Time to plant dahlias outside??

I have planted mine out already, but I do live just north of Portsmouth and weather is quite mild.
I still have some in pots though in case things go wrong and I will be planting these out mid to late May.

I leave mine in the ground every year. I put plastic over them then put a good covering of mulch. Once you get them through their first year they tend to come back ok. I am look at un covering mine next week but will be keeping a eye out for frost and if I no one is on the way I will pop a fleece over them. I am in Preston, Lancashire.

I have ordered some more from the national dahlia society which arrived today. They will be potted on and once a good size they will be going outside. The only problem is slugs so I am getting ready to spray my second batch of nematodes. I love dahlia's and grow the gaints.

Best regards

Debs

I planted mine in a big pot a few weeks ago, put the pot in the cold frame and planted them out yesterday. I am in Somerset and hope that May will not be too cold!!!!

I'm in Central Scotland - so am just at the point of beginning to harden them off from this weekend. Really, I shouldn't plant them out until the end of the month - so maybe North Wales is somewhere between us and Somerset in terms of timing?

I would treat North Wales as same as here in Fife - just 10 miles inland from Buzzbee. Mine are in pots in the greenhouse, and will stay there until June. I also lift them at end of season, dry, put in brown paper bags, labelled with colour or variety, and store in an outhouse, replanting in pots in greenhouse again in Spring, to start all over again. I'd wait until June, if you were me.

Thanks very much to everyone. Fingers crossed for the old dahlias