My guide quick easy no fuss guide on caring for dahlia tubers over the winter #gardenerben, by Ben Hamilton Anderson,Rose Expert / Plant Reviewer on YouTube. 5 min 45 s.
- Video length
- 5 min 45 s
- Time to do it
- 1 hour
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 9
What you need
Steps
Wait for the first frost to blacken the foliage. This tells you the plant has stopped growing and is ready for winter care.
Cut the blackened stems down to about 12 inches (30 cm). Do not cut shorter, because hollow stems funnel water into the tuber and cause rot.
Chop the removed growth into small pieces and pack it around the remaining stems.
Top the stems with about one bucket of spent compost, wood chip or mulch. This feeds the soil and insulates the tuber.
If your winter temperatures regularly fall to -10C or below, lift the tubers instead. Dig with a long bladed spade about 30 cm out from where you expect the tuber to be.
Cut all the way around and lift the clump, keeping as much soil around the tubers as possible. The soil keeps them warm and hydrated.
Do not wash the tubers and do not divide them unless you plan to sell them. Place them in a bright, covered spot such as a greenhouse or patio table to cure for about two weeks.
Move the dried clumps into storage crates with the soil still around them. Label each one clearly with the variety name.
Stack the crates in a frost free, dark place and leave them there until February or March, when you start waking the tubers up.
Tips and common mistakes
Leaving tubers in the ground is often safer than lifting them, as long as you mulch deeply after the first frost.
Cut stems too short and water runs down the hollow centre into the tuber, which rots it.
Keep the soil on lifted tubers. Washing it off removes protection and moisture.
Label every crate well, because unnamed tubers are hard to tell apart by spring.
Questions
Can I leave dahlias in the ground all winter?
Yes, in most gardens. Cut the stems to 12 inches after the first frost and cover them with chopped growth and a bucket of mulch. Only lift them if temperatures regularly drop to -10C or below.
Do I need to wash or divide the tubers before storing?
No. Leave the soil around them and keep the clump whole. Dividing is only needed if you plan to sell tubers over winter.
Where should I store lifted dahlia tubers?
Cure them in a bright covered spot for about two weeks, then store them in labelled crates in a dark, frost free place until February or March.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
