Dahlias - lift or leave?

[aussiedigger]

I didn't get a chance to lift my dahlias before the snow arrived.

The back yard has now melted enough to get out there, but should I lift them now or give them a good covering of mulch and hope for the best?

Advice appreciated.

Thanks!

[aussiedigger]

[elvis2003]

hate to tell you this but you are prob too late...they might be ok but prepare yourself for the worst.lift them by all means to give them a shot.remove all the top foliage,clean all the soil from the tubers and store upside down in the greenhouse for two weeks.this is to drain off any fluid. then store them in compost,still in the green house,till next year when hopefully you will start getting new growth!
good luck  ;D

[aussiedigger]

Thanks Elvis.  This could be an expensive lesson learnt for me!!  ::)

Ah well, I know what to ask Santa for now - new dahlias!!   ;D

Need to put 'Get more organised' on the list of resolutions!!

[Tee Gee]

I agree with Elvis.

Depending how big your tubers are it might be advantageous to push a screwdriver or similar down the hollowed stem and through the tuber.

What this does is prevent an air lock holding any moisture in the centre of the tuber.

My thinking is; your tubers might be extra wet because of the circumstances and temperatures and humidity might not be suitable for drying the tuber/s quckly.

What I have suggested will speed up the process.

Best of luck!

[Digeroo]

I managed to keep dahlias going outside for many years but I do not think that with the cold we have already had that this year is going to be one of them, though I did very surprisingly have one that came through last year. 

But I am just as disoganised left my lemon tree out.

[daitheplant]

Only leave them in the greenhouse if it is frostproof.

[aussiedigger]

I agree with Elvis.

Depending how big your tubers are it might be advantageous to push a screwdriver or similar down the hollowed stem and through the tuber.

What this does is prevent an air lock holding any moisture in the centre of the tuber.

My thinking is; your tubers might be extra wet because of the circumstances and temperatures and humidity might not be suitable for drying the tuber/s quckly.

What I have suggested will speed up the process.

Best of luck!

Sound advice - thanks Tee Gee. 

I managed to get about half of them lifted yesterday before it got too cold and dark so fingers crossed.  There was still a bit of 'green' in some of the larger stems and the tubers looked healthy - spring will reveal all.

Digeroo - sorry about your lemon tree. Hope it pulls through.  I always feel guilty when I manage to kill off a plant, especially if it is down to my own fault.  :-[