Topic: Dahlias

[Hosta]

Have just lifted my dahlias to store them over winter.

Any advice - mine never seem to survive  !! :(

[windygale]

hi hosta, this is what i do when i do mine,
i, cut the stem off to about 6" left on tuber,
wash off any soil/compost, check for any problems,
turn tubers upside and place into an old banana box to dry out, (as i have loads) but a seed tray  will do just a well, place tubers in a garage, GH or shed, to dry out,
after about two / three weeks when the stem  and tuber has shrivelled place into moist compost, then keep in a cool and frost free place,

[Hosta]

Thanks Windygale, this is what I have done in the past - I am going to put them in OHs garage this time though, I am thinking maybe the shed wasnt as frost proof as I had thought.

Heres hoping !

[shirlton]

I always store mine in sawdust after they have dried off. Never lost any last year and they were stored in the unheated GH

[Pesky Wabbit]

After two/three weeks drying, if there are any damp looking patches, check for rot. Ensure tubers are completely free from rot otherwise it just spreads. Dust any cut surfaces with yellow sulphur (about £3 from good garden centres for a fairy liquid sized bottle.)

I wrap mine in newspaper and store in buckits, by variety, in the garage, checking them in Jan for rot.

[angle shades]

 :) I never dig mine up, I'm probably just lucky,

when I did dig them up to store, they rotted ::)/ shades x

[Pesky Wabbit]

That's because your in Lincoln - thin  sandy soil.

If left in the ground, its the wet that kills them, not so much the frosty weather.

My garden is heavy clay soil - it kills them every time.

[Lauren S]

When I dug mine up this week and I didn't expect the tubers to be sooo big. However, some of the potato sized tubers fell off  :'(. What I would like to know is...will these regrow next year? I'm guessing they will not.  :'(

Lauren

[flowerlady]

I always store mine in sawdust after they have dried off. Never lost any last year and they were stored in the unheated GH

Great idea :D ... sadly we now have no bunny but I do have sawdust!  :-X

When do you plant them into moist soil then ??

[Hosta]

Mine are drying out nicely - will keep a check on them for any rot .

[Pesky Wabbit]

When I dug mine up this week and I didn't expect the tubers to be sooo big. However, some of the potato sized tubers fell off  :'(. What I would like to know is...will these regrow next year? I'm guessing they will not.  :'(

Lauren

Dahlias onlt sprot from around the old stem. So if the fallen tubers have no stem then they won't sprout. But there's no harm in having a go - you might just be lucky.

If I want to take cuttings, I plant in damp compost with bottom heat In mid Feb
Otherwise I pop in to pots about Easter time and plant out in May. (however these times vary a lot depending on the weather and how weedy the lottie is!)