Dahlias are an underated Flower I think and they are very colourful in Summer and last till the first Frosts In October too. Very good also as a cut flower for vases indoors. I start mine off from the Tubers that the plant grows from.

You can buy them at Garden Centres as just a Tuber root, then pot them up at the start of April, inside the Greenhouse. Slowly they will emerge and will need a large pot to get growing well in the compost. Plant them so that the stalk is just showing above the level of the compost.

Some varieties can grow to 4ft-5ft, though dwarf varieties are also available, for Container pots on Patios. Deadhead the dahlias on a regular basis and more will keep flowering. You will need to put a cane or stick to support the plants as they grow taller, as the stems get quite heavy too.

Best to tie these in and keep the stalks from breaking off. After Frosts kill them off In Autumn, you can dig them up and dry them off on your Greenhouse staging. All stalks should be cut back to the base, with just the tubers left and an inch or so of stalk. After they dry off, you can store them in a box of dry peat or compost, till Springtime.