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Storing Dahlia Tubers
Malcolm Harrison
Posts: 36
in Talkback
I have read many articles and watched several video clips on methods of storing Dahlia Tubers each one differing in some way from the next. I would value comments on the essential points to watch out for during the overwintering process. My home is in South Bedfordshire.
Many thanks.
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Posts
This is what I do and it works for me-lift,cut stems to around 6 inches prop upside down to drain on sheets of newspaper-after about a week cover with layers of newspaper.
Mine are stored in the greenhouse -it is unheated-but losses are rare-the optimum condition is dry cool and frost-free-too warm they will dry out- too wet they will rot
On GW it was shown that storing in vermiculite was another option,dry peat is also good,just wrapping in newspaper also.
The wet and cold is the killer
I have been raising and growing two varieties of Dahlia from seed over the past two years with great success. They have been grown both out in the open garden and in pots. I stored the tubers over winter in Vermiculite and replanted them in pots from which just three reshooted this summer and I must say they were both stronger growing and produced beautiful blooms from mid June right the way through till the first frosts this November - so certainly better than the year before. The others I lost to a wet spring and early summer.
This winter I, too, have many huge tubers to store and I think this time I will try vermiculite for some and just wrapping in newspaper for the rest and see which method turns out to be the best. I have read articles where the soil is just left on the tubers and just left to dry and others where they are cleaned, washed and trimmed before storage. I would value any further tips on this issue as well.
Many thanks. Malcolm
I usually store mine in flexible plastic pots filled with bark. I find this is a cheaper way of storing them than using vermiculite as I have such a lot of tubers.
Like others I have left some in the ground during the last 3 winters. I cover them with at least 6inches of bark. They nearly all survived but I do find that they are slower to shoot than stored tubers.
the stored tubers are quick off the mark because they are normally started off indoors which is a lot warmer but the ones in the ground take a bit longer for the ground to warm up before they start off, but eventually they do catch up. the problem with seeds, is u never know what colour u are going to get. the colour could be something u dont want or it might not fit in with the colour scheme of what u want to achieve.
It happens-could be just a touch of mildew-if the tuber is still solid- not mushy- they will probably be fine- start into growth in around 5/6 weeks