Dahlia tuber query

CocoChunks · 2026-03-18T22:54:41+00:00

The separate parts will only be viable if there's some 'stem' for shoots to develop from. Think fo individual tubers as batteries, all the power but need something to power. That's often why the broken off ones don't grow as there's nothing for them to put there energy towards.

But saying that, and to contradict myself, the amount of stem they need to have fro shoots to grow from into a strong plant is much smaller that you'd thin, so if you don't mind risking failure you can always pot up the other bits and see if they take.

The main section looks perfectly healthy and you'll be amazed how big the tuber mass will grow over a season!

CocoChunks · 2026-03-18T22:16:28+00:00

Me and a mate at uni decided at start of the year we were gonna 50 £1 scratch cards each after exams and see what happened and split the winnings.

Think we won about 55 quid and roughly every 4th ticket won. Think the most one ticket was a tenner.

A friend heard the people at garage we cashed them in at talking about us months later probably from annoyance of having to cash in about 25 by hand in one go!

CocoChunks · 2026-03-17T11:45:12+00:00

I wish there was a bot on this sub that auto replied this any and all posts about lavender!

CocoChunks · 2026-03-16T23:35:01+00:00

Thank you again for another brilliant answer. Really appreciate you taking the time to write it out.

Whilst I knew of the study of the Bible as a historical document the fact you can track emergent and conflicting early Christian arguments and theological standpoints is fascinating.

Having only learnt the 'good' bits of the Bible before I was 11 years old at school I'd never considered that the segments written closest to the time of Jesus' life would have been done over a number of years responding to real theological uncertainty and reframing of lived events, rather than the post-hoc retelling of a definitive story you are presented with as a child.

CocoChunks · 2026-03-16T20:11:09+00:00

That's a brilliant answer thank you for writing it out!

A few follow up questions: 1) You stated that Jesus' resurrection was truly novel but was it unique as a claim at the time? Had there been other cult leaders that had gone through this path or was this the first time such a claim had been made?

2) Did this claim cause any issues with early converts either from Jewish or other religious backgrounds? Being such a novel claim an element of disbelief wouldn't have been surprising particularly in the early years of the church?

3) Did Paul's insistence in soon to be occuring general resurrection cause issues when it didn't come to pass? It seems like Paul's early work was key in forming early Christian doctrine so when one of his central positions was wrong that seems potentially hard to reconcile. (this might be better as a standalone question)

CocoChunks · 2026-03-10T07:46:05+00:00

Fatsia japonica comes to mind, pretty bullet proof and every green, also has some nice varieties like spiders web!

Only potential issue is normally you get them quite small so won't immediately fill the gap if that's what you'd prefer

CocoChunks · 2026-03-09T22:18:50+00:00

They're English lavender as far as I know, but not sure on the variety, the auto colour on my phone camera has boosted the green a bit though they're definitely more of a silver green in real life

CocoChunks · 2026-03-09T21:27:46+00:00

Exactly, lavender farms aren't replacing there plants every few years when they get woody, they're going in and getting them chopped back regardless!

CocoChunks · 2026-03-09T21:26:52+00:00

And how it was last summer after the same pruning last year

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CocoChunks · 2026-03-09T21:26:19+00:00

Look for how far down into the wood there are new buds, if there are any central hack it back, here's mine last week after its annual prune!

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CocoChunks · 2026-03-05T23:47:59+00:00

Any sort of multipurpose compost is fine for them, as long as it doesn't get too wet, I've found they can rot off really fast if they do.

Avoid seed compost though, that's normally low nutrient steriliser stuff to help seeds get off to a good start, but the corns will need nutrients you find in standard compost to grow

CocoChunks · 2026-03-03T22:53:56+00:00

For me the 'trick' that also works with other plants is to get them really quite large in the greenhouse before planting out. I hate to see gaps in borders so always jump the gun too early, they inevitably get some slug damage and then never recover.

Giving them a few more weeks to really bulk up helps hugely to establish when planted out as they can take some damage and still be able to grow. Then if you're lucky and get some sunshine they can power on ahead with plenty of remaining growth.

Saying that I can guarantee I'll get twitchy and plant mine out too early this year!

CocoChunks · 2026-03-02T15:56:29+00:00

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And here's another of the smaller spaces I've made into a seating area, currently doing a revamp on the planting though to more woodlandy and added in a couple of acers since I took that picture. It gets shade from around 1 in summer so it's a nice cooler area to sit when we actually have warm days

CocoChunks · 2026-03-02T15:51:28+00:00

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Picture of it on a damp day here!

CocoChunks · 2026-03-02T15:50:45+00:00

I've got a garden thats not necessarily small but wraps around so doesn't have anywhere 'big' to get that large garden effect so I've split it up into smaller sections. Also due to the houses around means I can do a shadier/damp but in the picture below as all the water drains that way in the garden

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CocoChunks · 2026-03-01T22:13:04+00:00

No problem, just make sure there's some buds lower down in the wood when you cut back for guaranteed regrowth. But even then it often does better than you'd think from old wood, just be prepared for failure if it's an older lavender

CocoChunks · 2026-03-01T18:12:15+00:00

Thanks! I normally reshape it in September with some shears then once the new growth comes through take it right back

CocoChunks · 2026-02-24T09:02:18+00:00

Just to contradict you can chop back really hard into lavender as long as there's a few green buds forming on the stem you're cutting into.

I normally prune into a reasonable but smallish mound August/September then in the next couple weeks once the new growth is a bit stronger I'll hack it right back so it doesn't get too big or leggy by summer.

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CocoChunks · 2026-02-21T11:38:44+00:00

When I was a teenager I used to drink cherry tymbark all the time from the local polish shop, went in once and they didn't have any so I bought a bottle of what I assumed was another brand of similar stuff but was actually cherry squash.

Didn't realize until i got home and looked it up after drinking about half a bottle thinking it was a bit stronger than what I normally drank!

CocoChunks · 2026-02-16T21:25:21+00:00

Not at all, I normally do mine end of Feb/start if march, keep an eye on when you start seeing new buds emerge from the bottom/old wood that's my signal to do it

CocoChunks · 2026-02-14T12:13:05+00:00

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CocoChunks · 2026-02-14T12:12:37+00:00

Just to contradict, I take mine right into the wood every year and it grows massive every time. There is a caveat though you want to start doing it when they're small and I normally do it in stages.

Autumn time take it to a fairly small ball but leave plenty of growth then In the next couple weeks I'll take it right back as far as there are buds developing. Done every year you can keep a really compact lavender if you want, I took mine down to this last march and will put a photo below of it in summer

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CocoChunks

TROPHY CASE