Dahlias are Reusable!
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Favorite Dahlias by Karin Bigelow
Even in Autumn, with the solar garden lights now illuminating fallen leaves, we gardeners think about spring planting. If we are careful, we can reuse those flower tubers for another crop. Some gardeners choose to leave their Dahlia tubers in the ground over the winter. In chillier regions, this can be very risky but if you have decided to follow this path, make sure that your Dahlias are growing in very well drained soil and apply a minimum of 6″-12″ inches of mulch to the planting area before the ground freezes.
The best plan is to dig the tubers and store them in a cool, dry place for the winter.
Here is the First Things First part: Prior to digging, the production of new eyes on the tubers can be stimulated by cutting the stem back to a 6″ stub, the I’ve learned that this will happen naturally when the majority of the plant has died back due to frost.
Then carefully dig a circle about 12 inches around the plant stub so you can carefully lift it out of the ground. (Be careful not to damage the tender new sprouts) Use a gentle spray from your hose to clean and remove the remaining soil from the clump. Allow the clump to dry for a day in a cool dry place. Now you can either divide the clump or store the clump and do your dividing in the spring.
To produce a new plant, each tuber must have an eye (the new growth bud) which appears at the point where the tuber connects to the main stalk. (Each tuber on the clump will not necessarily have an eye.) Using a sharp clean knife carefully separate tubers. Discard any damaged tubers and any that don’t contain an eye. Place the tubers in a tub and store them in a dry area where the temperature will remain at about 40 degrees F.
Occasionally check your tubers during the winter for signs of shriveling (moisten the storage medium), or mildew (dryer storage place recommended then).
Then rest back and move on to visions of sugar plums.
By: Karin Bigelow, Co-Editor of Village Green Gifts
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