overwintering dahlias

Can any of you experienced gardeners give me the lowdown?

go to the Daliah forum lots of realy good info there ;0)

Gloria

Here's what to do:

Dig bulbs or tubers up after frost has blackened foliage. Carefully remove as much soil as you can.


Cut the leaves off, leaving a stem about an inch or two long. Leaves and stems are not needed, as the plants are going to be dormant and not making any growth through the winter.


You can either carefully wash the soil off the tubers or bulbs, or just let it dry and work it off by hand later.


Leave bulbs or tubers exposed to air in a frost-free place for a couple of weeks. Any remaining stem should be dry before going into storage, otherwise rot could develop.


Store in vermiculite or dry peat (available at garden centers) in paper bags or cardboard boxes in a cool, frost free place at 40 to 50°F (5-10°C).


Dahlia tubers are prone to drying up somewhat, and these should be stored in slightly moistened peat moss. Check them through the winter, and if they've shriveled, moisten the peat moss. Some authorities suggest plumping shriveled dahlia bulbs up in a bucket of water overnight. If you do this, let them dry thoroughly before you put them back into storage.
Related information:



Read more: http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/overwinter-summer-bulbs.html#ixzz0TMSFodO9

Thanks so much Loon!

Hello Pumpkin,
i have what i call pot dahlias. I used to get flats of them every year just like other annuals. They are not the big hybrids or specialty flowering Dahlias. I dig them up and brush off the soil and put them in a big 5 gallon bucket. In the spring they start to send out new growth and then i know when to pot them up!!
Now i have a big set up of plant over wintering in my basement. And i have fans going and a stone 1864 basement which is more humid and kept at about 55-62 degrees. Almost everything survives for me.
I
It really depends on where you store them and how. They need to not dry out. So Once a month i pour a cup of water over the 5 gal. pail. I also put tubers in wood shavings (you can buy cheaply for pet bedding)
from a grain elevator or TSC or Quality Fleet.
I put a plastic bag into a milk crate or rubbermaid tub. I then put some wood shavings and alternate
my tubers and shavings. I leave the bag open and only use it as a liner. It holds in some moisture and
does not let the heated house dry the bulbs out. I also add the 1 cup of water to each crate in the months when there is little rain or moisture and more dry heat. I store cannas, callas, dahlias, begonias this way.
Julie

I dig, rinse, and cut apart the mess of tubers making sure to get an 'eye' with each tuber. (it is a little bump thing) Then I wrap them in saran wrap and store them in a dark rubbermaid container in a cool place (not freezing) I lose very few of them! I've done it that way for several years.

Wow! I have never tried that way Sarv. Could you put them in a plastic bag? Do you water them during the winter or not?
Julie

Don't know about the plastic bag...I've always used saran wrap. And NO don't water them....they are wrapped up.

I won't be around in the winter to water them. So maybe I should try the saran wrap. Thanks for all the ideas guys.

I am going to try it Sarv!! Saran wrap it is!!
Thanks!
Julie

Good Luck!!

It's recommended to dust them in sulfur
before you put them in storage.
I assume that prevents mold and bugs.


I have one Dahlia where i can't see any obvious eyes so don't
know where to cut. Any suggestions?

This message was edited Oct 30, 2009 10:29 PM

Video on dividing and storing dahlias here.
http://www.midwestdahliaconference.org/EDS/video.html

Cottage Rose- Thanks for that link. Another question- where would one buy sulfer?

Karen, you can probably get sulfur at the FLOWER FARM, in Bad Axe.

I wonder if you could use Comet Cleanser? We had an iris specialist speak to our garden club years ago and she used Comet Cleanser on her rhysomes to keep them from rotting or getting that disease that iris get. I think it's the bleach in it that works.

You can get it at garden supply stores.
I got some at Fruitbasket Flowerland.
Bonide brand "Bulb Dust".

You can also do a bleach dip...
I think 1 part bleach to 10 parts water
but allow tubers to dry before storing.

This message was edited Oct 31, 2009 4:41 PM