Allotments 4 All

I am a totally failure at overwintering Dahlias, I tend to leave them in the ground and hope, but last couple of winters doomed them.  I have never managed to get a dug up one to survive.

I have a gorgeous salmon pink one I bought at a plant sale and really want to keep it safe.  So please I would like some lessons on what to do.

I love Dahlias but no matter what I do they never survive the winter.  I have tried every method suggested and fail every year to save them  :(

I leave them to blacken with the frost, dig them up, hang them upside down to dry out a bit and have stored them in a frost free place in a little compost, have tried in paper bags too, but it doesnt work out for me. 

Hope you have better luck than me.

Looks like I am not the only failure at this.  Hopefully someone wthl the knowledge will be able to help us.   

An old Gardner told me dig tubers up , leave two inch stems, pierce stem with a knitting needle. leave upside down for a week to drain, then store in peat or sand in a frost free shed right side up.

If there is a better way somebody will be along soon to tell you   :D

I think the problem is possibly the frost free shed.  I think the mice attack them in the winter if they cannot find anything better to eat.  Also OH has a habit of moving my stuff and putting it too close to the door.  Lost a lot of squash that way.

I always leave them in the ground.  I cover them with a good heap of straw, maybe a foot deep and it seems to work most of the time.  I think I only lost one last winter.

I have plenty of straw.  They could have a whole bale if necessary.  But for me the problem with that is that the slugs get to them as soon as they sprout.  I did have some lovely ones I grew from seed for many years.  I grew T&M showpiece, and I might get another packet next time they have an offer.  They were stunning.  I had to bottle cloche them early in the season.

Cut mine back last year & then dug them up - washed them off & left upside down in a basket lined with newspaper, & put them in the garage ( it is a nice brick one with the boiler in it!) This year they were better than ever.

My dad always stored them in wooden crates in a frost-free shed when he was gardener for the local hospital. He trimmed them, turned them upside down and sprinkled them with sulphur powder (flower of sulphur) to prevent mildew / fungus developing. They were then covered with newspaper.

This has worked for me too in the past.  ;)

Many thanks for the info.  I will try and be successful.

We grew about 200 and sold the flowers at boot fairs. All I did was lift the tubers after the first frost ,remove most but not all the soil, Then store them as they were in a frost free place,just standing upside down on the stems. In the spring the soil had dried out and shook off then I could split the tubers and replant. I did this for about 20 years.

Are vine weevils a problem with dahlias - I find a lot of my overwintered stuff gets attacked by them?

I thought vine weevils live in the compost root area. It take up should be visible?

My dahlias were really late so just enjoying them now- sorry off thread! :-[

I have only had the one particularly gorgeous flower like you pumpkinlover very late which is why I want to save the tuber.

Thanks all for the advice. 

200 dahlias you must be missing those as well as the daffs laurieuk. 

Hi Digeroo
I miss gardening !!!!!!!! having worked 63 years in gardening and then end up with no garden believe me comes as a shock. I have got an allotment 36 feet by 12 feet which once I got most of the couch etc. out has given us some good veg. It is just as people tell me I must get used to a different way of life.

I'm not allowed to "garden" at home Laurieuk as my OH likes to do things "her way" so I just cut the grass and dig holes when large ones are needed.

Down on the plot it's all mine.  :) I have chrysanthemums, gladioli and did have dahlias all for picking - as well as cheering the place up. And, of course, the veg and fruit.  ;)

Had you thought of a few flowers on your plot Laurieuk?
Perhaps you already have them?

With such a small plot 36 x 12 feet there is no room for flowers and even that size is classed as 2 plots and I have to pay 2 rents
I have got permission to have a row of sweetpeas in a grass area out side our flat.

Quote from: laurieuk on September 12, 2011, 08:38:16
With such a small plot 36 x 12 feet there is no room for flowers and even that size is classed as 2 plots and I have to pay 2 rents
I have got permission to have a row of sweetpeas in a grass area out side our flat.

I see your problem.  :(   I have one full plot 30'x60' and another half plot so manage a few flowers for picking. I also grow wallflowers for transplanting into our garden.

I think I'd extend the sweet pea patch and plonk something in front of them. There are so many plain green grassy patches around I don't know how people can resist planting flowers and shrubs. 

I dig up before they get too frosted then do the upside down bit for a week or so. Then take off most of the dried soil and have a good search for vine weavals etc.wrap each plant in several sheets of newspaper and store in a cardboard box in the garage.More newspaper on top and inside the box. Definately not frost proof but most survived last winter.
Not eaten by mice although spuds etc do get chomped if I don't kill the varmits first...
Get them out about March/April and start them off in the poly in big trays. I don't take cuttings but perhaps I should start, I just separate the tubers,check for weavals again[letting the tubers soak in water for an hour or so seems to drown them or soak them out] then let them grow.Go out when I think weather good enough:May/june

For two years on the trot I left some of mine in the ground! They were on the plot and there only for cut flowers so I was not too desperate to keep them. (3 different types)

They grew in the corner between two grass paths and at the back of a shed. I covered the lot with a large heap of compost and piled dried grass over the top of that. I was surprised when up they came each spring bigger and better. I took a chance I must admit.