Darren Everest Dahlias

07/06/2023

Top tip of the day
Don't drop your phone down the toilet!

Nightmare!

30/01/2016

The first signs of life from Blyton Everest. If it's as good as last year it'll certainly be one for the show bench. Can it beat the mighty Winholme Diane? Only time will tell and the slight lavender flush might be a problem but you never know, it might give it a run for it's money or at least be a useful addition to a multi vase class.

24/01/2016

And just a few more all potted up ready for plant sales etc.

24/01/2016

Just a few sweet pea plants all potted up ready for planting at the beginning of April.

24/01/2016

Fingers crossed for a bumper crop of cuttings in the next few weeks!

24/01/2016

24/01/2016

It's the earliest cutting I've ever had ready to take. A few other tubers have shoots on already but most are still as yet to show signs of life other than fresh new roots.

22/10/2015

Soon be time to start lifting / protecting your dahlias for the winter. I like to leave mine until the first frosts have blackened the foliage to allow the tuber beneath the ground to develop and put on plenty of stores to see it through the winter months.
I cut the foliage down to around six inches from the ground then dig up the dahlia. It's best to use a spade to reduce the risk of damaging the tuber.
I then clean off any excess soil, tie a name label around the stem, then take home to store.
Once home I put mine on the bench in the greenhouse and turn upside down to allow any moisture to drain from the stem. I turn the heat up in the greenhouse for a couple of days just to speed up the drying process. After a couple of days I turn the heat down just to give frost protection and cover all the tubers with a layer of fleece just in case of extra cold nights. I then leave them until the new year when propagating begins again!

01/09/2015

Edenbridge and oxted show display 2015. Gold medal for the fifth consecutive year. Very pleased.

24/08/2015

I could have done with a show today! Never mind I'm sure Dawn will like them indoors if we've got some big enough vases!

25/07/2015

My latest video on YouTube is now available so please search for "Darren Everest dahlias" where you can subscribe to my channel. If you subscribe you will automatically receive an alert as soon as a new video is available.

25/07/2015

All up to date up the allotment with my dahlias. Cut back every stem that had a bud on it today to encourage the new side shoots. Anything that had a bud on it would have been out in about 25 days time. Too early for any shows so therefore would have been wasted blooms. I shall start securing the buds from next weekend so anything from now on that forms a bud will be allowed to flower. Hopefully, fingers crossed I'll have a few in a months time for Surrey members early show before my main first flush a week later for the Edenbridge and Oxted agricultural show. Will they be ready on time? Just have to wait and see now!