Dahlias in the ground and low temps expected.

I started several Dahlias this spring in garage early on. I have set a few out and they are expecting low temps for tonight here 35 degrees is the lowest temp. guess I have seen. Will I need to cover them or should they be able to take temp this low? Our ground temp has been in the 60s for a month or so now and we were having such a run on warm temps. I figured no more frost so get to planting earlier then usual. May have been a mistake.

Thanks taj

Maybe you can cover them with buckets/pails or empty pots/planters - whatever you can find. 35 degrees is not really dahlia friendly. I know what you mean about the weather. We've been having summery weather the last few weeks. Tonight we're going down in the 40's. Oh well, I'll take that over 35 degrees, LOL! At least it's only for a couple nights and day temps will be in the 60's anyway.

taj - the soil temperature is the only important thing for you with the low temp's. The earth is warmer than the air temperature.

We've had dahlias still in bloom on Nov. 19th when temp's were in the 30's so they can survive it. I just hope for your sake that you don't get rain as well.

Cover them with over-turned pots (as Tex said) with a brick on top if you're actually worried that you'll lose them.

pirl, and tex, thanks for advice I think I will cover them with what ever I can find I will have to untie some from stakes to cover them but better safe than sorry later. I was just out and carried in about 20 pots of cannas and dahlias and such into my garage so I am on break now.

taj