Amateur Gardening – 10 July 2019

6 JULY 2019AMATEUR GARDENING 31

‘Roxy’

Make a statement with this must-have for containers. Produced from late spring

to the end of September, the bold pink flowers are showy enough to shine on their

own; alternatively, try with paler partners, like gaura and white petunias. H: 2ft (60cm).

Beating slugs

and snails

DAHLIAS are more susceptible to slug
and snail attack when they are just
emerging from the soil; not so much
once they get to about a foot tall.
Pellets containing metaldehyde are
being phased out ahead of next year’s
ban, so try ferrous phosphate pellets
instead. Use little, and often.

Keep your dahlias

happy and healthy

Deadhead

Snip off spent flowers to keep fresh

ones coming. Remember: round

buds are unopened flowers, conical-

shaped buds are the spent ones.

Pest control

Earwigs are dahlias’ biggest pest.

Trap them by stuffing flower pots

with newspaper and upturning them

on canes amongst the flowers.

Improve your soil

Dahlias like moist soil during the

growing season, so dig in organic

matter such as weed-free garden

compost; it will act like a sponge,

soaking up any available moisture.

Keep up the

deadheading

to ensure

a steady

stream of

new fl owers

Crocus crocus.co.uk 01344 578111

National Dahlia Collection nationaldahliacollection.co.uk 01736 339276

Rose Cottage Plants rosecottageplants.co.uk 01992 573775

Where to buy

Overwintering: store or leave?

LOUISE Danks, production manager at the National Dahlia

Collection in Cornwall, says it’s fine to leave tubers in the

ground if you garden on free-draining soil. But if you garden

on clay, you should dig them up and store somewhere dry

and frost-free over the winter.

Overwintering: store or leave?

Protect against slug

and snail damage

Tubers can be dug

up and stored