My "Show N' Tell

This was my first year with Dahlias, and only had a few kinds, most of which were given to me by a friend.

Many of them turned out to be Show n' Tell .......... What a beauty!

We had a hard frost last night, so it's time to start digging them up.

Any advise for dividing and storage?

I've got some cedar chips, but what kind of storage "box" is best? I was thinking about using a plastic garbage can and leaving it in our unheated attached garage. We have had water and pop freeze out there, but they were twords the front of the garage, and I plan on putting the Dahlias near the back / house wall.

Thanks for any help you can give this beginner.

You cannot beat this website for overall dahlia information and clear direction with the added benefit of photos. Everything you might need to know is there; with the possible exception of regional variations for your climate.

They have even added photos and information since last year under the section you are interested in right now.
http://www.dahlias.net/dahwebpg/TuberStor/TuberStor1.htm

I use styrofoam coolers and the Saran Wrap method of storage. Also used a tub of Vermiculite for individual tubers in case Saran didn't work well. Forget the vermiculite, Saran is the way to go.The year of the huge 95% tuber loss, I had tubers in peat moss in big Rubbermaid type bins in an unheated garage that froze for several days running ( not common here.) Never again.

There is a little gadget called the Thermocube you can get at Home Depot electrical outlet section for $15 or less. It is thermostatically controlled and when plugged into a small space heater in a corner or room of an outdoor building. It will not provide electricity to the heater until the temp drops below 35 degrees, kicks off at 45 I think. Ideal for tubers. If you store tubers in plastic tub/ garbage can or anything during a prolonged freeze, you stand a good chance of greeting a bin ful of mush come Spring. I am fortunate to have a large room off the back of our garage with walls, doors, big shelves and electricity to house the tubers during their hibernation. The drawback is: the former owners for a time had an earthworm growing operation in there and the whole place smells rather 'earthy' despite repeated soaks with Pine Sol, Lysol, Bleach, Odor Eaters etc. The tubers don't seem to mind though...
http://petvetsupply.com/equmfrm022.html

PS your Show and Tell is gorgeous!

One thing I would change from the Colorado website info is to MARK YOUR TUBERS before you even cut them off the clump, which should be labelled before you even dig it out of the ground.

If you are cutting a number of clumps and drop a tuber accidentally below your work area to the "garbage pile" they all suddenly look alike. Even a couple initials of the variety on the tubers you plan on harvesting off a clump BEFORE you begin cutting will save you from mis-identification should it fall or get set aside somehow. Try the No Blot Ink a Pencil available at some art specialty stores or online. Writes well on damp tubers at processing time. Sharpies are good for dry tubers, but not at washing off time.

There is nothing more disheartening than expecting one dahlia and getting something completely different. I did it to Mvespa with a mystery pink that was to be a nice dark purple and white dahlia! Our local dahlia society is reiterating this over and over as it is quite embarassing to sell tubers and have unhappy customers.

Poochella, thanks so much for the great information.

I had seen the plastic wrap storage method, but just wasn't sure about it. I was suspicious that it would retain too much moisture. Nice to hear from someone who has actually done it that way.

I also had wondered about getting styrofoam coolers or using an old cooler we have with cedar mulch inside for storage in the garage. I am conserned about freezing out there, but my basement is heated, so I don't think I have any other options. I thought the cooler would insulate the tubers and keep them from freezing.

Are "No Blot Ink" pencils available at places like Michaels and JoAnn Fabrics and crafts? Or maybe I can just google it. They sound like the perfect solution for marking tubers.

Thanks again,
Kathy

Kathy, Google search "No Blot ink pencil" Pays to comparison shop it seems!

http://www.pricegrabber.com/search_getprod.php/masterid=4291924/

I got mine here. They were in my hands in two days. And I'm ordering more right now!~: O ) Scroll down a few turns to the pencils.

http://www.aloghomestore.com/tools2.shtml

FYI- the Veritas pencil wrote fairly well but maintains a little bit too sharp of a point and broke into tuber skins too easily. The No Blot just flows, is very legible, the point is softer and actually wears down faster needing to be sharpened more often. But it is kinder and gentler to tubers.

Poochella,

I checked out all the sources at the link you gave me, and though the prices were less, their shipping cost were very high, more than the cost of the pencils. $6 to $8 for shipping.

So, I ordered from the same place as you, and got a box of 12.

Thanks so much for all the help you have given me.
Kathy

Box of 12- same here. How can other stores sell one pencil for $6 vs $.90? The computer is a marvelous thing to aid us. We must never ever let the log home people know how cheap and useful those pencils really are to dahlia enthusiasts!

hi tree climber- hmm- show n tell is really a neat dahlia! i'm always looking for dahlias to broaden my cutting selection...and i think that's an unusual one- i'm wondering when it started blooming..did you get a lot of blooms, or was it on the late side?? I'm looking for dahlias in the orangey color range that bloom before september!btw, i'm from the same climate zone as you- frost just came this way too the other night.. and my feeling is that your garage is just too risky. i actually store mine in a friend's basement, because her basement is like a root cellar- and just the right temp (it's also a huge basement)- i have to admit that i'm probably more casual than most in my storage methods- i put the whole darn tuber mass into cardboard boxes and pack them with sawdust- i get shavings from a local tack shop- they are baled for horses- and cost about 2.50 a bale- i think i use 3 or 4 bales for about 25 to 30 boxes, and get 4 or 5 roots into each box. honestly, i rarely loose any. come spring, there may be a rotten part of a tuber here and there, but hardly ever the whole thing- usually, i see sprouts by that time, so dividing is simpler for me then. but space is a real problem- and hauling those boxes!! this year, i'm going to try some fall dividing.....and experiment with the saran wrap-but i'm reluctant to use fungicide- and with my other method, i don't even really have to clean the tubers completely, they still store fine.-- anyway- here's my summary in terms of new england winter storage: freezing is worse than too hot, NEVER let tubers freeze! dahlias in basements here seem to rot from too much moisture more easily than dry up from too little, anything plastic has not worked for me, and has just caused rot- that's why i use cardboard boxes. sawdust also has prooved to be the surest, least damp, but protective packing material for me.... as you can see, everyone has their little methods- probably you need your own special formula! a friend of mine throws her tubers straight from the garden into paper bags- and puts them in the cellar-come spring they are weaving their way out of the bags-long white octopus tentacles- and she puts them back into the garden! (she does loose some!)

Thanks sjms,

For me, Show N Tell was late, but I got them planted late, and didn't water or fertilize as much as I should have.

I got my tubers from a friend in Washington State, and for her they start blooming rather early.

I dug mine yesterday, and decided not to divide until Spring. I'm new at this, and no matter how many pictures I look at that show "eyes", I still have trouble seeing them.

I washed them off, let them dry for a while, and put them in paper lunch bags with cedar chips, (marked the variety on the bag), then I surrounded the bags with more cedar inside cardboard boxes. My plan is to use a very large cardboard box and put the smaller boxes inside of it, and again add cedar or pine chips.

I really don't have a basement I can borrow. My sister and Father have a crawl space, but I imagine it freezes down there too, besides, they are about 1 1/2 hours away, and it wouldn't be convenient to retrieve my treasure quickly come spring.

I'll just have to give the back of the garage a try and see what happens. I don't have very many tubers, so it won't be too big of a loss if they don't make it. Until I get the storage thing down pat, Dahlias are definately worth growing as an annual .......... My friend will always send me more "Show N' Tell", she has tons. Lucky her, she lives near Connell's.

Here's a picture of what she picks from her gardens every day ....

pretty picture! dahlias have such bloom power, that's what's so great about them. i hope the garage works and in any case, have your friend send you more tubers next spring!