Hello,
I lifted some dahlias when the first frosts hit and left them in a cardboard box in a shed with the short cut stems facing downwards. I read about this online, how I would need to leave them like this for two weeks to drain the water out of them, and then fill the box in layers of slightly moist compost.
This was more than a fortnight ago. There were more dahlias than I had anticipated for the box, so it was left open. In order to do the compost layering, I'd need to get a much larger box, which would be too big for the shed so I'd have to somehow get them to a bigger garage or something.
What is the risk if I just leave them as they are at the moment until it's time to re-plant them again? They're all together, stems downwards, box lid open, no compost layering just one on top of the other. The shed is not totally dark.
Thank you.
I'm very lazy, just leave them in the pots and move into cold greenhouse and forget... start watering in March and keep my fingers crossed... don't do many though!
::)
We used to grow about 300 dahila plants for cut flower so could not go to a lot of trouble storing, all we did was lift them get most of the soil off, and put them unside down under the greenhouse bench. The greenhouse was just frost proof but to be sure I put double bubble film between the tubers and the glass. They stayed there until early spring when I would split them up for replanting.If I needed to increase by cuttings those tubers would be started early. I cannot remember losing any. By leaving them uncovered it allows plenty of air around them and does not bring them into growth too early.
As long as they are well cool they should be fine. The worst problem I have found is keeping the tubers where it is too warm when they are likely to start into growth in January and you have to try to hold them back till they can be planted out towards the end of April.
Have tried an experiment this year and left them in the ground! No matter if they rot as I will just grow more from seed next year.
We have left some in the ground for a number of years with no real problems, the worst thing is the slugs waiting in the spring for the new shoots for breakfast. :'( :'(
For anyone watching this thread, I can now confirm, leaving them in an open box without compost is not a good idea. Some of the tubers have gone mouldy. Can I still plant them mouldy? I've noticed bulbs often sprout even though mould is on them?
Hi, yes as long as they just have some mould on them and are not rotting they should be fine. Incidentaly, mine also stored without compost are fine. Did you store them where it was dry, cool and dark? By dry I mean bone dry and by cool down to just above freezing.
Either you got lucky or I got unlucky! I stored them in my shed, which is dry, above freezing and dark-ish... I have an upturned large bucket type thing over the top. I hope that they won't rot between now and planting them.
I am one of the lazy ones. I have left my Dahlias in the ground for the past 3 years The only time I dig em up is to split em. I now have about 40. Must amit to covering them really well with farmyard manure over the winter. I expect this year they will all die now I`ve said that but I shall just have to start again. Fingers crossed.
I have left mine in the ground over winter but i be doing it again - they were all fine but soooooo slow into growth that some didn't start flowering till october. This year, I have left them in the ground all winter and will dig them up in March to start off in the cold frame.