhouse?

Good point about dividing the tubers, but do you store them upside down to drain as I remember reading about some years ago, so they stand on the 6" of stalk you leave on, like little legs 😊

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Pansies should be OK outside.
Re Dahlias - I always thought that, prior to storage you hung them up right-ways up so that any sugars drain into tuber.
But to be honest I just dig up, shake off the soil then put them in the greenhouse any which way for a week or two - then cut stalks down to 4" (mainly so you know which way is up!) then wrap in newspaper, label, and stack in a box - then put then somewhere frost-free (but still cool) and dark, in my case, the basement
Beginning of April whip them out, pot them on and leave somewhere light and frost free. They'll sprout and you'll then need to water.
After last frost plant out.
Downside is you need the space to store until frosts stop - upside is the first shoots aren't prey to slugs and you can stick the plants wherever you want.
But be careful with Dahlias - the last thing old men like us need is another bloody hobby!

Quote: Lazzard @ 2nd November 2024, 1:03 PM

But be careful with Dahlias - the last thing old men like us need is another bloody hobby!

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LOL, true true, but I haven't the space to get carried away, and have dropped two or three hobbies in the last 5 years, as am busier now than when I was working 😒 BUT 😁 it does keep the brain ticking over.

And thanks for you pointers on the two types of plants

Quote: Lazzard @ 2nd November 2024, 1:03 PM

Pansies should be OK outside.

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I left them in situ in their suspended troughs, despite a disappointing loss of flower as mentched before, and the foliage thickened, looking very healthy, and now they have started flowering again, so all is right with the world.

Ours are perking up now.