Talkback: How to lift and store dahlias - Talkback

stoneyford

24/11/2011 at 15:28

I got 6 dahlias in pots is it ok to leave in pot & store in shed & also should i leave or cut off stems. Chris

boleybegbarna

24/11/2011 at 15:28

The danger with leaving them in the pot is that they will rot. What I would do is remove the dahlia from the pot, cut off the stem and dry the tuber as described in the article. Once dry place the Tubers in a tray/pot and cover with dry compost. Then watch Sarah's video on taking cuttings. From my experience taking cuttings is a guaranteed way of increasing your stock of Dahlias for free!

victorial

24/11/2011 at 15:28

I would like someone to answer stoneyford(Chris') comment because I'd also like to ask that question! Thanks Vic.

shihanw

24/11/2011 at 15:28

Last year as a trial I left one Dahlia plant in a pot & it came back this year and it is flowering now. When the leaves were blacken by the frost I cut the top growth and left the tuber in the pot & kept it dry in the greenhouse. Around March I brought them inside onto a sunny windowsill and started watering the tubers and they started to grow. If you keep the pot dry you should be able to leave the tubers in their pots.

amandajb

24/11/2011 at 15:28

is it OK to lift them if they are still in flower ? or should i wait until they die down.

grannybarb

24/11/2011 at 15:28

I live in Enniskillen N.I. we can't leave in soil as they will rot. To wet.

rengiesuerte

24/11/2011 at 15:29

Interesting post! I've been searching for useful tips on how to grow dahlia tubers. I want to grow dahlia tubers of different variety I got at Lynch Creek Farm. I look forward to see other helpful tips in this site.

mike_sansom

24/11/2011 at 15:29

I leave my dahlias in the ground until the frosts, because where I live ( Sutton Surrey ) they are still in their prime. Gardening as we all know is not done to the exact time of the year but by on conditions prevailing at the time. I think this is important to bear in mind the pundits are reminding us not saying it should happen necessarily now.

tnkells

24/11/2011 at 15:29

Excellent advice. I was really unsure what to do with my Dahlias but this answers my question. Thanks GW....

mikefromkent

24/11/2011 at 15:29

I was thinking of using sawdust instead of dry compost, for storage, any comments would be welcome

lynnejean

24/11/2011 at 15:29

I usually wait until the first frost when the foliage goes black, then i lift them.

Friffies

29/09/2012 at 07:32

I left mine to their own devices last year and didnt even dead head at the end. This year I have had loads of new plants even different colours.

Verdun

29/09/2012 at 09:24

I turn dahlia tubers upside down to "drain" for day or so before potting up or storing. I do this on greenhouse shelving but anywhere warm n dry. Dahlias can be left in the ground here but those I do lift, to propogate, etc.,, are treated as I've described

Rosemary Farr

30/09/2012 at 18:56

I grow all my dahlias in large pots. I lift them before they are frosted - usually when they start to look straggly (October time). I dry them off upside down in the greenhouse for a couple of days. I then wrap them in newspaper and store them in cardboard boxes in my loft. I have not had any failures. This year (and the tubers are a few years old now) they reached 6 ft. and gave a truly wonderful display.

Newleaf

13/10/2012 at 12:45

It is mid October and my Dahlias are still in flower. I read that I should cut them back and lift them for the winter - is it too soon? I am reluctant to cut back such beautiful flowers before I need to...

kate1123

13/10/2012 at 12:51

DO NOT cut them back, enjoy the flowers, they will be fine until the first frost. It is a recommended task but obviously depends where you are in the country, if you have a sheltered garden you could get another 6 weeks of pleasure whereas someone in Scotland may already have had to dig theirs up.

Verdun

13/10/2012 at 13:17

I don't think there is anything complicated about storing dahlia tubers. As long as they are DRY. Dont let them shrivel so wrap in something. I use fleece but others use newspaper and other materials and keep in greenhouse or indoors. I totally agree with kate1123, enjoy your flowers for as long as possible

sotongeoff

13/10/2012 at 15:46

You should not lift dahlias until the frost has blackened the tops-they longer they are in the ground the better- this builds up the food reserves in the tuber making it bigger for flowering power next year

Some don't even lift them but leave them with a thick mulch too see them through the winter.

Helen Bang

14/10/2012 at 16:12

I have had some disasters with dahlias over the years. When we lived in Reading, Berks, I dug up the tubers and stored them in the loft. It was too dry and I lost the lot. We moved to central Scotland. I lifted the dahlias and stored them in the shed. Temperatures fell to -17 degrees that winter, again I lost the lot. Next year, stored them in the shed carefully insulated I thought, again very low temperatures caused me to lose them all. Last year I lifted them, dried them, packed each tuber in a plastic bag with holes in and put them in crates under the stairs. Al most all survived! I started them in pots in the greenhouse (remember that fine weather in March?) We went away for a week. There was snow. I got back to find the tops blackened but luckily got away with it and have had a fine display. I've just lifted them and am drying off. Will store under the stairs again as it is neither too hot nor too cold there. Fingers crossed.

Verdun

14/10/2012 at 20:09

Helen, you deserve to succeed with your dahlias. Such determination despite the setbacks. Bet you get great plants next summer