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Dahlia overwintering confusion

CopperdogCopperdog Posts: 617
in Plants
Hello everyone I was listening to a gardening podcast about Dahlias and in one query they said take the Dahlia tubers out of the pots and brush them and make sure they are dry and then wrap in paper and store cool and dry.  In another query they said if you don't want the pots for tulips just put your pots whole with Dahlias still in them in the shed or somewhere frost free and dry....Is this still ok even though previously they were suggesting the soil needed to be brushed from them to stop them rotting?  Many thanks
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  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    You’ll probably find it’s 50 - 50 on this site.
    I lift and wrap mine when they’re dry,  others just leave them in the pots to dry,   both seems to work. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    And some of us in drier areas with more well-drained soil plant them in the ground and leave them there. There's no one right way.
    I left some in tubs outside all winter last year and they've come back, although rather late (I didn't much like those ones so I was intending to chuck them out).
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • CopperdogCopperdog Posts: 617
    Ok thanks @Lyn , I think I will try leaving them to dry in the pots and pop them in the shed over winter and see what happens.  I bought a bag from Lidl for £5.99 so it isn't the end of the world if they don't make it (Why do I feel bad saying that! :|)
  • CopperdogCopperdog Posts: 617
    Thanks @JennyJ I realised how dry my garden is this summer so I think I might experiment and leave a couple in the ground too and see what happens.
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    I’ve always left the ones in the open garden in the ground but last winter was a particularly cold one and not one has come up.  The ones in pots I dry and bring in. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    @copperdog, I think leaving in the ground works best if your soil drains well in the winter too (mine is sandy and pebbly). I can't imagine they like being waterlogged. Last winter was a particularly mild one here, so it varies a lot from place to place and there's always the risk of a cold one.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    Winters here are mild compared to our last garden.  -8C is the worst we've had and that was only for a few days.

    I left the dahlias in the ground last winter except for a couple of small ones I had growing on in pots.   We covered all the dahlia bed with late cut "hay" from our long grass areas and, thru winter, we emptied out the chooks' bedding on there too so that gave extra protection as well as some fertiliser.  They've been brilliant this year tho short stemmed for the flowers, presumably because of the excess heat and drought this summer.

    The ones in pots were left in them and stashed in the polytunnel so they stayed dry.   Started watering when it warmed up enough for growth and they've been fine.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • CopperdogCopperdog Posts: 617
    Brilliant to hear many thanks @Obelixx this will save me a lot of work!
  • KeenOnGreenKeenOnGreen Posts: 1,831
    @Copperdog Our neighbour leave theirs in the ground. They put a little mound of soil on top of each Dahlia, stick an upside down plastic plant pot over it, and stick a bamboo cane through a hole in the bottom of the pot, to keep the pot from being blown away. 

    This gives the Dahlia's some protection from excess cold and rain. I have tried the same concept, but using upside down terracotta saucers (which normally go under plant pots). Does the same trick.

  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    I leave my pots out and cover with an old compost bag and fleece.
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