Dahlia in the house?

I planted a tuber of Jenny in the ground in mid-June (way too late but that's when I got her). She sprouted right away and has looked healthy all summer but just in the last two weeks has shown buds. Now 3 buds are showing petals and should open soon. The problem is that we have a hard freeze warning for tonight. I really want to see those flowers! What if I dug the whole plant, without disturbing the roots, potted her, and brought her inside under grow lights. Would this work? Has anyone done this?

Can you get a sheet or other covering for it? If you can keep the dew from getting on it and freezing, that may help. I've seen others here dress them up like Halloween ghosts, at least that's what it looks like. Can't say about digging a mature plant up.

It's not like we will have one night of freeze. It looks like the cold weather is here. Next week lows are predicted in the lower 30's, then upper 20's. Chance of snow one of those days. We live in a pretty cold zone in upstate New York. I think this is the last day for gorgeous dahlia blooms. I'm about to go pick a ton of them!

Eek-that's a dilemma. Anytime I ever tried to dig one up (sadly I was dumb enough to try it twice!), no matter how gently, it really damaged any pre-existing growth, especially if there were buds on it. But your darned if you leave it, too...Maybe you have a better chance with with leaving it, but protecting it. Can you mulch the heck out of it and make the ghosties with sheets?

I've never moved anything this late in the season and fear that the shock of digging/moving in already cool temps wouldn't do much but set it behind further. They always get mad for a few days when you have the audacity to move them, and it won't have optimal conditions indoors to recover.

I also vote for trying your best to protect it with covers. If nothing else, you've had 4 months for Jenny to make tubers and she should give you some blooms from them next year if you get frosted this time around.
Good luck!

Can you cover it at night with a big box?

Just a thought here for next year. I planted all of my dahlias in nursery pots. These can be sunk in the ground and lifted when cold weather approaches. I've been moving mine to safer locations that past two days, as frost approaches this week.

I thought I could cover her with a bushel basket or big pail and then a blanket but nothing I had was big enough. So I just cut the three buds showing their color and I have then in a vase of water under a light in the kitchen with my fingers crossed. Next year I'll start her ahead of time under lights (tubers willing). Thanks for your help!

Did you get a frost last night?

I was thinking of a box a stove might come in from an appliance store. Might be worth saving one for such emergencies.

Yes, we got a major frost. All the dahlias are black. I'm so glad I cut a lot for the house. Here are the 3 Jenny buds. I have some hope for 2 of them.

Are you all digging yp your Dahlias now? mine
are still blooming and frost date is Nov. But sure am tempted to dig them up.
It blooms best when weather cools down .

No, not yet. I wait for a frost. Here's the view out the guest room window yesterday morning:

Vry pretty. then I guess I'll wait.
Thanks

Very pretty view out your guest room window, Pirl!

I should learn to wash the windows first, then take the photo.

Bebop, if Jenny opens more I hope you'll take photos as I am now reminded that I have a mystery white/lavender laciniated dahlia Al thought might be Jenny. Crossing my fingers yours will open. Even as a budling, it's pretty!

Pirl, everytime you post a photo I'm amazed by your lovely, tidy yard. Is that a fenced in garden behind the flower bed?

Thanks, Annie. That's our vegetable garden and the copper you see is enclosed with mesh to keep the wretched crows and deer away from our tomatoes. The deer ate all the broccoli, many of the cucumbers, etc. Now we're going to enclose the entire garden with deer mesh.

Better make it tall, dear lady. We had to do that with ours.
About time the green beans were ready, they would come
in and eat them. Lord, help you if yo plantedSweet potatoes, without
covering them with wire. Deer are treacherous.

OMG-pirl, you are so funny! There's not a speck o' dirt on that window!
And your grass! Oh, how I'd love to run barefoot through your lawn. We can't do that here-not without having a thousand sand spurs stuck into your foot and stepping into a fire ant hill. Less than pleasant.

You're right QQ, not a speck of dirt - MANY specks!

The grass is Jack's doing, not mine. We had some kind of tree in our former home that had sticky balls falling from it. I hated that thing. Never had or saw a fire ant but from all I've read I should be grateful.

Sounds like a Sweet Gum. They are very aggravating. They messed up my Lawnmower
with one of those balls. Fireants are horrible too.
Bite and leave horrid red spots with white centers. Be glad they haven't
made it to NY yet.

And, I forgot to ask, pirl, is that beautiful burgundy foliage in the far background of your photo a Japanese Maple? So pretty.

Yes, it was a Sweet Gum. Nothing sweet about those sticky things and the dogs hated them.

Yes, it's probably a Bloodgood Japanese Maple planted by our former neighbors so it's actually "borrowed landscaping".