I am wnting to know how to store Sahlias. I have tried several ways and they always dry up. Any Help will be so appreciated!
dahlias-How to store
From what I have read you can store them in damp sawdust in a cool area but do not allow to freeze. I would not make it very wet or they may rot, but if it is kept damp it should keep the tubers from drying up.
Thanks I have tried storing them like all my other bulbs to no avail, will try this. Hate to throw them away. I have a basement well parchial basement and every thing else does fine there. Even my gerraniums, I tie them upside down and hang down there,just no luck with dahlias.lol
My neighbour gave me some dahlias last spring and showed how she stored them -
in unheated garage by the house wall in very large containers in peat moss.
The containers were huge though about 3' high.
I saw here drag the containers out and getting the tubers out very fresh.
The moss did not look dry, but was not too wet either.
Found a link, hope it works
http://www.artsnursery.com/read.asp?article=8
Crystal
This is my first time growing Dahlia's thanks for the storage tip. Can anyone tell me when I should pull them up. They are still very much in bloom, but we are comng into some cold weather.
Hi KansasKim- I heard it was going to freeze 2 nights ago here and so I had a midnight dig-em-up already. I'd just watch your weather. Nice to see another Kansan!! ; )
KansasKim,
I wait for the first frost/freeze which will take care of the flowers and plants, then dig up the tubers in a week or so, providing a deeper freeze doesn't follow the first. It has been 32 degrees here the past two mornings, and the plants and flowers are wilting away (sad), so I will dig them up in a couple of days.
Laura
Thanks Laura and cjolene for the tips. I guess I'll enjoy the rest of the flowers as cut ones in the house. I think next year I will put them in pots. It will be a lot easier to manage water, heat and bugs.
By the way, I am in SW Kansas, near Dodge, where is Lane?
Kim
An hour South in between Lawrence and Kansas City. About 200 people. ; )
Guess we're still pretty far apart.
Just lost the post I had started, so here goes again.
Howdy Kansas Kim. I was born & raised in Western Kansas, just north of Garden City.
The only family left there is one brother, as most of us have moved to Central Kansas. About Jetmore is when I feel like I'm really headed home, with being able to see so far on the horizon, Flat & no trees. Haven't been out there for years.
I have never been able to successfully store dahlia tubers either, AG. I finally just started buying new ones in the spring. I hate it but maybe next year I can do them in a pot and bring it into the house for the winter. We have a couple rooms we don't heat so they should go dormant in there but not die.
Hey all I just wanted you to know, last fall I dug my dahlia's after the last frost and put them in flower pots with soil, watered them, then stored them in the basement, They are alive and well, putting up new shouts. Know what to do from now on. I didn't water them the rest of winter. Thanks all for the help.
I did the saran wrap method and had good success, but had a thought, I have one of the machines you use to store food that sucks out the air, do you suppose that would work easier than sarann wrap? Just a thought.
Joyce
I have heard they need air circulation, so don't think it would work, but I may be wrong since this is the first time I have been able to save them. I am in no way an expert advisor,LOL I just love and enjoy them, and daisy's.
This message was edited Apr 18, 2007 3:31 PM
You are probably right, but if you use the instructions with saran wrap you are wrapping them tightly in plastic wrap so I thought maybe they were trying to keep the air out so they wouldn't dry out.
Here it says, aboute the thin layer of plastic wrap.
The thin plastic wrap used in this method does provide for some air exchange but not to the extent that will allow the bulb to desiccate.